Suljak Lab 2017
The Suljak research lab continues its efforts to develop aptamers to distinguish between protein glycoforms that serve as potential biomarkers for early-stage diseases. At the 2016 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Diego, Eric Carlson and Erik Berggren presented their work on aptamer selections for thrombospondin-1, a protein shown to undergo a substantial glycosylation change with endometrioid ovarian cancer. At the same meeting, Marco Fanucchi presented his synthesis of asparagine mimic to be used during construction of a glycopeptide array. In addition, they all gave oral presentations at the Northern California ACS Undergraduate Research Symposium. Eric, Erik, Marco,
Bryan Crook, Mari Ueno, and Riley Parsons all graduated in June, leaving a much younger lab in their wake! Eric is now doing research at Scripps, Erik is a technician at Climax Labs and a research assistant with Dr. Wheeler at SCU, Marco has begun doctoral studies at UC Davis, and Bryan and Mari will begin medical school in the coming fall. Riley has traveled and is pursuing work in venture capital.
Suljak Lab alumni have been busy as well. Ryan Cheu started doctoral work at the University of Washington this year, and Warren Sadler will be joining him this fall. On the personal side, Ryan Murray and Chappy Huang both got married, and Mark Vinopal and Mike Hayes became fathers! Wendy and I got to meet our second son, Brandon, in August, We love our extended family, although Brandon continues to ensure that neither of us gets enough sleep each night!