Brenda is a proud Latinx chemist from Los Angeles, California. As a first-generation college graduate, her academic journey began at Los Angeles Trade Technical College and Los Angeles City College, where she balanced part-time studies with full-time employment. During her time in the CSULA Bridges to the Future, Brenda discovered her passion for research, prompting her to pursue further education at California State University Los Angeles. Under the mentorship of Dr. Linda Tunstad-Gutierrez, she delved into the development of covalent molecular capsules, ultimately earning both her bachelor's and master's degrees at CSULA. Eager to continue her scholarly pursuits, Brenda pursued doctoral studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, working closely with Dr. Steven C. Zimmerman. During her time there, she focused on developing amphiphilic polymeric materials and their potential applications in industrial and biomedical settings. Brenda collaborated with Dr. Michael Gilson at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, San Diego. Her lab started in the Fall of 2022 and is working on innovative methods to capture molecules from complex environments selectively.
Judith Barriere Castellon is a first-year master's student working on elucidating xylazine and Sulfonobutylether-β-CD binding interactions.
Hanna joined Dr. Andrade's lab in the spring of her 2nd year after discovering a passion for organic chemistry. She aims to pursue a PhD in Organic Chemistry after completing her B.S. in Chemistry at CSULA. She is supported by the NIH U-RISE program and Honors College. She is also a Chemistry and Biochemistry Club officer and a chemistry tutor at the Center for Academic Success. Her research interests are to explore different branches of organic chemistry research, but she is particularly interested in polymer chemistry. Outside the lab, she enjoys baking, painting her nails, reading, and playing games (Minecraft, Stardew Valley).
Anthony Vuong is a second-year Biochemistry major at Cal State LA. During the fall of his second year, he joined Dr. Andrade’s lab and is currently synthesizing cyclodextrin derivatives and utilizing spectroscopy to characterize and study their interactions. Outside the lab, he enjoys listening to music, playing competitive volleyball, playing games (Valorant, Overwatch, etc.), and eating good food.
Christina Hurtado is a Biology major with a focus on physiology. Christina's long-term goal is to obtain her medical degree and open a general practice clinic.
Cesar Varela is a chemistry major. Cesar will investigate the partition behavior of hydrophobic molecules in the presence of amphiphilic cyclodextrins.
Elise is a chemistry major interested in organic synthesis and designing functional materials. As part of the Andrade Rounds Laboratory, Elise is developing cyclodextrin-based absorbent materials for removing persistent organic pollutants from aqueous environments. Elise aims to eventually earn her PhD in organic chemistry, become a professor, and establish her own research lab. Outside of the lab, Elise enjoys hiking, going to the gym, making papier-mâché sculptures, and trying new foods.
Former Group Members
- Jae Weon Ahn (CSULA, Class of '23)
- Samantha Englebrecht (CSULA, Class of '26)
- Elyce Velasquez (Summer Chemistry REU, CSU Northridge)
- Bianca Jaramillo (Summer Chemistry REU, Class of '27)
- Monet Pedrazzini (Summer Geology REU, UC Santa Cruz)
- Elise Hastie (Summer Chemistry REU, CSULA Class of '27)
- Saba Moghaddamneshat (Summer Geology REU, UC San Diego)
- Isabela Nieblas (Class of '25, UC Irvine, Ph.D. Program)
- Valerie Campos (Class of '25)