{"id":158,"date":"2024-03-05T17:15:30","date_gmt":"2024-03-05T17:15:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lab.prd.vanderbilt.edu\/younglab\/?page_id=158"},"modified":"2025-09-18T19:16:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T19:16:14","slug":"people","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lab.vanderbilt.edu\/younglab\/people\/","title":{"rendered":"Lab Members"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/h1>\n

The Young Lab<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Principal Investigator<\/h1>\n

Jamey\u00a0D. Young, Ph.D.<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n

\"\"<\/h3>\n

Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Engineering
\n<\/em>Director of Graduate Studies in Chemical Engineering
\n<\/em>Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering<\/em>
\nAssociate Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Education<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

B.S. Chemical Engineering, 1999
\nUniversity of Kentucky<\/a>
\nPh.D. Chemical Engineering, 2005
\nPurdue University<\/a>
\nPostdoctoral Fellow, 2005\u201308
\nMassachusetts Institute of Technology<\/a><\/p>\n

Contact Information
\n<\/strong>j.d.young@vanderbilt.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Curriculum Vitae<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Research Faculty and Postdoctoral Researchers<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n
\n

Clint Hasenour, Ph.D.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

\"\"Assistant Research Professor<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Education<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

B.A. Biochemistry, 2007
\n<\/a>DePauw University<\/a>
\nPh.D. Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, 2014
\nVanderbilt University<\/a><\/p>\n

Contact Information
\n<\/strong>clinton.m.hasenour@vanderbilt.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Research
\n<\/strong>Diabetes & Obesity<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

<\/h1>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

<\/h1>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Mariachiara Conti, Ph.D.<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Postdoctoral Researcher<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Mariachiara is a Chemical Engineer with a strong interest in research in bioprocess development. She works at the interface of biology and engineering science, aiming to translate new discoveries into industrial-scale production.<\/p>\n

Education\"\"<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

B.A. Material Chemistry, 2015
\n<\/a>Alma Mater Studiorum – Universita de Bologna<\/p>\n

M.S. Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 2019
\n<\/a>Alma Mater Studiorum – Universita de Bologna<\/p>\n

Ph.D. Engineering, 2024
\nThe University of Edinburgh<\/p>\n

Contact Information
\n<\/strong>mariachiara.conti@vanderbilt.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Research
\n<\/strong>Extracellular Vesicle Biomanufacturing<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/h1>\n

Research Staff<\/h1>\n

Sara Weidenbach, M.S<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/h4>\n

Lab Manager<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Sara specializes in method validation and small molecule detection via GC and LC-MS\/MS. She earned her two bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry and in Forensic Science at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2019 before completing her Master\u2019s degree in Pharmacology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 2020. She has three years of industry experience within the disciplines of health science toxicology and food science before joining the Young Lab in June 2023. Her current research interests are focused on method development and validation through HPLC and Mass Spectrometry.<\/p>\n

Contact Information
\n<\/strong>sara.weidenbach@vanderbilt.edu<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Graduate Students<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Baltazar Zuniga<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

\"\"<\/i>Ph.D. Candidate – Molecular Physiology and Biophysics<\/em><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Baltazar Zuniga graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 2019 with honors degrees in Liberal Arts (Plan II) and Biochemistry. He joined the Young Lab in 2020 through the Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Ph.D. Program. His research interests include the effects of source-sink dynamics on cyanobacterial natural product synthesis and the cyanobacterial fatty acid biosynthesis pathway.<\/p>\n

\n

Contact Information
\n<\/strong>baltazar.e.zuniga@vanderbilt.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Research
\n<\/strong>Photosynthesis Research<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rachel Moen<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

\"\"<\/h4>\n

Ph.D. Candidate – Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering<\/em><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rachel Moen is a current chemical and biomolecular engineering PhD candidate in the Young Lab. She earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in Bioengineering with a concentration in biomaterials from Clemson University, before joining the Young Lab in August 2020. Her research focuses on scaling up the production of extracellular vesicles (EVs) from tissue-specific cell lines derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for therapeutic applications.\u00a0 She is co-advised by Dr. Jamey Young and Dr. Ethan Lippmann.<\/p>\n

Contact Information
\n<\/strong>rachel.k.moen@vanderbilt.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Research
\n<\/strong>Extracellular Vesicle Biomanufacturing
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Deveena Banerjee<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

\"\"<\/h4>\n

Ph.D. Candidate – Molecular Physiology and Biophysics<\/em><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Education<\/strong><\/p>\n

