Jonathan D. Caranto, PhD
PI of NOx Nation
- 2022 UCF Champion of Undergraduate Research Faculty Award
- 2018-present Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida
- 2013-2017 Postdoctoral research associate, Cornell University (Prof. Kyle M. Lancaster)
- 2013 Ph.D. Chemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio (Prof. Donald M. Kurtz)
- 2003 B.S. Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology
- 2003 B.S. Molecular Biochemistry and Biophysics, Illinois Institute of Technology
Post-doctoral scholars and Staff Scientists
Arun Kumar, PhD
Trapping nitration intermediates of TxtE
2020-2022 Postdoctoral Research Associate
University of Göttingen
2018-2020 Research Associate
Indian Institute of Science
2018 Ph.D Medicinal Chemistry
Indian Institute of Science
2013 M.S. Chemical Sciences
Homi Bhabha National Institute
Ben Rathman, PhD
Biosynthesis of NNG
2023 Ph.D Chemistry
University of Notre Dame
2015 B.S. Organic Chemistry
University of North Florida
Michael Fabrizio
Inhibition of mycobacterial metabolic enzymes
2023 B.S. Biomedical Sciences
University of Central Florida
Julie Dada
Biosynthesis of NNG
B.S. Chemistry
Haverford College
Graduate scholars
Christopher Martin
Molecular mechanism of the NO-dependent nitration catalyzed by TxtE
2018 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
Gabriel Padilla
Biosynthesis of N-nitroglycine by Streptomyces noursei
2017 B.S. Biomedical Sciences
University of Central Florida
Kara Strickland
Molecular mechanism of N-nitroglycine decomposition by NnlA
2019 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
Sarah Jennings
Mechanism of NO peroxidase activity by mycobacterial hemerythrin-like proteins
2017 B.S. Biology
Presbyterian College
Krystal Baez
Outer sphere tuning of TxtE reactivity
2015 B.S. Biomedical Sciences
University of Central Florida
Brenda Martinez Rodriguez
Engineering NnlA to degrade non-native nitramines
2023 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
Undergraduate scholars
Shelby Wagner
UCF Chemistry ’22
Expression of NnlA variants
Gabriel Oliveira
UCF Chemistry ’26
Engineering of NnlA gas binding site
Gabriel Santiago Rodriguez
UCF Chemistry ’26
Nitrate formation by TxtE
NOx Nation Alumni
2022-2023 Michelle Luna-Alva
2023 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
- Activity of NnlA homologs
- AEOP Summer Apprentice
2020-2023 Ashley Holland, PhD
Zoetis Inc.
Post-doctoral associate
- NnlA degradation of NNG
2021-2022 Betsy Hinojosa
Edgewell Personal Care
2022 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
- Inhibition of metabolic enzymes by nitramines
2018-2022 Regina Strelecki
M.S. Biomedical Sciences
Stony Brook University
- Peroxide shunt with TxtE
2019-2022 Dominique Sims
MMPP Ph.D program at Yale University
2022 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
- Development of high throughput screen of NnlA variants
2019-2022 Lannika Johnson
2022 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
- CYPs as nitration enzymes
- RAMP Fellow
- UCF Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
- Honors Undergraduate Thesis
2021 Higor Silverio
2021 B.S. Biology
University of Central Florida
- Expression of NnlA variants
2018-2022 Rahiim Lake
Biochemistry Ph.D program at University of Rochester
2021 B.S Chemistry
University of Central Florida
- Expression and purification of the N-oxygenase CreE
- NNG biosynthesis and biodegradation
2018-2021 Alan Trudeau
Revvity
2021 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
- Structural elucidation of AznDE and NnlA
- McNair Scholar
2019 Casey Dejournett
U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory
2020 B.S Forensic Science
University of Central Florida
2019 Miranda Cassidy
B.S. Forensic Science
Expression of TxtE
2019-2020 Charles St. James
Center for Breakthrough Medicines
2020 M.S. Biomedical Sciences
University of Central Florida
2017 B.S. Biology
University of Central Florida
- Generation of Streptomyces gene knockouts to elucidate N-nitroglycine biosynthesis
- M.S. Capstone: Streamlining production and enhancing therapeutic effectivity of CAR-T cell cancer immunotherapies with CRISPR/CAS gene editing
2018-2020 Maria Martinez
Chemistry Ph.D program at Louisiana State University
2020 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
- Mechanism of NO-dependent nitration by a cytochrome P450 homolog
- RAMP Fellow
- ACS Scholar
2019-2020 Jordan Ledgister
Green Scientific Labs
2020 B.S. Biomedical Sciences
University of Central Florida
- Improving metal-occupancy of the N-nitroglycine degrading enzyme NnlA
2019-2020 Nicole Boyd
ENCO Laboratories
2020 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
- Recombinant Expression of a Proposed Hydrazinoacetic Acid Biosynthetic Pathway from Streptomyces noursei
2018-2019 Julissa Burgos
Microbiology Ph.D program at Vanderbilt University
2019 B.S. Biomedical Sciences
University of Central Florida
- Purification and characterization of heme excreted by Streptomyces noursei
- McNair Scholar
2018-2019 Dylan Thibaut
Medical student at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
2020 B.S. Biomedical Sciences
University of Central Florida
2020 B.S. Science Education
University of Central Florida
- Application and Comparison of Active Learning Implementation Methods in Biochemistry Education
- Honors in the Major Scholar (See thesis)
2018-2019 Kara Strickland
Chemistry Ph.D Program at UCF
2018 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
- The N-nitroglycine degrading protein, NnlA, is a heme enzyme
2018-2019 Ali Younis
Chemistry Ph.D program at University of California at Irvine
2019 B.S. Chemistry
University of Central Florida
- Characterization of Enzymes AznD and AznE for the development of a bionitration toolkit
- McNair Scholar
2018 Mueez Amoo
Microbiology M.S. program at University of South Florida
2018 B.S. Biomedical Sciences
University of Central Florida
2018 B.A. History
University of Central Florida
- Culturing of Streptomyces vitaminophilus