Ph.D. thesis defenses in the Finn Group are introduced with two limericks in honor of the presenter. Most of them can be found below, in reverse chronological order.
| Parisa Keshavarz-Joud – April 10, 2024 | ||
| PP7 Virus-Like Particles as a Biotechnology Platform On the world we had thought to release a Good idea with more than one piece o’ Functional stuff. But it wasn’t enough, Until we recruited Parisa. “Keshavarz-Joud” means “kind farmer,” And she is, be it colder or warmer. To help, not to whine, Is her default design When the lab gods are trying to harm her. | ||
| Sonia Bhattacharya – April 10, 2023 | Robert Hincapie – August 4, 2022 | Lucrezia DePascalis – April 29, 2021 |
| Versatile Design Strategies of Protein Nanoparticles for Vaccines and Drug Delivery We cheer for Sonia Bhattacharya, Who said to our group, “Hey, I’ll carry ya To learn to select For great vaccine effect.” And then she said, “Hey, Jim, I’ll marry ya!” Her generous spirit showed true In fighting that SARS-CoV-2. With CDC’s aid, No matter the clade, She’s made the world safer for you. | Protein Nanoparticles for Applications in Chemical Biology and Immunology Today we cry “yippie-o yappie-ay!” Though we’ll miss him, I’m so very happy a Rock of my group Will soon fly the coop As a well-deserved Doctor Hincapie. Robert brings quiet fire, a dream, Immense skills, much like magic they seem. Generosity, sense, Superb questions, and hence Self-assembly of a great team. | Oxanorbornadienes and Azanorbornadienes as Thiol Cleavable Linkers The molecular cargo, it flew All over, and so I asked Lu If she would refine The OND line, And so, our program, it grew. With much skill and no drama, at peace, Her research work never did cease. But she’ll get in your face If you’ve been a disgrace. Her motto is: catch and release. |
| Kirstie Thompson – April 2, 2021 | Asheley Chapman – March 31, 2021 | Breanne Hamlett – October 28, 2019 |
| Microporous Spirocyclic Polymers for Membrane Separations of Crude Oil Mixtures On the golf course of research, the first tee, The advisor prepared. With lips pursed, he Hoped that Fate would Send a student that’s good. The spectacular answer was: Kirstie. With partners, she’s eager to run To tough problems, while making it fun. To break open a field, Mad skills she will wield. That’s the message: she just gets (sh)it done. | Directing the Immune Response using Nanoparticle Vaccines and Drug Delivery Systems If boundary crossing’s a pain, And it looks like forbidding terrain, Then, yes, ride with Asheley, But don’t do it rashly, Because it’s a fast-moving train. What we ask of the grad students here Is to learn and to teach something clear. While her science-filled story Will earn her much glory, Her best lesson is: act without fear. | Crosslinked Polytriazoles toward Chemically Stable Separation Membranes Today we salute you, Breanne, You joined us and had a good plan. But when asked if you’d do Something crazy and new, You responded: I certainly can. She’s my kind of people, no gray lines No excuses, no bull, and no stray whines. She uses her brains, Makes polymer chains, And prefers to hang out with her canines. |
| Jennifer Beveridge – October 22, 2018 | Stephen Crooke – May 23, 2018 | Zhishuai Geng – May 10, 2018 |
| Click Chemistry Applications for Surfaces Gather ‘round to hear Jennifer Beveridge, Whose research has trodden a clever edge. ‘Tween solution and surface, She uses with purpose Reactions that bring her much leverage. For her next act, she’s chosen to groom Those non-scientists who, in some room, If not given sense, Could screw up, and thence Cause much of the world to go “boom!” | Chemical and Genetic Modification of Virus-Like Particles for Applications in Vaccine Design and Drug Delivery Interdisciplinarian Crooke Has penned a collaborative book. With polymer jocks, Immunologists, docs, He teaches them all how to cook. The techniques he has mastered: a lot. There’s a great deal to stir in his pot. So I have no worries: In ice or snow flurries His research will always be hot. | Fragmentable Bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane Cationic Materials and their Applications to Nucleic Acid Delivery and Antimicrobial Function The research you will hear makes a tune Of great beauty and breadth; you may swoon. A campaign of such power, That after this hour, You will think he’s a one-man platoon. Yes, today the departure is nigh Of the remarkable chemist, Zhishuai. His work shines, and yet What we most won’t forget Is that he’s a wonderful guy. |