B.S. Mathematics, 2020
\nBates College<\/a><\/p>\n

Contact Information
\n<\/strong>deveena.r.banerjee@vanderbilt.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Research
\n<\/strong>Diabetes & Obesity<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kevin J. Ruiz-M\u00e1rquez<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

\"\"<\/h4>\n

Ph.D. Candidate –\u00a0Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering<\/em><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Kevin is a current Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering PhD candidate in the Young Lab. He earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in Chemical Engineering with a minor concentration in Pharmaceutical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez in 2021. His current research interests are focused on the utility of host cell engineering in enhancing the metabolic efficiency of mammalian cell lines used in biomanufacturing processes.<\/p>\n

Contact Information
\n<\/strong>kevin.j.ruiz-marquez@vanderbilt.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Research<\/strong>
\nCell Culture Engineering<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jaejung Kim<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

\"\"<\/h4>\n

Ph.D. Student – Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering<\/em><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Jaejung Kim is a current Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering PhD student in the Young Lab. He earned a Bachelor\u2019s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the National University of Singapore and a Master\u2019s degree in Chemical and Biomedical Engineering from Nanyang Technological University. Jaejung gained seven years of industry and academic experience prior to joining the Young Lab in August 2024. His research focuses on developing cell engineering strategies to produce extracellular vesicles (EVs) with favorable properties for therapeutic applications.<\/p>\n

Education:<\/p>\n

B.E. Biomedical Engineering, 2015<\/p>\n

National University of Singapore<\/em><\/p>\n

M.E. Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, 2019\u2028<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nanyang Technological University<\/em><\/p>\n

Contact Information
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jaejung.kim@vanderbilt.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Research<\/strong>
\nCell Culture Engineering<\/a><\/p>\n

Extracellular Vesicle Biomanufacturing<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Undergraduate Students<\/h1>\n

Sabrina Bucaro<\/h2>\n
\n

Biomedical Engineering<\/em><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Sabrina is a Class of 2027 undergraduate student double majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Medicine, Health, and Society. She is involved with various organizations on campus, including Tikkun Olam Makers, a collaboration of student developers working to engineer assistive technology for individuals with disabilities.<\/p>\n

Contact Information
\n<\/strong>sabrina.i.bucaro@vanderbilt.edu<\/p>\n

Research<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cell Culture Engineering<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nicholas Oberbroeckling<\/h2>\n

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering<\/em><\/p>\n

Nicholas is a Class of 2028 Chemical Engineering student and Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Contact Information
\n<\/strong>nicholas.v.oberbroeckling@vanderbilt.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Research<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cell Culture Engineering<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Group Alumni<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Postdoctoral Researchers<\/h4>\n
\n
    \n
  • Piyoosh Babele, 2019-2021<\/li>\n
  • Current position: Rani Laxmi Bai Central Agriculture University (India), Assistant Professor<\/em><\/li>\n
  • Clint Hasenour, 2015-2018
    \nCurrent position: Vanderbilt University, Research Assistant Professor<\/em><\/li>\n
  • Young Mi Whang, 2012-2015
    \nCurrent position: Samsung Medical Center (Seoul, Korea), Executive Office Team Leader<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

