2024 Thomas D. Walsh Graduate Research Fellowship Winner: Ryan Spillane
Ryan Spillane–Winner 2024
Biography. Ryan received his Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from NC State University, where he served as an undergraduate teaching assistant for organic chemistry, received graduate-
level training in chemical biology techniques, and conducted research in an organic chemistry lab focusing on the synthesis of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers with applications for anti-cancer drug delivery and gene delivery. In addition to coursework and research, he was an active member in the NC State University Scholars Program and the marching band, and traveled in his second year to Poland as part of a STEM-based study abroad program, where he
took classes and participated in cultural exploration activities at major cities and historical sites. After graduating, Ryan worked as an emergency medical technician for Pender EMS & Fire, then as a Biologist for QuickSilver Analytics before enrolling in the Master of Science in Chemistry program at UNC Charlotte. Starting in fall 2024, he will be taking over as the president of the Association of Chemistry Graduate Students at UNC Charlotte.
Research Statement. Bacterial glycans are a structurally diverse group of biomolecules involved in antibacterial resistance, biofilm formation, and both commensal and pathogen host interactions. The Troutman group employs techniques in molecular biology, chemical biology, and organic chemistry to develop systems and tools to study the biosynthesis of bacterial glycans. Isoprenoid-dependent glycan assembly relies on bactoprenyl monophosphate (BP), a native lipid anchor that serves as a site for the sequential appendage of mono-saccharides to form complete glycans. My master’s thesis project seeks to optimize the synthesis of an azide functionalized isoprenoid analogue of BP, develop a small library of isoprenoids using “click chemistry” for efficient and diverse functionalization, and use them to probe the substrate selectivity of phosphoglycosyltransferases (PGTs), a class of enzymes involved in the first step of isoprenoid-dependent bacterial glycan assembly.
Jared Reeder-Finalist
Biography. Jared was born and raised in Asheboro, North Carolina, and earned his B.S. in Biomedical Science from Gardner-Webb University in 2023. During his undergraduate years, he had a chance to conduct research under the guidance of professors Dr. David Campbell and Dr. Meredith Rowe at Gardner-Webb University, and in the summer of 2022, was a part of the NSF NanoSURE summer research program at UNC-Charlotte. While at UNC-Charlotte in the summer of 2022, he worked in the lab of Dr. Jerry Troutman. After coming to UNC-Charlotte in Fall 2023 for the M.S. Chemistry program, he joined the lab of Dr. Eva Ge, focusing on protein biochemistry. After graduation, he is planning on pursuing medical school.
Research statement. My research primarily focuses on the chemical biology of post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins and the crosstalk between these PTMs and metal binding. With an estimated one half of all characterized proteins requiring metal ion(s) binding for proper function, the effects of these PTMs on metalloprotein structure and function requires further investigation. Through the use of both biochemistry and cell biology, we are able to study the effects of these PTMs in both a controlled synthetic environment, such as by metal-ligand competition assays, and a cellular environment with more biological relevance, such as through confocal microscopy. By investigating how PTMs bring diversity to the proteome, we can better understand how the crosstalk between PTMs and metals contribute to human health and/or the development of diseases associated with metal dyshomeostasis, such as neurodegenerative disorders or cancer.
Ever Bonilla-Finalist
Biography. Ever was born in Long Island, NY and raised in Charlotte, NC. He attended East Carolina University for a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Molecular and Cellular Biology and a Minor in Chemistry. He has conducted research in three different labs for in his undergraduate career with Dr. Robert M. Hughes, Dr. Shouquan Huo, and Dr. Eric Anderson. The lab with Dr. Hughes focused on the optimization of warfarin using biocatalyst in tandem with organic chemistry to carry out the experiments. Dr. Shouquan focused on adding to the library of organometallic reactions using a platinum catalyst to induce CH activation. Lastly, Dr. Anderson focused on using biotechnology techniques to locate and determine the effects of a Bioweapon. Ever is currently pursuing his Masters in Chemistry at Charlotte with hopes to complete a Ph.D. afterward.
Research statement. I am currently focusing on understanding the crosstalk between post translational modifications (PTMs) and metal binding proteins, specifically the copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase, using biochemical and cellular studies. This provides mechanistic and physiological insights into determining new regulation methods of copper binding proteins.