Principal Investigator
Eden E. L. Tanner, DPhil
Dr. Eden Tanner completed her undergraduate degree with Honors in Advanced Science as a Chemistry major at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. She earned her doctorate in Physical and Theoretical Chemistry at the University of Oxford under the supervision of Prof Richard Compton, with a thesis titled “Nanoelectrochemistry in Room Temperature Ionic Liquids”. Her love of ionic liquids brought her to Harvard University as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow working with Samir Mitragotri. As of August 2020, Dr. Tanner is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi. The Tanner Lab works at the interface of Chemistry and Bioengineering to solve outstanding biomedical challenges, with a particular focus on the use of ionic liquids in nanoparticle drug delivery.
Graduate Students
Christine Hamadani
Gaya S Epita Gedara
Gaya S Epita Gedara
Bachelors’ in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Research Honors Distinction (Boston University),
Masters in Bioengineering, concentration Nanotechnology, summa cum laude (Harvard University)
Ph.D student in Chemistry (nanomaterials)
Gaya S Epita Gedara
Gaya S Epita Gedara
Gaya S Epita Gedara
B.S Molecular and Cell Biology
PhD student
Claylee Chism
Gaya S Epita Gedara
Claylee Chism
Undergraduate Students
Timothy Stoner
Joh'nis Randall
Timothy Stoner
Senior
B.A. Biochemistry
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
Noah Grovich
Joh'nis Randall
Timothy Stoner
Junior
B.S Chem (Biochem emphasis) major,
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
Joh'nis Randall
Joh'nis Randall
Joh'nis Randall
Early Entry Pharmacy Student
Second Year
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
Anh Hoang
Meghan Gorniak
Joh'nis Randall
Junior
B.A. Biochemistry
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
Ethan Jarrett
Meghan Gorniak
Meghan Gorniak
Sophomore
B.S. Chem Major
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
Meghan Gorniak
Meghan Gorniak
Meghan Gorniak
Junior
B.S. Chemistry
Honors College
Karen Wong
Isabel Nichols
Karen Wong
Junior
B.A. Biochemistry
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
Jody Todd
Isabel Nichols
Karen Wong
Senior
B.S. Biomedical Engineering
Tau Beta Pi
Isabel Nichols
Isabel Nichols
Isabel Nichols
Freshman
B.S. Forensic Chemistry Major
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
Jo Galloway
Leslie Anne Bell
Isabel Nichols
Junior
B.S. Forensic Chemistry with a minor in Biology
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
Leslie Anne Bell
Leslie Anne Bell
Leslie Anne Bell
Elizabeth Hale
Leslie Anne Bell
Leslie Anne Bell
Former Advisees: Harvard University
Joel P. R. Balkaran
Joel P. R. Balkaran
Joel P. R. Balkaran
Undergraduate Researcher
(2017 - 2020)
Joel synthesized and tested a range of anionic alternatives for transdermal delivery. Next year, Joel Eden will be co-supervise his senior thesis (ES100) on ionic liquids and nanoparticles for localized skin delivery of drugs.
Funded by Harvard's PRISE fellowship and the Harvard College Research Program.
Eva Cai
Joel P. R. Balkaran
Joel P. R. Balkaran
Undergraduate Researcher
(Sep 2019 - 2020)
Currently, various inner ear disorders require the delivery of drugs into the middle ear via intratymphanic injection. However, this method is invasive and also difficult to access. Using ionic liquids, Eva is working on novel, noninvasive methods to deliver steroid drugs to the middle ear space to treat sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).
Brian Josephson
Joel P. R. Balkaran
Brian Josephson
Undergraduate Researcher
(Sep 2019 - 2020)
Brian is working on assessing the effect of cationic alternatives to choline on transdermal dextran transport using fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy.
Funded by the Harvard College Research Program.
Fariha Khan
Alexander M. Curreri
Arnav Srivastava
Master's Candidate in Bioengineering, BU
(2019 - 2020)
Fariha is currently writing a literature-based thesis on chemical penetration enhancers.
