Principal Investigator
Dr. Yangyang Liu
Associate Professor
Ph.D. in Chemistry
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: Porous materials, renewable energy, sustainability and nanomedicine
Learn more about Dr. Liu
Postdoctoral Fellow
Dr. Maggie Yao
Education: BS in Pharmacy, Nankai University
PhD in Chemistry, University of Alabama
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: Organic and materials synthesis, sustainability
Graduate Students
Matthew Tang
Lab Manager
DOE (Department of Energy) Graduate Assistant Fellowship
Major: Chemistry
Education: BS in Chemistry, Cal State LA
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: Photocatalysis, hybrid materials, and environmental remediation
Jesus Corona
NSF-CREST Fellow
Major: Chemistry
Education: BS in Chemistry, Cal State LA
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: Solar cells, renewable energy, and (in)organic synthesis
Doroteo Manriquez
DOE Graduate Assistant Fellowship
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
Education: BS in Chemistry, Cal State LA
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: Organic and materials synthesis, catalysis
Emily Samperio
NIH Bridges-to-PhD Fellow
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
Education: BS in Cell and Molecular Biology, SFSU
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: Nanomaterial synthesis, and drug delivery
Alvaro Hernandez
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
Education: BS in Environmental Science, USC
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: Batteries, electronic devices
Kaycee Willis
Lab Safety Manager
DOE Graduate Assistant Fellowship
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
Education: BS in Chemistry, UC Davis
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: sustainability, organic synthesis, carbon capture
Naomi Samarasinghe
NIH Bridges-to-PhD Fellow
Major: Chemistry
Education: BS in Chemistry, Cal State LA
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: nanomaterials and gene delivery
Andy Ruiz
Major: Chemistry
Education: BS in Chemistry, Cal State LA
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: sustainability and carbon capture
Maricruz Chavez
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
Education: BA in Chemistry, CSU San Bernardino
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: nanomaterials and gene delivery
Luis Cruz
Major: Chemistry
Education: BS in Chemistry, UC Berkeley
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: environmental chemistry
Undergraduate Students
Michelle Ho
Honors College
Major: Chemistry
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: Nanomaterials and drug delivery
Christian Maldonado
NIH U-RISE Fellow
Major: Chemistry
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: Nanomaterials and drug delivery
Tommy Taing
NSF CREST Fellow
Major: Chemistry
Email: [email protected]
Research Interests: Renewable energy, solar cells
Former Liu Lab Members
Tristan Pyle (MS in CHEM, 2022-2024) – PhD student, University of North Texas
Mayra Hernandez (undergrad 2023-2024) - PhD student, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Omar Solis (undergrad 2021-2023) - PhD student, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Hannah Tjitradjaja (MS in CHEM, 2021-2023) - Chemist, Varda Space Industries
Brian Marinez (MS in MSE, 2019-2022) - Senior Process Development Associate, Amgen
Suki Liang (MS in MSE, 2020-2022) - Research Operations Senior Associate, Amgen
Juan Arriaga Gomez (MS in CHEM, 2020-2022) - Chemist, Gilead Sciences
Anna Nguyen (undergrad 2019-2022) - MD student, California University of Science and Medicine
Nikita Mishra (undergrad 2019-2022) - MS student, Stanford University
Dr. Yajiao Hao (postdoc 2019-2022) - Associate Scientist, BASF Catalysts (Shanghai)
Willmer Flores (undergrad 2019-2021) - PhD student, Harvard University
Anthony Castro (MS in CHEM, 2019-2021) - PhD student, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Akilah Miller (MS in CHEM, 2019-2021) - PhD student, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Alberto Smith (MS in CHEM, 2019-2021) - PhD student, University of South Carolina
Gil Jacome (undergrad 2020-2021) – Chemist, Pharmavite
Dr. Hongbin Luo (postdoc 2019-2020) - Associate Professor, Nanjing Tech University
Yessica Nelson (undergrad 2017-2020) - PhD student, University of California, Los Angeles
Shirell Klein (undergrad 2017-2020) - MS, Columbia University; Chemist II, HRL Laboratories
Dana Cheng-Tan (undergrad 2019-2020) - PhD student, University of Southern California
Edgar Papazyan (undergrad 2017-2020) - MD student, California University of Science and Medicine
Joshua Sosa (undergrad 2017-2018; MS 2018-2020) - Sample Management Technician, Xencor
Timothy Bennett (undergrad 2017-2018; MS 2018-2020) - Associate Scientist, Amgen Inc.; PhD student at USC
Sergio Iglesias Jimenez (undergrad 2017-2018; MS 2018-2020) - Research Associate, Xencor
Julia Lopez (undergrad 2020) - MS student, Forensic Science at Cal State LA
Shaanti Trikha (MS in CHEM, 2017-2019) - Associate Scientist at AbbVie
Roberto Tovar (MS in CHEM, 2017-2019) - Chemist, PPG Industries
Edward Cardenas (undergrad 2017-2019) - PhD student, University of California Davis; Environmental Scientist, California Department of Toxic Substances Control
Phillip Farias (undergrad 2017-2018) - PhD student, Unversity of California Riverside
Brandon Liu (undergrad 2017-2019) - PhD-MD student, UC San Diego
Katherine Nelms (undergrad 2016-2018) - MS, Cornell University; PhD student at University of Manchester, UK
Pavithra Wijeratne (undergrad 2016-2017) - Technologist, Sandia National Laboratories
Carlos Orellana (undergrad 2016-2017) - Analyst II, Enthalpy Analytical
Yuvitza Garcia (undergrad 2016-2017) - IP Legal Secretary, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP