Principal Investigator

Sameer Varma
Professor, Department of Molecular Biosciences
Affiliate Professor, Department of Physics
PhD in Biophysics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
B.Sc. & M.Sc. in Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
Contact: svarma(AT)usf.edu, (813) 974-9288, ISA-6205, @Varma_TCBgroup

Graduate Students

Karla Diaz Castillo (Co-mentored by Prof. Daughdrill)
Protein methylation, p53 regulation, molecular dynamics and NMR
BSc in Nanotechnology
2023 - present
Contact: ISA-6050, diazcastillok(AT)usf.edu

Irene A. Gutierrez
Ion channel mechanisms, molecular dynamics, force field development and tennis
BS in Biology and MS in Bioinforamtics
2021 - present
Contact: ISA-6050, iariasgutierrez(AT)usf.edu

Giorgio Schillaci
Molecular dynamics, force field development, protein methylation and the "real" food connoisseur
BSc in Biotechnology and Biophysics
MSc in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioinformatic
2023 - present
Contact: ISA-6050, gschillaci(AT)usf.edu

Hafiza "Nimra" Ashraf
Molecular dynamics, ion-protein interactions
BS in Biotechnology
Jan 2025 - present
Contact: ISA-6050, ashraf12(AT)usf.edu

Tamara Al-Assi
Molecular dynamics, bacterial cell division, coffee connoisseur
BS in Biology
Aug 2025 - present
Contact: ISA-6050, tamaraa1(AT)usf.edu

Undergraduate Researchers

Julian Lifton
Molecular dynamics simulations, protein-protein binding free energies
Majoring in Biology
Aug 2025 - present
Contact: ISA-6050, jlifton(AT)usf.edu

Tuan Minh Dao
Machine learning and protein-ion interactions
Majoring in Computer Science
Aug 2025 - present
Contact: ISA-6050, tuanminhdao(AT)usf.edu

Former Members

Post-docs

Dr. Ralph Leighty, 2011-2012

Dr. Vered Wineman-Fisher, 2017-2021 Google Scholar


Graduate students

Dr. Matthew Saunders (PhD), 2020-2025 Google Scholar

Dr. Julian Melendez Delgado (PhD), 2020-2025 Google Scholar

Dr. Guy W Dayhoff II (PhD), 2019-2024 Google Scholar

Dr. Nalvi Duro (PhD), 2015-2020 Linkedin

Dr. Mohsen Botlani (PhD), 2012-2017 Linkedin

Dr. Priyanka Dutta (PhD), 2012-2016 Linkedin

Koushik Majumdar (MS), 2022-2023 Linkedin

Matthew Saunders (MS), 2017-2019 Linkedin

Alekhya Abhiram (MS), 2017-2019 Linkedin

Insung Na (MS), 2013-2014 Linkedin

Iqbal Addou (MS), 2014-2016 Linkedin


Undergraduate students

Tamara Al-Assi, 2023-2025

Ariel Grinshpoon, 2023-2025 Linkedin

Rauf Verdiev, 2022-2023 Linkedin

Valentin Oganisyan, 2022-2023 Linkedin

Nur Irfan, 2021-2022

Noel Jesin, 2021-2022 Linkedin

Jennifer Drew-Bear, 2018-2020 Linkedin

Rosniel Castro, 2019-2020 Linkedin

Sanim Rahman, 2017-2019 Linkedin

Ahnaf Siddiqui, 2016-2018 Linkedin

Deborah Cull, 2017-2018 Linkedin

Willie McClinton, 2016-2017 Linkedin

Matthew Cuffaro, 2015-2016 Linkedin

Marion Gjika, 2014-2016 Linkedin

Elaine Rouco, 2012-2012

Odaimys Perez, 2012-2012


High School students

Deshna Pal, 2024-2025

Shreyashi Bodaka, 2024-2025

Aditya Gupta, 2023-2024 -- Now at Purdue University

Vihaan Hampihallikar, Summer 2024 -- Now at UC Berkeley