Kalkreuter Lab

Kalkreuter Lab (December 2025)

Graduate Students

Graduate Researcher

Micah Harris

Micah is a second-year graduate student from Melbourne, Florida. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of South Florida in 2024 where he performed undergraduate research on discovery of deep-sea natural products.

Graduate Researcher

Asher Paul

Asher is a second-year graduate student from Mumbai, India. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a minor in microbiology in 2021 and Masters degree in Chemistry from Institute of Chemical Technology in 2023 where he did a review on synthesis of nucleic acid related products. He is interested in the biosynthesis of natural products and the enzymology associated with them.

Graduate Researcher

Ben Sweeney

Ben Sweeney is a second-year graduate student from Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry where he performed undergraduate research on macular degeneration. He is especially interested in protein engineering and drug discovery.

Graduate Researcher

Sarah Taboada

Sarah is a first-year graduate student from Mooresville, North Carolina. She received her bachelor's degree in biochemistry with a minor in biotechnology from North Carolina State University in 2025 where she conducted undergraduate research in synthetic biology and drug discovery.

Researcher

This Could Be You!

Join our lab and bring your unique background to the exciting world of synthetic biology and natural product discovery! We value creativity, enthusiasm, and a collaborative culture that drives innovation. Whether you’re experienced or just starting, you'll contribute to productive research while developing new skills in a supportive and dynamic environment.

Researcher

This Could Be You!

Join our lab and bring your unique background to the exciting world of synthetic biology and natural product discovery! We value creativity, enthusiasm, and a collaborative culture that drives innovation. Whether you’re experienced or just starting, you'll contribute to productive research while developing new skills in a supportive and dynamic environment.

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate Researcher

Emma Sharpee

Emma is a fourth-year student from New Smyrna Beach, Florida. She is pursuing a dual degree in molecular neuroscience and chemistry. Her past research experience was in biochemistry, where she helped research the impacts of microplastics on a variety of cell type structures and functions. Her goal is to obtain a PhD in organic chemistry, where she can work in drug discovery and teach organic chemistry.

Undergraduate Researcher

Maynor Zeron

Maynor Zeron was born and raised in Miami. He is majoring in Biochemistry with the hopes of one day obtaining a Ph.D. in Biochemistry.

Researcher

This Could Be You!

Join our lab and bring your unique background to the exciting world of synthetic biology and natural product discovery! We value creativity, enthusiasm, and a collaborative culture that drives innovation. Whether you’re experienced or just starting, you'll contribute to productive research while developing new skills in a supportive and dynamic environment.

Researcher

This Could Be You!

Join our lab and bring your unique background to the exciting world of synthetic biology and natural product discovery! We value creativity, enthusiasm, and a collaborative culture that drives innovation. Whether you’re experienced or just starting, you'll contribute to productive research while developing new skills in a supportive and dynamic environment.

Join Us!

We are actively recruiting exceptional undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdocs to join the lab!

Areas include:

Synthetic Biology

Chemical Biology

Natural Products

Protein Engineering

Enzymology

Microbiology

Bioinformatics

Structural Biology

Postdoctoral candidates:

Send a cover letter, a CV, and the names of at least two recommenders.

See our ad here!

Graduate students:

Reach out directly to schedule a meeting to discuss if and only if you have already been accepted into the program.

If you have not joined the department, please send an application to the department. I cannot directly accept students.

Undergraduate students:

Send a cover letter and a transcript.

Lab Alumni

Former Undergraduate Students

Lauren Duenas

(2024 - 2025)

Next: FSU Chemistry Graduate Student

Aubrey McGowan

(2025)

Next: FSU Undergraduate Student