    Graduate Students<\/h4>\n
      \n
    • Amy Zheng, 2017-2024<\/li>\n
    • Javier Gomez, 2017-2024<\/li>\n
    • Sarah A. Sacco, 2016-2022
      \nCurrent Position<\/em>: Merck (Rahway, NJ), Senior Scientist<\/em><\/li>\n
    • Mohsin Rahim, 2015-2021
      \nCurrent position: PTC Therapeutics (Sunnyvale, CA), Scientist I<\/em><\/li>\n
    • Ali McAtee Periera, 2012-2018
      \nCurrent position: Pfizer (Raleigh-Durham, NC),\u00a0<\/em>Senior Scientist<\/em><\/li>\n
    • Lara Jazmin, 2010-2015
      \nCurrent position: Metalytics (Nashville, TN), President<\/em><\/li>\n
    • Martha Wall, 2013-2015<\/li>\n
    • Adeola Adebiyi, 2012-2015<\/li>\n
    • Alex Leamy, 2010-2015
      \nCurrent position: Deloitte (Cincinatti, OH), Consultant<\/em><\/li>\n
    • Casey Duckwall, 2011-2014<\/li>\n
    • Neil Templeton, 2009-2014
      \nCurrent position: Merck (Kenilworth, NJ), Senior Scientist<\/em><\/li>\n
    • Rob Egnatchik, 2009-2014
      \nCurrent position: UT Southwestern, Postdoctoral Researcher, Deberardinis Lab<\/em><\/li>\n
    • Taylor Murphy, 2008-2013
      \nCurrent position: NextGxDx (Franklin, TN), Director of Data Procurement<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Undergraduate Students<\/h4>\n
        \n
      • Sabrina Bucaro, Fall 2025-present<\/li>\n
      • Lauren (Kaylee) Jones, Spring 2025-present<\/li>\n
      • Nicholas V Oberbroeckling, Spring 2025-present<\/li>\n
      • Matthew McPhail, Fall 2024-present<\/li>\n
      • Brett Payne, Fall 2024-present<\/li>\n
      • Sarah Patel, Spring 2024-present<\/li>\n
      • Gabriela Faircloth, 2023-present<\/li>\n
      • Ellie Rose Marie Armstrong, Fall 2024<\/li>\n
      • Max Byram, 2022-2023<\/li>\n
      • Mushfikur Rahman, 2015-17
        \nCurrent position: University of Houston, CHE PhD program<\/em><\/li>\n
      • Victoria Potter, 2015-17
        \nCurrent position: Exxon Mobil<\/em><\/li>\n
      • Elaine Qian, 2012-2014
        \nCurrent position: UCLA, BE PhD program<\/em><\/li>\n
      • Jackie Whitehead, NSF REU 2012
        \nCurrent position: UC Riverside, BME PhD program<\/em><\/li>\n
      • Jessica Campos, 2010-12
        \nCurrent position: Loyola, Chicago MD program<\/em><\/li>\n
      • Mayo Adigun, 2011
        \nCurrent position: Purdue, CHE PhD program<\/em><\/li>\n
      • Judy Zhu, 2010-11
        \nCurrent position: OFS Fitel, Materials Engineer<\/em><\/li>\n
      • Lina Aboulmouna, 2009-11
        \nCurrent position: Cornell, CHBE PhD program<\/em><\/li>\n
      • Peter DelNero, 2009-11
        \nCurrent position: Cornell, BME PhD program<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Summer Research Training Program (SRTP) in Diabetes and Endocrinology<\/h4>\n
          \n
        • Kaleb Kohler, 2012
          \nUniversity of Cincinnati<\/li>\n
        • Nicolina Wawrin, 2011
          \nUniversity of Toledo<\/li>\n
        • Brendan Inouye, 2010
          \nUniversity of Hawaii<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Visiting Undergraduate Students<\/h4>\n
            \n
          • Elizabeth Lee, Summer 2025
            \nRice University<\/li>\n
          • Anna Ruth Madera, Summer 2024
            \nMercer University<\/li>\n
          • Brooke Olesnevich, Summer 2015
            \nNorth Carolina State University<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Visiting Graduate Students<\/h4>\n
            \n
              \n
            • Qianru Jin, Summer 2012
              \nJohns Hopkins University<\/li>\n
            • Veronique Beckers, Fall 2011
              \nBraunschweig University of Technology<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
              \n
              \n
              <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
              \n
              \n
              \n
              \n
              \n
              <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
              \n
              \n
              \n
              \n
              \n

              Young\u00a0Lab Group Photos<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
              \"\"<\/div>\n
              \n
              \n
              \n
              \n

              \"\"<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

               <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  The Young Lab Principal Investigator Jamey\u00a0D. Young, Ph.D. Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Engineering Director of Graduate Studies in Chemical Engineering Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Education B.S. Chemical Engineering, 1999 University of Kentucky Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, 2005 Purdue University Postdoctoral Fellow, 2005\u201308 Massachusetts Institute of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":465,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page_onecolumn.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-158","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lab.vanderbilt.edu\/younglab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lab.vanderbilt.edu\/younglab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lab.vanderbilt.edu\/younglab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lab.vanderbilt.edu\/younglab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/465"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lab.vanderbilt.edu\/younglab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=158"}],"version-history":[{"count":80,"href":"https:\/\/lab.vanderbilt.edu\/younglab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/158\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":522,"href":"https:\/\/lab.vanderbilt.edu\/younglab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/158\/revisions\/522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lab.vanderbilt.edu\/younglab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lab.vanderbilt.edu\/younglab\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}