Our Team
Jonathan R. Chekan, PhD
Associate Professor
Phone: 336.256.1080
Fax: 336.334.5402
Room: 409 Sullivan Science Bldg.
Email: jrchekan@uncg.edu
Education
B.S., Pennsylvania State University (2011)
Ph.D., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2016)
Postdoc, Scripps Institution of Oceanography (2020)
Assistant Professor, UNC Greensboro (2020-2025)
Associate Professor, UNC Greensboro (2025-present)
About Dr. Chekan
Jon was born in Pittsburgh, PA and received his BS in Microbiology at the Pennsylvania State University in 2011. He then moved to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, joining the laboratory of Satish K. Nair. As a Ph.D. student, Jon used a combination of protein crystallography and biochemical methods to study proteins involved in the biosynthesis of three different classes of RiPP natural products. In 2016, Jon graduated from UIUC with a Ph.D. in biochemistry and joined the laboratory of Bradley S. Moore at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (University of California, San Diego) as a Simons Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow of the Life Science Research Foundation. In the Moore Lab, Jon combined genomic and biochemical approaches to elucidate the biosynthesis of domoic acid and kainic acid, neurotoxins produced by eukaryotic marine algae. In Fall 2020, Jon joined the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.
Ansel Duncan
Graduate
Researcher
BS in Biochemistry (2025) Humboldt State University
1st year Ph.D. student
Joined Chekan Lab Fall 2025
Renee Ejindu
Undergraduate
Researcher
Junior Biochemistry
Joined Chekan Lab Fall 2024
Michael Pasquale
graduate
Researcher
B.S. Biochemistry
UNCG
4th year Ph.D. student
Joined Chekan Lab Fall 2022
M. Rafiul O. K. Noyon
graduate
Researcher
B.S. in Chemistry (2020) M.S. in Inorganic Chemistry (2022)
University of Chittagong, Bangladesh.
MS Thesis title: Development and validation of RP-HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of four preservatives in foods, drinks, and pharmaceutical samples.
3rd year Ph.D. student
Joined Chekan Lab Spring 2025
Anshul Rajput
Postdoctoral
Researcher
B.Sc. Chemistry (2013) University of Delhi
M.Sc. Chemistry (2016) IIT Bombay
Ph.D. Chemistry (2023) CBMR
His thesis research work was focused on the development of biocatalytic methods using NADPH-dependent reductases.
Joined Chekan Lab June 2023
Sara Rubyat
Graduate
Researcher
BS in Chemistry – JUST, Bangladesh
MS in Chemistry (2024) Ball State University
2nd year Ph.D. student
Joined Chekan Lab Fall 2024
Tyler Sexton
graduate
Researcher
B.S. Biology (2023)
UNCG
1st year M.S. student
Joined Chekan Lab Fall 2025
Ayoola Babalola Smith
graduate
Researcher
Bachelor of Pharmacy
MSc. Pharmacognosy
University of Lagos, Nigeria
5th year Ph.D. student
Joined Chekan Lab Fall 2021
Daniel Springer
Undergraduate
Researcher
Junior Chemistry
Joined Chekan Lab Spring 2024
Former Lab Members
Daniel Akiyama (Visiting PhD Student ’25-’26) – University of Campinas, Brazil
Victoria Martin (M.S. ’26) – Labcorp
Angie Guaglione Miranda (B.S. Biochemistry ’26)
Stella de Lima Camargo (Postdoctoral Scholar ’22-25′) – Formulation Analytical Scientist at Corteva Agriscience
Kirsten Little (B.S. Biochemistry ’25)
Sanath Kandy (PhD ’25) – Postdoc at Florida State in Zhu Lab
Keelie Butler (PhD ’25) – Eurofins
Betty Clark (B.S. Biochemistry ’25) – Laboratory Technician at Labcorp
Corinne Laws (B.S. Biochemistry ’24) – Laboratory Technician at ThermoFisher Scientific
Draco Kriger (M.S. ’24) – Labcorp
Williamjosh Brown (B.S. Biochemistry ’24) – Associate Scientist at Pfizer
Brigitte Ampolini (M.S. ’23)
Maisha Waafa (B.S. Biology ’23) – WakeMed
Ethan Underwood (M.S. ’22) – Medical Technologist at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist
Hsin-Yi Hou (Visiting M.S.)
Ajalaye Sykes (Undergraduate Researcher) – PhamD Campbell University ’26
Imani Khedi (Undergraduate Researcher) – Dairy Technologist, Ranlew Dairy
Adun Akinola (Visiting Summer Researcher) – UNC Chapel Hill ’24, Wake Forest University School of Medicine ’29
Maurice Furet (Visiting Summer Researcher) – Research Associate at The Ohio State University
Mackenzie Stotler (Undergraduate Researcher)
Sumaita Rahman (Undergraduate Researcher) – NC State ’24, Autonomous Systems Data Scientist at COLSA