GROUP MEMBERS
Principal Investigator
Fearless Leader
Graduate Students
Year Entered: 2022
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Year Entered: 2024
Year Entered: 2026
Post-Doc
Year Entered: 2023
Undergraduate Students
Class of 2026
Class of 2027
Class of 2028
Class of 2027
Class of 2028
Class of 2029
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Class of 2026
Class of 2027
Post-Doc
Rahul Gaykar
Dr. Rahul Gaykar joined the Kane Lab in the summer of 2023 as a Postdoctoral Researcher. He earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Chemistry from Savitribai Phule Pune University, India (2013–2015), and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, in 2022 under the guidance of Prof. A. T. Biju. He plans to pursue a career in organic chemistry research.
Fun Fact: Rahul enjoys watching and playing cricket in his free time.
Graduate Students
Akhil Sarkar
Akhil joined the Kane Lab in the fall of 2022. He earned his bachelor's (honors) and master's degrees in chemistry from Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Fun Fact: Beyond the lab, Akhil loves to read and write, working across poetry, novels, short fiction, and translation. Outside of research and writing, he values time spent with family.
Hometown: Naogaon, Bangladesh
Jackie LaBerteaux
Jackie joined the Kane Lab in the Fall of 2023. She graduated from Lousiana Tech University and plans to pursue a career in academia.
Fun Fact: She is part bionic; She has two metal titanium rods in her left arm.
Hometown: Carencro, Louisiana
Isaiah Rivera
Isaiah joined the Kane Lab in Fall of 2024. He graduated from Baylor University with this Biology Degree and plans to pursue a career in either acedemia or industry.
Fun Fact:
Hometown: Tyler, TX
Promise Ifeanyichukwu
Promise joined the Kane Lab in the summer of 2026. He is pursuing research in Medicinal Organic Chemistry with a focus on prodrug design and hopes to contribute to innovative therapeutic strategies.
Fun Fact: Promise enjoys a wide mix of creative and hands‑on hobbies, including chemical synthesis, playing music, gaming on FIFA, cooking, and spending time with his family.
Hometown: Nigeria
Undergraduate Students
Summer Thatcher
Summer joined the Kane Lab in the fall of 2022. She is a Cell and Molecular Biology major with a minor in Biochemistry. She is interested in understanding disease and plans to pursue an MD/PhD, with a focus on pathology and cancer research.
Fun Fact: Summer is obsessed with her pet rabbit Poncho
Hometown: Friendswood, Tx
Aaron Lee
Aaron joined the Kane lab in the fall of 2024. He is a Biology major on the pre-med track with a minor in chemistry and is planning on pursuing medical school after graduating.
Fun Fact: Aaron lives with three cats shared with his roommate.
Hometown: Saratoga, California
Luca Tan
Gianluca "Luca" Tan joined the Kane lab in the fall of 2024. He is a Pre-Pharmacy Biology major and Asian Studies minor. He intends on pursuing graduate school or immunology research after graduating
Fun Fact: Luca's family comes from Singapore
Hometown: Katy, Texas
Daniel Kim
Daniel joined the Kane lab in the fall of 2025. He is a pre-med Health Science Studies major and plans to attend medical school after graduating.
Fun fact: Daniel loves to write poetry and prose, and recently had one piece accepted into a student magazine.
Hometown: Frisco, Texas
Blake Lewis
Blake joined the Kane Lab in Fall 2025. He is a Pre-Med Biology major with a minor in History at Baylor University and plans to attend medical school after graduating.
Fun Fact: Blake has an Alaskan Malamute named Kinley and loves hiking.
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Sofia Clyde
Sofia Clyde joined the lab Spring of 2026. She is a pre-med major biology major and sociology minor and hopes to attend medical school after graduating
Fun Fact: Sofia loves going on runs and hikes
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Bella Taylor
Bella joined the lab in Spring of 2026. She is a Biochemistry major and plans to pursue a PhD in chemistry of biology-related fields
Fun Fact: Bella has practiced martial arts for several years and now continues the tradition of choking people out with Baylor's Brazilia Jiu-Jitsu Club. <3
Hometown: Urla, izmir, Türkiye
Elly Tran
Elly joined the Kane Lab in Summer 2026. She is a Chemistry major with a Minor in Mathematics and plans to pursue graduate studies in Chemistry after graduation.
Fun Fact: Elly has three cats back home and one of them is mildly obese.
Hometown: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Graduates
Ph.D. Students
Chloë Sells: 2025
Johann Karunananthan: 2024
Jessica Kostyo: 2023
Michael Plunk: 2021
Kevin Gayler: 2021
Jeremy Quintana: 2020
Charles A. Chang: 2018
Babatope Akinbobuyi: 2016
Gabriela Uzcategui: 2010
José R. B. Romero: 2010
Dorn L. Carranza: 2006
Aruna Perera: 2005
Mark D. Jonklaas: 2003
R. Jeremy Woods: 2003
Masters Students
Peyton Little: 2023
Zach Seifert: 2015
Ae Gyeong Kang: 2009
Drew W. Dean: 2008
Daniel A. Ramirez: 2006
Elizabeth A. Keschman: 2000
Timothy M. Rowland: 1999
Undergraduate Honors Theses* and Graduates
Ryan Genualdi: 2022
Lauren Dieringer: 2022
Elena McGown: 2022
Allie Stinchomb: 2021
Liam Ferreira: 2020
Mina Shuda: 2020
Harold Nguyen: 2020
Blair Robichaud: 2020
Alyssa Alaniz: 2018
Kayla Murphy: 2018*
Chloë Sells: 2017*
Jeremy Quintana: 2015*
Rachel Petersen: 2014*
Tuan Loh: 2011*
Emily Morgan: 2004*
Carla Torres: 1998*