Biofilm Engineering and Drug Discovery Laboratory

Team Members

Patrick Ymele-Leki, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator

Graduate Students

Elbethel Damtae (Spring 2017 – Current)
♦ Small Molecules Inhibitors of the Bacterial PTS
Chemical Engineering, Graduate Student

Tafadzwa Chigumira (Summer 2017 – Current)
♦ Microbial Reduction of Iodate
Chemical Engineering, Graduate Student

Undergraduate Students

Terinney Haley (Summer 2014 – current)
♦ Impact of NanoParticles on Bacterial Cultures
Chemical Engineering, Senior
Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program | 2014
Gates Millenium Scholar | 2013

Mahtab Waseem (Fall 2015 – current)
♦ Small Molecules Inhibitors of the Bacterial PTS
Chemical Engineering, Junior

Tariq Johnson (Summer 2016 - current)
♦ Small Molecules Inhibitors of the Bacterial PTS
Chemical Engineering, Junior

Ayomikun Olarinoye (Summer 2017 – Current)
♦ Microbial Reduction of Iodate
Chemical Engineering, Junior

Alumni: Graduate Students

Abiye Mekonnen (Summer 2014 – Spring 2016)
♦ Impact of Physiologically Relevant Fluid Forces on Biofilm Responses to Antimicrobial Challenges
Successfully defended his thesis for the M.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering in Spring 2016
Current occupation: Process Engineer @ Intel Corporation

Alumni: Undergraduate Students

Kalah Ozimba (Fall 2014 – Spring 2017)
♦ Impact of NanoParticles on Bacterial Cultures
Chemical Engineering BS Graduate | 2017
President of the Howard University Debate Team | 2015
Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program | 2014

Emmanuel Ike (Summer 2015 – Spring 2017)
♦ Small Molecules Inhibitors of the Bacterial PTS
Chemical Engineering BS Graduate | 2017
AIChE Student Chapter, Junior Representative | 2015
National Society of Collegiate Scholar | 2014

Simone Stanley (Spring 2016 – Spring 2017)
♦ BioEye & Application-Based Learning
Current occupation: NIH Postbac IRTA intern
Chemical Engineering BS Graduate | 2017
NSBE Region 2 Technical OutReach Community Help (TORCH), Chair | 2014-2015
NSBE Howard University Chapter, Programs Chair | 2014-2015

Bria Rice (2013 - 2014)
♦ Effects of Mouthwashes on Oral Biofilms
Current occupation: Howard University Medical School student, 3rd Year
Chemical Engineering BS Graduate | 2017

Dolce Lawless (Spring 2014)
♦ Lab Setup and Initiation
Current occupation: Associate Scientist @ The Kraft Einz Company
Chemical Engineering BS Graduate | 2014

Chukukwa Ibecheozor (Summer 2014)
♦ Antifouling Properties of Functionalized Membranes
Chemical Engineering BS Graduate | 2017
AIChE Student Chapter, Vice President | 2015

Khari Johnson (Summer 2015)
Current occupation: MS Student in Biomedical Engineering @ Duke University
Chemical Engineering BS Graduate | 2017
Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program | 2015