Department of Pharmacognosy

Mohamed Abouelsaoud Albadry

Visiting Scholar

Research Advisor: Mark Hamann

Mr. Albadry received a Masters degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Al‐Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. He is a visiting scholar funded by the Egyptian government and is currently focused on isolating bioactive metabolites from the Bryopsis genus of marine algae.

maalbadr@olemiss.edu

Kimberly Auker

Graduate Student
Teaching Assistant

Research Advisor: Daneel Ferreira
Faser 432
662-915-2013

Ms. Auker received a Bachelor of Science degree in Botany with a minor in Wildlife Biology from Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA.  She was an instructor in the Forestry Department at Central Oregon Community College before joining the Department of Pharmacognosy at the University of Mississippi.  Her current research involves the isolation and structure elucidation of anti-adhesive compounds from cranberry (Vaccimium macrocarpon) products and urine after cranberry juice consumption.  Other areas of research interest include the role of complex carbohydrates in cellular communication between bacteria and the human body and the contribution of the metabolism of plant compounds by gastrointestinal microbiota to human health.

kmauker@go.olemiss.edu

Michael Chan

Graduate Student

Sponsor: Iklhas Khan
National Center for Natural Products Research
662-915-1014

Mr. Chan received his Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health from the BC Institute of Technology in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Upon graduation he was worked in BCIT's Natural Health and Food Products Research Group, focusing on analytical method development and validation and regulatory affairs projects. Mr. Chan's research interests are focused on the development of analytical and statistical methodologies to access the quality, safety and efficacy of dietary supplements and natural health products.

Christina Coleman

Graduate Student

Research Advisor: Daneel Ferreira

Faser 432

662-915-2013

Ms. Coleman graduated Magna Cum Laude from Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, as a University Honors Scholar with a Bachelors of Science in Botany. During her undergraduate program she participated in three different research projects examining the ultrastructure of hardwood trees, the biosynthetic pathways of Arabidopsis thaliana, and the potential for heavy metals present in hyperaccumulator plants to prevent insect herbivory. Her research at the University of Mississippi under the mentorship of Dr. Daneel Ferreira has focused on the identification of cranberry phytochemicals and mammalian metabolites of cranberry juice which are able to prevent microbial adhesion to cell surfaces. These cranberry juice metabolites are believed to play a role in the ability of cranberry juice to help prevent urinary tract infections. An additional area of her research has dealt with the application of Electronic Circular Dichroism for the determination of absolute configuration of natural products, especially flavonoids. During her time as a graduate student in the Department of Pharmacognosy, she has also served extensively as a teaching assistant for two undergraduate Pharmacy courses, PHCG 321 and PHCG 422. Her professional interests include continued work with the isolation and identification of natural products which play a role in human health, especially with regards to plant and microbial metabolomics and chemical ecology. She also is actively interested in improving scientific communication and education, in general, and actively supports the promotion of the STEM disciplines.

cmcolem1@go.olemiss.edu

Michael Cunningham

Graduate Student

Research Advisor: Ikhlas Khan
662-915-1145

Mr­. Cunningham received his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Mississippi State University. Prior research areas include molecular genetics, enzymology, and organic synthesis. His interests include organic synthesis and optimizing drug-like properties of bioactive secondary metabolites. He is currently focused on isolation and identification of natural products from Eurycoma longifolia.

mjcunnin@go.olemiss.edu

Vedanjali Gogineni

Visiting Scholar

Research Advisor:Mark T. Hamann
Faser 400
662-915-1703

Ms. Gogineni received her Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from the University of Jawaharial Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad, India. While completing her degree, she conducted research on the effects of Carvedilol on Gliclazide induced hypoglycemia. She received her Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Fairleigh Dickson University in Teaneck, New Jersey. She is currently focused on isolating novel secondary metabolites from marine sponges collected through collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the artic region.

vgoginen@go.olemiss.edu

M. Christopher James

Graduate Student

Research Advisor:Mark T. Hamann
Faser 400
662-915-1703

Mr. James received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. While completing his degree, he conducted research in an evolutionary biology laboratory and also a protein biochemistry laboratory. He was awarded the Undergraduate Research Stipend Award for his work on nuclear receptors. He is interested in how secondary metabolites contribute to symbiotic relationships and is currently using epigenetic techniques to study the secondary< metabolite production of the plant pathogen and symbiont Xylella fastidiosa.

mcjames@go.olemiss.edu

Nanthaphong Khamthong

Visiting Scholar

Mr.  Khamthong is a Ph.D. candidate under the supervision of Prof. Vatcharin Rukachaisirikul from Prince of Songkla University (PSU), Thailand and now a visiting scholar at the Department of Pharmacognosy under the guidance of Prof. Mark T. Hamann. He received bachelor and master degrees in Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, respectively, from PSU. His major research focuses on isolation and structural elucidation of bioactive compounds from marine-derived fungi. Current research interest includes isolation and characterization of secondary metabolites from sediment-derived bacteria.

nkhamtho@olemiss.edu

Kevin Lewellyn

Graduate Student

Research Advisor: Jordan Zjawiony
Faser 408
662-915-1704

Kevin received a Bachelor of Science degree in forensic chemistry from the University of Mississippi. His major research area is the synthesis of central nervous system active natural product analogs. More specifically he works with marine derived aplysinopsin analogs which possess CNS activity. He has also worked on the semi-synthesis of salvinorin analogs which are potent kappa opioid receptor ligands.

klewelly@go.olemiss.edu

Joonseok Oh

Graduate Student

Research Advisor:Mark T. Hamann
Faser 400
662-915-1703

Mr. Oh received his Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from Yeungnam University in Daegu, South Korea. He received the 2nd place award from the American Chemical Society Ole Miss Session Poster contest in 2011 for his presentation on novel secondary metabolites from endangered species. His research interests focus on the isolation of interesting drug leads from endangered species including Lindera melissifolia, an endangered species endemic to the southern US. He is also involved in the elucidation of drug modes of actions utilizing computational modeling techniques.

joh3@go.olemiss.edu

Yelkaira Vasquez

Graduate Student

Research Advisor: Ikhlas Khan
National Center for Natural Products Research
662-915-1033

I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from University of Panama. My research is focused on the isolation and characterization of new secondary metabolites from Panamanian plant Talisia nervosa Radlk (Sapindaceae), also called Mamon de montaña, that may have a potential utility against inflammation, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

ynvasque@go.olemiss.edu

Amanda Waters

Graduate Student

Research Advisor:Mark T. Hamann
Faser 400
662-915-1703

Ms. Waters received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Oklahoma. While completing her undergraduate degree, she conducted research in the University of Oklahoma Natural Products Discovery Group and completed internships at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hollings Marine Laboratory. She is currently a National Science Foundation Pre‐doctoral Fellow. Amanda's research interests include the structural elucidation of the karlotoxins from Karlodinium sp. and isolation and characterization of secondary metabolites from marine and terrestrial microbes.

alwaters@go.olemiss.edu

Chinni Yalamanchili

Graduate Student

Research Advisor: Ikhlas Khan

Phone: 622-915-1145

Chinni Yalamanchili has a Bachelors in Pharmacy (B.Pharm) from Acharya Nagarjuna University,Guntur, India. While completing his degree he conducted a project on “Preparation and Evaluation of various sustained release tablets of diltiazem HCl”. Currently,  he is working on the asymmetric synthesis of some isoflavonoids  and biological characterization of formulations of traditional medicine.

cyalaman@go.olemiss.edu