CURRENT LAB MEMBERS

Sujith Puthiyaveetil

Biochemistry

Associate Professor

Dr. Puthiyaveetil received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Botany from Sir Syed College, Kerala, India. He earned his Ph.D. in Plant Biochemistry from Queen Mary University of London under the supervision of Prof. John F. Allen. He remained at Queen Mary as a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Postdoctoral Research Fellow for three additional years, followed by further postdoctoral training at Washington State University, Pullman, with Prof. Helmut Kirchhoff. Dr. Puthiyaveetil joined the Department of Biochemistry at Purdue University as an Assistant Professor in 2016 and is a member of the Purdue Center for Plant Biology.

Matthew Martin

Biochemistry

Graduate Student

Matt received a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Grand Valley State University, Michigan. He joined Purdue Biochemistry department as a graduate student in 2022. In his graduate research, Matt studies the structure and function of Chloroplast Sensor Kinase (CSK), a bacterial-type two-component sensor kinase retained by chloroplasts of various photosynthetic eukaryotes at great evolutionary odds.

Laura Hiotaky

Biochemistry

Graduate Student

Laura graduated from Michigan State University with a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry. She joined Purdue Biochemistry department as a graduate student in 2023. At Purdue Laura studies the genetic and molecular basis of diatom light and nutrient (iron) acclimation using Phaeodactylum tricornutum as a model system.

Lauren Dome

Biochemistry

Graduate Student

Lauren received her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Centre College in Kentucky. She joined the Purdue Biochemistry Department as a graduate student in 2024 and currently studies the functional architecture and repair of plant Photosystem II.

Undergraduate research associates:

Elizabeth Davis (Biochemistry)

Emerald Wallace (Biochemistry)

Romeo Hedger (Biochemistry)

Adam Weber (Biochemistry)

Lab alumni:

Lauren Macadlo – Undergraduate research associate (2017-2018), Current position: Research Technician, Duke University

Iskander Ibrahim – Postdoc (2017-2012), Current position: Assistant Professor, Towson University, Maryland

Gilbert Kayanja – Graduate student (2016-2023), Current position: Academic Advisor, University of Massachusetts Boston

Steven McKenzie – Graduate student (2018-2024), Postdoc (2024-2025), Current position: Postdoc, University of North Carolina