Arnav Srivastava
Alexander M. Curreri
Arnav Srivastava
Undergraduate Researcher
(Sep 2019 - 2020)
Arnav is working on the transdermal transport of silica nanoparticles using ionic liquids.
Alexander M. Curreri
Alexander M. Curreri
Alexander M. Curreri
1st year Ph.D. Student in Bioengineering (2018 - 2)
Alex previously worked on the synthesis of and testing transport characteristics of various ionic liquid molecules for the transdermal delivery of various small drug molecules. Currently, Alex works on developing ionic liquids and various ionic liquid formulations for the stabilization and topical delivery of therapeutic antibodies and aptamers.
Nicole Kim
Jessica Klusty
Andrew Yang
Undergraduate Researcher
(2017-2018)
Nicole synthesized cationic alternatives to CAGE. Currently, Nicole is a rising senior at Harvard College studying Statistics and Chemistry and working on a senior thesis aiming to build a statistical model for prediction of multiple sclerosis relapse in a well-characterized clinical cohort.
Andrew Yang
Jessica Klusty
Andrew Yang
Undergraduate Researcher
(2017-2018)
Andrew synthesized cationic alternatives to CAGE, and is currently a rising senior at Harvard College studying Bioengineering and working on medical devices for cardiovascular surgery applications at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Funded by the Harvard College Research Program.
Jessica Klusty
Jessica Klusty
Christine Hamadani
Undergraduate Researcher
(2019)
Jessica learnt laboratory techniques, and is currently pursuing a Senior thesis on postpartum hemorrhaging.
Christine Hamadani
Christine Hamadani
Christine Hamadani
Masters' in Biological Engineering
(2018 - 2020)
Christine is working on surface-conjugating synthesized designer protein-phobic ionic liquids to polymeric biodegradable nanoparticle surfaces to limit protein-nanoparticle interactions when delivering encapsulated drug intravenously/intradermally in order to enhance circulation time for pote
Masters' in Biological Engineering
(2018 - 2020)
Christine is working on surface-conjugating synthesized designer protein-phobic ionic liquids to polymeric biodegradable nanoparticle surfaces to limit protein-nanoparticle interactions when delivering encapsulated drug intravenously/intradermally in order to enhance circulation time for potential chemotherapeutic agent delivery in vivo.
Currently, Christine is a PhD student at the University of Vermont.
Funded by Sigma Xi Graduate Student Research Grant
Carter Kendig
Christine Hamadani
Carter Kendig
Undergraduate Researcher
(2018 - present)
Carter participated in research using ionic liquids for transdermal drug delivery. Currently assessing the efficacy of ionic liquids to deliver nanoparticles across the skin barrier.
Carter is a rising Senior at Harvard and currently working for Samumed, a biotech based in San Diego.
Tina Currieri
Christine Hamadani
Carter Kendig
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), Summer 2019
Tina worked on assessing the effect of cationic alternatives to choline on transdermal dextran transport using fluorescence spectroscopy.
Former Advisees: University of Oxford
Lifu Chen
Caitlin Tickell
Caitlin Tickell
1st Year DPhil
(2016-2017)
Lifu investigated the adsorption and electro activity of organic molecules (catechol, phenyl hydroquinone and dopamine) on graphene surfaces, co-authoring four journal articles in this period. Lifu is currently a 3rd year DPhil in the Compton group.
Funded with a Chinese Student Award from the Great Britain-China Educational Trust (GBCET).
Caitlin Tickell
Caitlin Tickell
Caitlin Tickell
Undergraduate Researcher
(Summer, 2014)
Caitlin investigated theories of electron transfer in ionic liquids. Caitlin is currently working as an Associate Consultant for executive search firm Perrett Laver in the Higher Education practice, including appointments for the Babraham Institute and Master, Jesus College Cambridge.
Xiaosheng Cai
Caitlin Tickell
Xiaosheng Cai
2nd year DPhil
(2017)
Xiaosheng investigated the electro-reduction mechanism of hydrogen peroxide on silver nanoparticles. He's currently a 4th year DPhil at Oxford.