Venton Lab Current Members

Current Group Members

Graduate Researchers: Chris Jacobs / Trisha Vickrey / Taylor Phelps / Ashley Ross / Ning Xiao / Alex Zestos / Madelaine Denno / Michael Nguyen / Phuong Vo / Amanda Prior

Undergraduate Researchers: Thitaphat Ngernsutivorakul / Songserea Wood

Chris Jacobs
Fifth-Year Graduate Student in Chemistry

Chris received his B.S. in biology with a minor in chemistry in 2004 from Binghamton University, Binghamton NY. From 2004 to 2006 Chris studied magnetic characteristics of vanadium oxide nanotubes at Binghamton University before beginning research with Dr. Venton. His current project is the development of electrode materials and coatings incorporating carbon nanotubes. In his spare time Chris can often be found hiking, exercising his dog, or brewing beer.

Trisha Vickrey
Fifth-Year Graduate Student in Chemistry

Trisha received a B.S. in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from The University of Mississippi in 2005. Before joining the Venton lab, she taught high school chemistry and physical science in Arkansas. Her current project is measuring dopamine release and reputake in Drosophila ventral nerve cords. In her free time, she likes to spend time with her friends and enjoys practicing yoga, going hiking and cave exploring.

Taylor Phelps
Third-Year Graduate Student in Chemistry

Taylor Phelps received a BS in Chemistry from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. As an undergraduate he worked for Dr. Russ concentrating and detecting trace amounts of gas-phase, explosive molecules using solid phase microextraction and GC-ECD analysis. In the Venton lab he is currently building a capillary electrophoresis instrument with an LIF detector. Outside of the lab, Taylor enjoys camping and playing board games.

Ashley Ross
Third-Year Graduate Student in Chemistry

Ashley Ross received her B.S. in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from Christopher Newport University in 2009. As an undergrad, she did research at NASA Langley Research Center for Dr.'s Margaret Pippin and Gao Chen in the Atmospheric Science Department. Ashley is working on the adenosine project in the Venton lab. Outside of the lab, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband as well as singing in the church choir and participating in musicals.

Ning Xiao
Third-Year Graduate Student in Chemistry

Ning received her B.S. degree in Chemistry from University of Science and Technology of China in 2009. As an undergraduate student, Ning did research in biochemistry focusing on the binding properties and inhibition effects of copper ions on the RecA intein from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. She is working on making smaller microelectrodes. In her free time, she likes playing table tennis and badminton. She also loves planting, and she hopes to have her own garden someday.

Alex Zestos

Third-Year Graduate Student in Chemistry

Alex Zestos received a B.S. with Honors and M.S. in Chemistry from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. His undergraduate advisor was Prof. William H. Starnes, Jr., and his research involved synthesizing transition metal complex additives that were used to promote the smoke suppression and fire retardance of poly(vinyl chloride). His current project involves the construction and testing of polymer and epoxy coated carbon-fiber microelectrodes. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling and playing basketball.

Madelaine Denno
Second-Year Graduate Student in Chemistry

Madelaine graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a B.A. in Biochemistry and a minor in German in 2010. While at Mount Holyoke, she studied flow characterization of commercially available microfluidic devices and assisted in the translation of an address to the German Chemical Society by Heinrich Caro. Madelaine is currently working on optimizing separation conditions for neurotransmitters using capillary electrophoresis with fast scan cyclic voltammetric detection. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her dog, Bailey, working out, and relaxing with some fellow chemists.

Michael Nguyen

Second-Year Graduate Student in Chemistry

Michael Nguyen graduated from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln with a B.A. in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics. From 2008 to 2010 he worked for Aerotek Scientific in the Analytical Development Lab for Novartis in Lincoln. Currently he is studying adenosine and dopamine in the rat brain in vivo. In his free time he enjoys playing sports, doing anything outside, and reading.

Phuong Vo

Second-Year Graduate Student in Chemistry

Phuong graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA in 2010. As an undergraduate student, Phuong worked for Dr. Megan Nunez investigating Bdellovibrio predation in a mixed biofilm of E. coliM. luteus. Her current project is measuring dopamine release in Drosophila and detecting tyramine and octopamine using Nafion coated microelectrodes. In her free time, she likes cooking, planting, and playing with her cute chinchillas, Susu and Nunu.

Amanda Prior
First-Year Graduate Student in Chemistry

Mandy received her B.S in Chemistry and B.A in Psychology from NC State University in 2009. As an undergrad, she studied ovarian cancer biomarker detection using mass spectroscopy. Her current project is developing electrode materials incorporating graphene. In her free time, she likes to read, play sports and practice piano.

Thitaphat Ngernsutivorakul Nun

M.A. student in Chemistry

Thitaphat (Non) Ngernsutivorakul is a Master's student in chemistry from Thailand. He received his B.S. in chemistry last year from UVA and is staying in the lab for 1 more year. He is making carbon-nanotube based electrodes and working on alternative electrode construction techniques Other than chemistry, especially analytical chemistry, he is also interested in food science. Non is going to graduate school after his Bachelor's degree and wants to be a professional scientist. During his free-time, he loves to play soccer, running and enjoys cooking.

Songserea Wood Song

Third-Year Undergraduate in Chemistry