UO Chemistry and Biochemistry is pleased to welcome three new faculty members to the department in 2024!

Dr. Dhiman Ray

Assistant Professor

Dr. Ray completed his PhD at the University of California Irvine working with Prof. Ioan Andricioaei. Subsequently, he held a postdoctoral position in the group of Prof. Michele Parrinello at the Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, Italy. At the University of Oregon, he will continue his work on molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of biological systems like proteins and RNA. The Ray group will develop enhanced sampling and machine-learning algorithms to make MD simulations more accurate and efficient. These computational methods will facilitate the study of the thermodynamics, kinetics, and mechanistic details of complex biomolecular processes. Apart from gaining fundamental knowledge about biological systems, this research will have potential applications in computer-aided drug discovery. 

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Dr. Romila Mascarenhas 

Assistant Professor

Dr. Mascarenhas began her training as a structural biologist under Dr. Dali Liu at Loyola University Chicago, and later pursued postdoctoral training with Dr. Ruma Banerjee at the University of Michigan. Her postdoctoral research focused on the structural enzymology of the human vitamin B₁₂ trafficking pathway, specifically unraveling the mechanisms by which B₁₂ is loaded onto its target enzymes. In her lab, Dr. Mascarenhas continues to investigate the molecular mechanisms of vitamin B₁₂ selectivity and trafficking, with a particular emphasis on microbial communities such as those in the human gut.

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Dr. Paul Kempler

Assistant Professor

Dr. Paul Kempler received his Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology where he worked with Prof. Nate Lewis and the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis. He moved to the University of Oregon in 2020 to help start the Electrochemistry Masters Internship Program as a Research Assistant Professor and has placed >75 students into careers in the electrochemistry industry. His research efforts have focused on the measurement of ion transfer kinetics in electrochemical reactions and developing a patent-pending process for reducing iron ore to metal using electricity. Broadly, the Kempler group will study electrochemical processes for producing chemicals and materials without the production of greenhouse gas emissions.