Biochemistry

I’m currently a junior at SLU majoring in Biochemistry. Originally from Ecuador, I’ve had the opportunity to live in four other countries, which has given me a diverse perspective. At SLU, I’ve been actively involved in several roles that reflect both my academic interests and my passions. I’ve served as Vice President of La Sociedad, worked as a first responder with SLU EMS, been a biology teaching assistant, and also worked as an admissions intern. These roles have helped me grow both personally and professionally. 

Chase Smith ’27 is majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in African Studies. She is especially interested in organic synthesis and its applications in pharmaceutical development. During her summer research, she gained experience optimizing reactions and recognized the value of exploring understudied reaction pathways. Through lab experience, Chase has developed a passion for designing and testing complex molecular structures with therapeutic potential.

Hi, I’m Kaitlyn Barton, Class of 2026. I’m a Biochemistry major and Statistics minor and interested in applying to medical school post-graduation. Because of my interest in medicine, I was drawn to organic chemistry research, especially related to synthetic and medicinal chemistry. I started working with Dr. Tartakoff, on my current project as a 2025 summer fellow. As a fellow, I was able to gain a lot of experience working in the organic chemistry lab, and plan to continue this project through the upcoming ‘25-’26 academic year.

Ben Lee, '26, is a Biochemistry major with an interest in statistics. He is on the Varsity Men's Soccer Team and is a member of the Campus Kitchens Project and the Tri-Beta Honor Society. As a SLU Fellow, Ben participated in research focused on frog metamorphosis and how the immune system remodels as frogs mature. He hopes to use what he has learned to pursue a career in medicine or research in the future.

My name is Maheriniaina Kevin Rasamimanana, I am a Junior at St. Lawrence University and I am an international student from Madagascar. I am majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Public Health. I am also involved in the Club soccer team and I am a Tenor singer in the Laurentian Singers.

Leana Dickhens is in the class of 2024 at St. Lawrence University. She is on the Cross Country and Track and Field teams.She is majoring in Biochemistry and is interested in pharmaceuticals and medicinal synthesis. After her fellowship (summer 2022), she learned that medicinal research is something she would like to pursue in her future. She wants to continue the research from the fellowship as her Senior Year Experience. An internship at a BioTech company is something she would like to do prior to graduating college as well.

My name is Kayiranga Shami Robin, a Catholic from Kigali, Rwanda. I am currently studying in Saint-Laurent. I speak three languages ​​fluently; Kinyarwanda, English and French and let's say I can buy products on a market in two other languages; Chinese and Swahili.

Beinan Yang is a current biochemistry major at SLU (Class 2021). He is interested by topics related to molecular biology, biochemistry and organic synthesis. He plans to go the graduate school for future education in biochemistry. The summer project is a great experience and a good foundation for his future research and study in graduate school.

Allison Krauss is a part of the class of 2021. As a senior majoring in biochemistry and with minors in educational studies and mathematics, she hopes to use this project as a stepping stone to getting her masters in Adolescent Education with a chemistry focus, so she can teach high school chemistry. This project has helped introduce her to the process of making educational videos that have become very popular due to recent events.

Emmanuella Dwomo Agyei, ‘21, is a Biochemistry major and an international student from Ghana. She has a great interest in biomedical research and health. She plans to pursue a career in biomedical sciences and public health to improve healthcare in developing countries.