| Allison Aioub – March 6, 2018 | Igor Rupniewski – November 17, 2015 | Cody Higginson – May 22, 2015 |
| New Chemical Linkage Systems to Address Biological Problems It’s Allison Aioub, née Geoghan Whose work her committee must weigh again. Then she’ll go, but the search For molecular merch Is a game that with her I would play again. Disorganization’s a tad, o… …ffensive to this chemist grad. Oh yes, she’s so clear that, like us, her new peers, Will follow along with her Shadow. | The evolution of an intein domain for the expression of an ephemeral peptide sequence The project of Igor Rupniewski: His idea, and I thank him profusely. But the time one could spend To reach a good end Was interpreted somewhat too loosely. But that way we got more of Igor. An outcome I’ll always adore. His science, a blend Of means to an end With the inquiring style of yore. | Functional materials based on oxanorbornadiene cleavable linkers (Conversation with a new laboratory member:) Hey there! Young man! What are you diggin’, son? That invention? Oh yeah, that is a big one, son! It comes from the bench Of our group’s greatest mensch. That material’s from Cody Higginson. Cody’s skills are now really quite vast. In the lab he is never outclassed. But on track and on field His true power’s revealed: In all things, he’s incredibly fast. |
| Zinaida Polonskaya – December 18, 2014 | Marisa Martino (née Hovlid) – June 2, 2014 | Alexander Kislukhin – April 11, 2013 |
| Synthetic Oligosaccharides on Virus-Like Particles: Towards a Universal Conjugate Vaccine Platform Here is Zina Polonskaya: The ultimate lab do-or-die-er. She’s clever and tough, And does difficult stuff, Which is why she’s a good one to hire. While she can be a bit too self-critical, Zina’s marvelously analytical. As a linguist, a freak: Knows both chemistry-speak And how to address cells dendritical. | The Chemical and Genetic Engineering of Qb Virus-like Particles for Cell Targeting and Delivery Working with colleague Marisa: A recipe for science bliss. A Leader and voice Always for the brave choice. You can bet that I’m going to miss her. Riding waves is for her quite the thing. On the board, as in life, she takes wing. Take a fall? There’s no doubt, She’s back up, heading out, Even when fate deals out a sharp sting. | Oxanorbornadiene Reagents for Labeling and Release We’re happy that Alex Kislukhin Finds chemistry pleasing to look in. When problems are growin’ Not darts he’s a-throwin’. Instead, one could say he’s a-nukin’! Creative with no pause or surcease; Hardworking, but with inner peace. In both life and in lab, Alex knows when to grab, And also knows when to release. |
| Jason Fiedler – November 12, 2012 | Stanislav Presolski – May 9, 2011 | Jolene Lau – October 26, 2010 |
| Enzyme packaging within Qb protein nanoparticles Today we will listen to Fiedler. Not singing: he isn’t Bette Midler. But with science, the task’s Finding questions to ask, And Jason’s a wonderful riddler. He’s from Minnesota, I hear. That the Left Coast has claimed him is clear. Vegetarian? Check. And he’s lib’ral as heck. But the clincher: makes wine and not beer. | Ligand-Accelerated CuI-Catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition: Kinetic Studies and Reaction Mechanism The lesson taught by Stan Presolski: To make all your clicking go toll-free, “Grab onto your copper With hands that are proper: Then you can be in some control, see?” To malaise, Stanislav is contrarian, Of good times, he’s our photo-librarian. He gets quite a fix Snapping oodles of pix, So we call him “The Clicking Bulgarian.” | Probing the Interior of Bacteriophage Qb Virus-Like Particles Advisors who’ve been Jolene Lau’ded Have vision that’s not at all clouded. She spent many days, And saw through the haze That Qb is somewhat uncrowded. Before we deploy the confetti, I thank her for making me ready To face the hereafter With grace and with laughter. I’ve been touched by the Monster Spaghetti. |
