MEET THE TEAM
CURRENT TEAM MEMBERS
Alex Grenning
Alex grew up in the northern suburbs of Chicago. He received his B.A. from Lake Forest College and his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas, followed by postdoctoral training at Boston University. He began his independent career in 2014.
From 2014–2023, Alex served as an assistant and later associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Florida. In 2024, he joined the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota as an associate professor.
Research in the Grenning laboratory focuses on (i) reaction discovery guided by physical organic chemistry principles and enantioselective catalysis to enable new strategies for complex molecule synthesis, and (ii) identifying opportunities where advances in organic chemistry can address diseases with unmet therapeutic needs, including CNS disorders and infectious diseases. Alex believes science is serious, but scientists don’t have to be! So go ahead and be true to yourself while you tackle those hard and hopefully creative tasks!
Alex is deeply committed to strengthening the organic chemistry community. His leadership emphasizes inclusivity, representation, diversity of scientific perspectives, and affordability, with the goal of advancing both the science and the scientists who practice it. His service spans several organizations and conferences, including The FloHet Conference, the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry, the Telluride Conference, and the Organic Reactions and Process Gordon Research Conference.
Outside the laboratory, Alex balances his enthusiasm for organic chemistry with other creative pursuits. He takes pride in raising his daughters and encouraging them to enjoy the adventures of Minneapolis tween life. Around the city, he gravitates toward places that “smell a little funny.” The record shops, music stores, and tiny music venues, where he collects records, guitars, and memorable shows. His musical tastes lean heavily toward punk and punk-adjacent rock and roll. When time allows, he enjoys cooking Italian food, playing pickleball and tennis (in that order), and embracing the sauna–cold plunge ritual that seems nearly mandatory for surviving—and enjoying—a cold, long, Minneapolis winter.
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Postdoctoral Associate – Dr. Subhadip De | Joined in Summer 2024
Ph.D., IISER Bhopal, India (w/ Alakesh Bisai); 2010-2016
Postdoctoral Associate, SIOC, China (w/ Dawei Ma); 2016-2018
Postdoctoral Associate, Colorado State University (w/ Robert M. Williams); 2018-2020
Postdoctoral Associate, University of Florida (w/ Alex Grenning); 2020-2022
Senior Research Investigator, Syngene International Limited, India; 2022-2024
Favorite Reaction: Staudinger reaction
Hobbies outside of Lab: Spending time with my family and friends, Cooking and Playing cards.
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Ph.D. Student – Andy McCabe | Joined in Spring 2024
B.S. in Chemistry, Ithaca College
Favorite Reaction: Finkelstein Reaction
Hobbies Outside of Lab: I coach rowing for the Minneapolis Rowing Club and play the bass guitar
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Ph.D. Student – Juan Sanfiel | Joined in Fall 2021
B.A. in Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University
Follow me on LinkedIn!Favorite reaction: Sakurai allylation
Hobbies outside of lab: Traveling, listening to music, video games, baking -
Ph.D. Student – Akash Gogate | Joined in Fall 2021
B.S. in Chemistry, Emory University
B.S. in Chemical Engineering, University of North Dakota
Favorite Reaction: Soai Reaction
Hobbies: Cooking, brewing, long nature walks, and listening to music -
Ph.D. Student – Dylan Smith | joined in Fall 2022
B.S. in Chemistry from Chatham University in 2019
Favorite Reaction: the Chichibabin Reaction
Hobbies: disc golfing, checking out local breweries, and spending time with friends
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Ph.D. Student – Avneesh Kumar | Joined in Fall 2022
BS-MS, IISER Kolkata, India
Favorite Reaction: Beckmann Rearrangement
Hobbies Outside of Lab: Cooking, Swimming and listening to music
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Ph.D. Student – Brenna Pazour | Joined in Fall 2024
B.S. in Chemistry, Iowa State University
Favorite Reaction: Upjohn Dihydroxylation
Hobbies Outside of Lab: Dancing, crocheting, hiking, and skiing!
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Ph.D. Student – Fatima Martinez
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Ph.D. Student – Evelyn Partridge
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Ph.D. Student – Max Hrigora
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ALUMNI
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Matthew Albritton
Matthew was an undergraduate researcher in Grenning Lab ca. 2019 – 2021.
B.S. University of Florida
Current position: Graduate Student, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
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Mariana Alves, M.S.
Mariana was a graduate student in our lab ca. 2018 – 2022
B.S. Florida State University
M.S. University of Florida
Current Position: Novartis Inc.; Research Scientist II.
LinkedIn
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Dr. Fabien Emmetiere, Ph.D.
Fabien was a graduate student in the lab.
Ph.D. – University of Florida 2020
Currently at Amgen; Senior Associate Scientist
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Dr. Ehsan Fereyduni, Ph.D.
Graduated in 2020 from UF with Ph.D.
Currently at Intel Corporation -
Dr. Anghelo Gangano, Ph.D.
B.S. in Biology and Chemistry, Concordia University
Ph.D. University of Florida Fall 2024
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Liban Jirmo
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Dr. Ouidad Lahtigui, Ph.D.
Ouidad was a graduate student in the lab
Ph.D. – University of Florida 2020
PDF at EPFL
Current Position: Syngenta; Process Chemistry -
Dr. Morgane Mando, Ph.D.
Morgane was a postdoctoral associate in the lab from Fall 2023 – Summer 2025
Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne
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Dr. Primali Navaratne, Ph.D.
Primali was a graduate student in the lab.
Ph.D. University of Florida 2019
Postdoc at Caltech
Current Position: Amgen; Scientist
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Dr. Aleksandra (Sasha) Nilova
Sasha was a postdoc in the lab ca. 2020 – 2023.
Ph.D. Portland State University
Current Position: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) postdoc
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Abdias Noel
Abdias was a graduate student in the lab ca. 2021 – 2022.
B.S. University of Florida
Current position: Graduate Student, University of Michigan
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Richard Schroeder, M.S.
Richard was a graduate student in the lab.
M.S University of Florida 2019
Currently at Novartis Institutes; Research Scientist II
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Dr. Sarah Scott, Ph.D.
Sarah was a graduate student in the lab
Ph.D. University of Florida 2020
Currently at GSK; Investigator
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Roberto Serrano
Roberto was an undergraduate in the lab ca. 2017 – 2019
B.S. University of Florida
Currently Roberto is pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemistry at University of Illinois
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Dr. Breanna Tomiczek, Ph.D.
Breanna was a graduate student in the lab ca 2017 – 2022.
B.S. in Chemistry, Saint Vincent College
Ph.D. University of Florida 2022
Current Position: Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory
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Dr. Vincent Vedovato, Ph.D.
Vincent was a postdoc in the lab ca. 2021 – 2023
Ph.D. University of Oxford (w/ Michael Willis)
Postdoc University of Florida
Current Position: VITO; Chemistry Research Engineer
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Dr. Peter Vertesaljai, Ph.D.
Peter was a graduate student in the lab.
Ph.D. University of Florida 2019
Current Position: Richter Gedeon Nyrt.; Senior Research Scientist
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Katie White
Katie was a graduate student in the lab ca 2017 – 2019.
B.S. University of Florida
Katie is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemistry at UCLA.