Current Lab Members

We are fully committed to being inclusive and equitable. Our team members come from diverse backgrounds, countries, genders, preferences, religions, and so on. We speak many languages, we are united in science and in teamwork, and we come together to succeed as a unit. We welcome all to learn more about us below, or find ways to work together.

Benjamin Naman : Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Established the research lab in 2017 and immediately began recruiting students and staff. Picture is probably out of date. Professor website pictures are always out of date. Click to learn more, or scroll through to see the current and former lab members.

JIN, Haixiao : Ph.D.

Collaborator and Faculty Mentor (Department Chair)

Collaborator and faculty mentor to Dr. Naman. Participates in joint group meetings to contribute ideas and find opportunities to work together. A computational chemist with interest in molecular modeling and understanding the mechanics of protein functions and drug targeting of proteins. We share different approaches to addressing problems in chemistry and pharmacology, and work well together across disciplines and cultures.

DING, Lijian : Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher and Teacher

Joined the lab in 2019 after having already been working with Prof. HE Shan at Ningbo University as a postdoc-to-faculty employee. A natural products chemist with interests in fungi and cyanobacteria. Especially interested in identification and development of new antibiotic drugs from marine microbes. Also teaches some undergraduate courses. Spent 2020 abroad in Israel at University of Haifa Department of Marine Biology with collaborator Tal Luzzatto Knaan.

ZHANG, Bin : Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher and Teacher

Joined the lab in 2019 after having already been working with Prof. HE Shan at Ningbo University as a postdoc-to-faculty employee. A synthetic medicinal chemist with interests in generating new drug leads based on the structures of marine natural products. Large-scale production of the molecules for further development is the main focus. Also teaches some undergraduate courses.

WANG, Tingting : Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Joined the lab in 2018 after completing her PhD. Currently in a postdoc-to-faculty research position. A natural products chemist with interests in fungi and cyanobacteria. The main research work involves isolating rare species of fungi from terrestrial insects and plants, sponges and corals in the deep sea, purification of the natural products these produce, and elucidation of structures for novel compounds. Now especially focused on working with the natural products of cyanobacteria and development of new techniques.

FANG, Fang : M.S.

Ph.D. Student

Joined the lab after completing her B.S. in Marine Biology from Hainan University and M.S. Marine Biology from Ningbo University in 2017. Currently working towards her Ph.D. She is studying marine natural products of marine cyanobacteria, as well as laboratory culturing of these organisms. Visited USA for a 6-month educational exchange in 2018.

LI, Te : M.S.

Ph.D. Student

Joined the lab in 2017 after completing his B.S. degree. Completed his M.S. degree in 2019 and is currently working towards his Ph.D. working on the isolation and chemical synthesis of some natural chemicals produced by marine tropical filamentous cyanobacteria. Certified SCUBA and PSA diver also interested in field exploration and collection trips. Completed scientific diving sampling missions in more than 20 islands around the South China Sea. Shown collecting samples.

Aiswarya Chandrasseril Bansidhar: M.S.

Ph.D. Student

Joined the lab in 2020 after completing her M.S. degree in Kochi, Kerala, India. Currently working towards her Ph.D.  working on genome mining and biosynthetic analysis of aquatic cyanobacteria to produce novel natural product drugs with antibiotic and anticancer activity. Totally supported through a competitive China Scholarship Council (CSC) award.

Temidayo Gabriel Ajulo : M.B.A.

Ph.D. Student

Joined the lab in 2020 after completing his M.B.A. degree from the Ningbo University MIT joint institute for supply chain innovation (and earlier B.Pharm. from University of Lagos, Nigeria) Currently working towards his Ph.D.

Yitagesu Tewabe Cherkos : M.S.

Ph.D. Student

Joined the lab in 2020 with his M.S. degree from and prior working experience as a lecturer of medicinal chemistry at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. Currently working towards his Ph.D. studying new pharmaceutical agents from natural and semi-synthetic sources.

REN, Lu : B.S.

M.S. Student

Joined the lab in 2018 after completing her B.S. degree. Currently working towards her M.S. She is interested in the natural product chemistry of marine microorganisms and filamentous cyanobacteria.

DING, Hong : B.S.

M.S. Student

Joined the lab in 2020 after completing her B.S. degree in Tongren, Guizhou, China. Currently working towards her M.S. degree working on the Food Science and Chemistry of edible filamentous cyanobacteria.

Gaurav Patial : B.Tech.

Technician

Joined the lab in 2019 after completing his B.Tech. degree and a research internship. Moved from India to China to work in the lab and gain further research experience and refine project ideas while considering applications for advanced graduate degree programs. Already knowledgeable in biotechnology and applied microbiology.

LI, Shuang

B.S. Student

Joined the lab in 2018 during her 2nd year of undergraduate studies. Currently working towards her B.S. degree. Li Shuang is from Datong, Shanxi Province. She has been working on the extraction of natural products from marine cyanobacteria and has participated in many high-quality scientific research competitions in China. She is currently working on developing new methods for high-speed countercurrent chromatography.

YANG, Yaping

B.S. Student

Joined the lab in 2019 during her 2nd year of undergraduate studies. Currently working towards her B.S. degree and researching the synthetic chemistry conditions necessary to produce some marine natural products.

TIAN, Jing

B.S. Student

Joined the lab in 2019 during her 2nd year of undergraduate studies. Currently working towards her B.S. degree.  Tian Jing is from Henan Province, but moved to Ningbo, Zhejiang when she was young. She has been researching the chemical synthesis of natural products from marine cyanobacteria and participated in a national undergraduate scientific research competition in China. Other than working, she likes listening to some music, sometimes reading reasoning novels, or going for walks.

CHEN, Hongyu

B.S. Student

Joined the lab in 2019 during his 1st year of undergraduate studies. Currently working towards his B.S. degree.  I come from a small town nearby ShaoXin which is called ZhuJi in Zhejiang province. In my free time, I like to play basketball and listen to music. I like to explore new things and even create things. I try my best to learn more.

William Hardi

B.S. Student

Joined the lab in 2019 during his 1st year of undergraduate studies. Currently working towards his B.S. degree after moving from Indonesia to study Marine Pharmacy at Ningbo University.

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Enjoys drawing and playing basketball during his free time.

FENG, Zhi Yi : B.S.

Summer Intern

Joined the lab in 2021 after completing her undergraduate studies at Ningbo University. Currently working as a summer intern for research experience before transitioning into a M.S. program at Wenzhou Medical University.