| Steven Brown – July 15, 2010 | Vu Hong – April 30, 2010 | Reshma Jagasia –January 24, 2008 |
| Bacteriophage Qb: A Versatile Platform for Nanoengineering Mol. Bio. and Chem. up his sleeve, A jack of all trades is our Steve. Microbi., how to clone, Drug deliv. to a zone, And much more. We don’t want him to leave. Conversations with Steve are unique, If creative insight you seek. To honor his joy In science and soy, We call him our favorite geek. | Copper-Catalyzed Alkyne-Azide Cycloaddition and Thiol-Oxanobornadiene System for Bioconjugation A chemistry student named Hong Tackles problems with perfect aplomb. For bioconjugations Across many nations He’s never been shown to be wrong. Vu is calm and unfailingly viewed As the fellow least apt to be rude. His skills reduce tension, And the lab wants to mention: He cooks fabulous Vietnamese food. | Part 1: Scope and Mechanism of Peptide Cyclodimerization by the CuI-Mediated Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition Reaction. PART 2: Controlling Staphylococcus aureus Infection by Disrupting Bacterial Communication with a Monoclonal Antibody Canadian Reshma Jagasia Hails also from part of Eurasia. With global perspective And rousing invective From ennui she always can raise ya. She’s peptide guru to our group. With compounds pristine, never goop, And tacos, and dancing, And even romancing, Reshma always is found ‘in the loop.’ |
| Eiton Kaltgrad – October 18, 2007 | Valentin Rodionov – Sept. 18, 2007 | Duane Prauhn – November 27, 2007 |
| Applications of Polyvalent Carbohydrate Display on Cowpea Mosaic Virus and Bacteriophage Qb One wonderful thing about Eiton: His results that I never must wait on. He finds them in chickens, And his bench like the dickens, And of course the microtiter plate-on. He’s smart and he’s really quite stable, ‘Cept in Vegas, where he goes when he’s able. He’s mastered the Strip, Where he stays every trip, But don’t bet with him at the craps table! | Mechanistic Investigation of Copper (I) Catalyzed Azide-Alkyne [3+2] Cycloaddition Of problems, he’s surely not coddling, Inventions, he could be a-bottling. And while he has “hands,” He can also make plans That require molecular modeling. So hooray for Valentin Rodionov! Of his chemistry, we just can’t see enough. In spite of his fame, He’s still young, so we claim: In the Golf Game of Life, he’s just teein’ off! | Development of Icosahedral Virus Particles as Multivalent Display Scaffolds for Metal Complexes: The Union of Viruses and Metals We are gathered to hear Duane Prasuhn, With Chem and with Bio, in tune. He crosses that water With such skill that we oughta Rename him “The Human Pontoon.” Duane’s a Junior in name, but you’re right If you think he’s not “nano” in height. Yet his nanotechnology Can teach old virology To harvest electrons and light! |
| Erica Strable – February 2007 | Warren Lewis – June 26, 2005 | |
| Development of Icosahedral Virus Particles as Polyvalent Display Platforms A Renaissance woman is Strable. In lab she’s prodigiously able. With work most intensive She helps us make sense of The Chem-Bio Tower of Babel The pleasures of lab often vary, Of premature joy we are wary… But it’s always worthwhile To see Erica smile Like the cat who’s consumed the canary! | Bio/Click Catalysis: Azide-Alkyne [3+2] Cycloaddition and Cholinergic Chemistry Experiments that stand to do us Some good are first checked out with Lewis. If he doesn’t say “nyet,” It’s a pretty good bet That the data obtained will not screw us. To get lots of ideas a-borning When working with Warren, a warning: He’s creative and nice, So ask his advice, But never, alas, in the morning. | |
| Limericks lost to history (or misplaced files)… | Keith Keller – January, 2000 Novel Cleavable Linkers for Solid Phase Organic Synthesis | Tye Dodge |
| Marcus Brody – November, 1997 Double Olefination in the Synthesis of Allenes | Kelly Reynolds | Pablo Dopico – August, 1995 The Synthesis and Cycloaromatization of Aromatic Allene-ene-ynes |
| Bonnie Balzer – May, 1995 Reactions of Heterobimetallic Fischer Carbene Complexes | Karin Hughes – May, 1994 | Michael Gross III – May 1994 The Chemistry of Heterobimetallic Fischer Carbene Complexes |