Group Members | Alumni | Open Positions

group members

We believe that diverse training and perspectives are essential for doing great science. Our team works collaboratively to pursue our scientific goals. We value our inclusive and equitable research environment, and we are always working to improve our practices for training and collaboration.

Allison H. Squires

Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering

Postdoc: Chemistry, Stanford (W.E. Moerner)

Ph.D.: Biomedical Engineering, Boston University (Amit Meller)

B.S.Eng.: Mechanical and Aerospace Eng., Princeton University

AHS Office:     ACC 202
AHS Phone:   (773) 834-5113
asquires@uchicago.edu

Lab:    GCIS ESB20 + W309
Student office:   GCIS ESB22
Lab Phone:   (773) 795-6647
squireslab@uchicago.edu

Trevor Anderberg
Trevor Anderberg

Ph.D. Student
Physics

B.S. Physics, UC Santa Barbara
GCIS ESB22 | 773-795-6647 tanderberg@uchicago.edu

Brandon Bryant
Brandon X. Bryant

Undergraduate Researcher
Molecular Engineering

University of Chicago
GCIS ESB22 | 773-795-6647 bxbryant@uchicago.edu

Sarah Christensen
Sarah Christensen

Ph.D. Student
Biophysics

B.S. Physics, McGill University
GCIS ESB22 | 773-795-6647 sarahchristensen@uchicago.edu

Andrés Cook
Andrés Cook

Ph.D. Student
Physics

B.S. Physics, Harvey Mudd College
GCIS ESB22 | 773-795-6647 andcook@uchicago.edu

Kepler Domurat-Sousa
Kepler Domurat-Sousa

Ph.D. Student
Molecular Engineering

B.S. Physics, University of Chicago
GCIS ESB22 | 773-795-6647 domuratsousa@uchicago.edu

Raihan Febryanto
Raihan Febryanto

Ph.D. Student
Molecular Engineering

B. Ag. Applied Marine Biology, Tohoku University
GCIS ESB22 | 773-795-6647 rfebryanto@uchicago.edu

Maya Igarashi
Maya Igarashi

Ph.D. Student
Biophysics

B.S. Physics & Japanese, Wellesley College
GCIS ESB22 | 773-795-6647 migarashi@uchicago.edu

Emily Nakayama
Emily Nakayama

Ph.D. Student
Biophysics

B.A. Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University
GCIS ESB22 | 773-795-6647 enakayama@uchicago.edu

Kavya Vaidya
Kavya Vaidya

Ph.D. Student
Molecular Engineering

B.S. Physics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
GCIS ESB22 | 773-795-6647 kvaidya@uchicago.edu

Alumni

Postdoctoral Alumni:

Dr. Aria Coraor

Dr. Aria Coraor
Postdoctoral Fellow, CZ Biohub
Group Member: 2024-2025
Current position: Senior Software Engineer for Dynamical Inference, Eikon Therapeutics

Graduate Alumni:

Kyle Lin

Dr. Kyle Lin
Ph.D. in Biophysics, MSTP program 2020-2025
Thesis: Molecular-level interrogation and visualization of how chaperones disperse heat-induced protein condensates
Current position: M.D./Ph.D, University of Chicago

Ayesha Ejaz

Dr. Ayesha Ejaz
Ph.D. in Chemistry 2019-2025
Thesis: Leveraging natural and engineered energy transfer constructs in an Anti-Brownian ELectrokinetic (ABEL) trap for multiplexed sensing and structural characterization
Current position: Postdoctoral Fellow, CZ Biohub Chicago

Jiachong Chu

Dr. Jiachong Chu
Ph.D. in Molecular Engineering 2019-2025
Thesis: Engineering FRET-based labels for multiplexed single molecule sensing
Current position: Research Scientist, Spear Bio Inc.

Undergraduate Alumni:

Maya McDaniel

Maya McDaniel
Major: Molecular Engineering
Group member: 2022-2025
Current position: Materials Science and Engineering Ph.D. Student, University of Michigan

Rachelle Rosiles

Rachelle Rosiles
Major: Physics
Group member: 2024-2025
Current position: Undergraduate, Illinois Institute of Technology

Dana Lin

Dana Lin
Major: Molecular Engineering + Physics
Group member: 2021-2024
Current position: Biophysics Ph.D. Student, Harvard

Olivia Shaffer

Olivia Schaffer
Major: Molecular Engineering
Group member: 2020-2023
Current position: Medical school, NYU

João F. Shida

João Shida
Major: Molecular Engineering + Physics
Group member: 2020-2022
Current position: Chemistry Ph.D. Student, MIT

Maddie Joseph

Maddie Joseph
Major: Molecular Engineering
Group member: 2019-2022
Current position: Chemical and Biological Engineering Ph.D. Student, Northwestern

Summer Researchers:

Nikhil Maserang

Nikhil Maserang
Program: Molecular Engineering REU
Group member: Summer 2024
Current position: Undergraduate, University of California, Berkeley

...

Mallie Fitzgerald
Program: Molecular Engineering REU
Group member: Summer 2023
Current position: Undergraduate, Indiana Wesleyan University

...

Roy Hays
Program: QuBBE Quantum Academy
Group member: Summer 2023
Current position: Physics teacher, Chicago Public Schools

...

George Turner
Program: QuBBE Quantum Academy
Group member: Summer 2022
Current position: Science teacher, Chicago Public Schools

...

Natalie Tsang
Program: Molecular Engineering REU
Group member: Summer 2021
Current position: Undergraduate, UIUC

open positions

We are always looking for creative, technically minded young scientists to take on exciting new research projects. Please contact us per the instructions below if you'd like to learn more.

Graduate Students:

The Squires Group draws Ph.D. students from across Engineering (PME), chemistry, physics, and the biological sciences at UChicago. If you are a current Ph.D. student interested in joining our group, please reach out to AHS directly via email to introduce yourself and your research interests / background, so that we can schedule a meeting and arrange for you to learn more about our group. If you are a prospective Ph.D. student, the most important step will be to check out the various departments you can apply to at UChicago, because all Ph.D. admissions are handled at the department level (the buttons will take you directly to more admissions info). Please feel free to reach out to AHS with specific questions as you work through the application process.
PME Ph.D. Admissions
Other Ph.D. Programs
UChicago GRAD

Postdoctoral Scholars:

We're looking for postdocs with strong experimental and analytical backgrounds to join our team! Please reach out to AHS directly via email to introduce yourself and your research interests / background. You should attach your current CV and, if you would like, a copy of one of your papers that you're particularly proud of. AHS reviews these inquiries on a rolling basis. UChicago's vibrant and collaborative intellectual culture makes it a great place to do a postdoc! You can find out more about postdoc life here using the button links. Both internal and national fellowships are available depending on your interests and background, so please let AHS know if you are interested in preparing a fellowship application.
PME Postdoc Info
PSD Postdoc Info

Undergraduate Students and Summer Opportunities:

Undergraduate and summer researchers work closely with senior group members to build research skills towards leading their own independent research project in the lab. We take on a few UChicago undergraduates for year-round research. If you're a current undergraduate in engineering (PME), chemistry, physics, or the biological sciences here and you're interested in learning more, please contact AHS directly via email to introduce yourself and learn about possible openings. Prospective summer undergraduate students should check out our REU programs (PME, Physics, MRSEC) or, for UChicago students, summer funding opportunities through CCRF.
We've also hosted researchers at other career stages, for example through the QuBBE Quantum Academy for science teachers (see button link); please reach out to AHS via email with specific inquiries.
CCRF Research Grants
PME REU Program
Apply to UChicago
Quantum Academy