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People

Lab Members

Positions for Postdoc, PhD students and technician are open. If you are interested in joining our lab, please contact us by E-mail on wenqiyu@usf.edu!


Wenqi Yu
Wenqi Yu, PhD
Principal Investigator

 Ran
Ran Zhang
PhD student

I got my bachelor degree from Inner Mongolia Agriculture University, and master degree of science from University of South Florida. Now I'm a PhD student in Dr. Yu's lab. My work centers on the functions of single peptide in protein expression, localization and secretion. In my spare time, I like to play games and make desserts.


Email: ranzhang1@usf.edu


 Yaosheng
Yaosheng Jia
PhD Student

I got my bachelor's degree from City University of Hong Kong. I started my PhD study in Dr. Yu’s lab in Fall 2022. My current project focuses on studying mechanisms of surface protein secretion and distribution. Besides research, I love reading, traveling, and trying all kinds of delicious foods.


Email: jia106@usf.edu

 Sal
Salvatore Scaffidi
PhD Student

I graduated with a B.S. in Microbiology from USF in Spring 2020, during which time I was a volunteer in the lab. I began the graduate program in the Spring 2021, continuing the projects from my undergraduate research to characterize undefined systems in S. aureus cell envelope biogenesis. Outside lab, I like to travel, try new restaurants and read.


Email: sscaffidi@usf.edu


 


Burkhan
Saidiburkhaniddin (Burkhan) Adikhanov
PhD Student

Hello, I am a PhD student studying the mechanisms of surface proteins localization and cell wall biosynthesis in S. aureus. I joined Dr. Yu's lab in Fall 2023. Previously, I studied MSc in Biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh and worked on developing synthetic biology toolkits for cardiovascular disease diagnosis and treatment at the University of South Dakota. Outside the lab, I enjoy playing soccer, table tennis, playing pool and spending time with my family and kids.


Email: adikhanovs@usf.edu

 Maria
María Fernanda Cubero
PhD student

I joined the Yu lab in Spring 2024. I am from Costa Rica, where I did my Bachelor’s on Biotechnological Engineering. I have a great passion for all things science and hope to one day let my research impact the world in a meaningful way. Apart from the lab, I love spending time with family and friends, reading, and going to the beach.





 Quinn
Quinn Conde
Undergrad researcher

I am a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry and Microbiology. I’m volunteering in the lab. In my free time, I like to knit, crochet, and read.




 Dipa
Dipanwita (Dipa) Bhattacharya, PhD
Postdoctoral researcher

I obtained my Ph.D. from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB). During my Ph.D. I studied the regulation of FtsZ dynamics in Mycobacterium smegmatis. After finishing my Ph.D, I worked as an assistant professor in Kolkata, India for two years. Before joining the Yu lab, I was a postdoctoral researcher in Eswara Lab where I studied cell division in Bacillus subtilis and S. aureus. I joined the Yu lab to study cell envelope assembly in S. aureus. Outside work, I love to spend time with my family and friends. I have a 5-yr old daughter who always keeps me busy when I am not at work. I love listening to soft music and watching documentaries.
 
















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