Liam Campin
Liam is a junior majoring in biochemistry with a minor in global health. He is currently the fundraising chair for the Stupka Committee, breakfast club chair for BBMB Club, and a peer mentor for the BBMB Learning Community. He is a research assistant in Dr. Joshua Beck’s lab, where he studies proteins in the parasitic vacuole of malaria parasites. After graduation, he plans on attending grad school and furthering his career in biochemistry.
Paiton McDonald
Paiton is a junior majoring in agricultural biochemistry and international agriculture with a minor in pharmacology and toxicology. She is the treasurer for the Stupka Committee but has served as the alumni and newsletter co-chair in the past. Paiton has worked in Dr. Jodi McGill’s lab since 2019. Currently, she is studying the acute-phase response in the bovine liver during bovine respiratory disease. She plans to continue in livestock disease research while pursuing a Ph.D. in immunology.
Tulika Sharan
Tulika Sharan is a junior majoring in biochemistry with a minor in genetics. She is a research assistant in Dr. Dipali Sashital’s lab, where she studies interference and adaptation mechanisms in Type II-C CRISPR-Cas systems. She is currently serving as Speaker co-chair of the Stupka Symposium Planning Committee, is an International Student Ambassador, as well as a B&B Learning Community peer mentor. After graduating from Iowa State, Tulika plans to go to graduate school and further her career in Biochemistry.
Richard Weerts
Richard is a senior in biochemistry with minors in Spanish, French, and computer science. He is the current president of the BBMB Club, as well as t-shirt chair for Stupka. He has worked in Dr. Olga Zabotina’s lab for the last two years, researching the biosynthesis of xyloglucan in Arabidopsis. Outside of his lab, he can be frequently seen rock climbing, tutoring, or DJing for the ISU college radio station. After graduation, Richard is planning on going to medical school and studying neurology.