People
Principal Investigator
Geelsu Hwang, Ph.D.
I received B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Yonsei University.
My goal is to introduce new paradigms in oral health research by applying engineering concepts and methods to further advance the knowledge on the pathogenesis of oral diseases. Specifically, my research interest has focused on understanding the pathogenesis of various biofilm-derived oral diseases and developing therapeutic approaches. I have been always fascinated by how the local biophysical/chemical environment modulates microbe-microbe, microbe-surface as well as host-microbe interactions, and how these characteristics influence disease initiation and progress. I propose numerous groundbreaking inventions for the betterment of oral health.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Junjira (Oum) Tanum
(Apr 2023-Present)
Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, South Korea
Pratik Nag
(Oct 2024-Present)
Ph.D. in Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT G), India
Lab Manager/Technicians
Hyejoo Kim
(Feb 2024-Present)
MS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, South Korea
Yong Li
(Jul 2018-Present)
MD
Students
Fahad Thwayeb Almutairi
(Dec 2023-Present)
DScD program
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Felicity Zhang
(Sep 2023-Present)
Master's program
Department of Bioengineering
School of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Pennsylvania
Manuel Acuna
(Jul 2023-Present)
DMD Student
Class of 2026
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Elyse Alexandria Fournier
(Oct 2024-Present)
DMD Student
Class of 2026
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Adam James Bouhamdan
(May 2024-Present)
DMD Student
Class of 2027
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Ryan Ong
(May 2024-Present)
Undergraduate Student
School of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Pennsylvania
Visiting Scholars
Marianna Gimenes e Silva
DDS
(Dec 2024-Present)
Master's student
Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
Research Interns
Meghana RV
(Apr 2023-Present)
BDS, Vokkaligara Sangha Dental College and Hospital, India
Sajni Patel
(Oct 2024-Present)
Undergraduate Student
College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Alumni (grouped based on the year of joining)
Visiting Student
Geovanna Peter Correa
(Apr 2024-Nov 2024)
PhD student
Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Brazil
Undergraduate Student
Jayden Shin
(May-Aug 2024)
PURM recipient
School of Arts & Sciences
University of Pennsylvania
Undergraduate Student
Loza Markos
(May-Aug 2024)
PURM recipient
School of Arts & Sciences
University of Pennsylvania
Research Intern
Claudia Kim
(Jun-Aug 2024)
The Baldwin School, PA
Research Intern
Sophia Kim
(Jun-July 2024)
West Windsor–Plainsboro High School South, NJ
Research Intern
Betty Li
(Jun-July 2024)
Brooklyn Technical High School, NY
Research Intern
Jithendra (Jitsu) Marupudi
(Jun-July 2024)
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, VA
Rotating PhD Student
Alina (Xuanqi) Dong
(Sep-Oct 2024)
Department of Bioengineering
School of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Pennsylvania
Master's Student
Manasa Vempati
(Sep 2024-Nov 2024)
Department of Bioengineering
School of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Pennsylvania
Postdoc
Beibei Gao
(Jan 2023-May 2024)
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia
DMD Student
Amanda Reisman
(May-Dec 2023)
Class of 2024
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
DMD Student
Madeline Stein
(May-Dec 2023)
Class of 2024
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
DMD Student
Michelle Joung
(Jul-Aug 2023)
Class of 2026
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
DMD Student
Tiffany Min
(Jul-Aug 2023)
Class of 2026
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
DMD Student
Kevin Tao
(Jul-Aug 2023)
Class of 2026
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Research Intern
Claudia Kim
(Jul-Aug 2023)
The Baldwin School, PA
Research Intern
Anna Ye
(Jul-Aug 2023)
Brooklyn Technical High School, NY
Master's Student
Frank (Fu-Yu) Tsai
(Oct 2023-May 2024)
Graduate Oral Health Sciences (GOHS)
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Visiting Professor
Rafael Guerra Lund
(Oct 2023-Oct 2024)
DDS, MD, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Brazil
Visiting Professor
Patricia da Silva Nascente
(Oct 2023-Oct 2024)
Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Brazil
DMD Student
Stephanie Dominguez
(Jul-Aug 2022)
DMD candidate
Class of 2025
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
DMD Student
Teny Odaimi
(Jul-Aug 2022)
DMD candidate
Class of 2025
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Visiting Professor
Dr. Kyunghee Park
(Sep 2022 - Jan 2023)
Research Professor
Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea
Visiting Professor
Dr. Kirim Kim
(Mar-Dec 2021)
Associate Professor
Kyungpook National University, Sangju, South Korea
Undergraduate Student (PURM recipient)
Jeewoo (Tiffany) Lee
(Jun-Aug 2021)
School of Arts & Sciences
University of Pennsylvania
Penn Dental Medicine
(Class of 2028)
Undergraduate Student
(PURM recipient)
Ravikiran Ramjee
(Jul 2021-Aug 2022)
School of Engineering and Applied Science
University of Pennsylvania
DMD Student
Cerjay Lugtu
(Jul 2021-Aug 2022)
DMD candidate
Class of 2024
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
DMD Student
Brett Kim
(Jul-Aug 2021)
DMD candidate
Class of 2024
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Undergraduate Student
Kevin Tao
(Sep 2021-May 2022)
School of Arts & Sciences
University of Pennsylvania
Graduate Student
Monika Ferreira
(Oct 2021-Sep 2022)
Visiting Ph.D. student
Faculty of Dentistry
Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Brazil
Volunteer
Je Choi
(Jan-Mar 2020)
MS in Materials Science and Engineering,
University of Pennsylvania
Visiting Professor
Dr. Jehwang Ryu
(Feb 2020-Jan 2021)
Associate Professor
Chonnam National University,
Gwangju, South Korea
Undergraduate Student
(PURM recipient)
Joseph Heo
(Jun 2020-Aug 2021)
School of Arts & Sciences
University of Pennsylvania
Harvard School of Dentistry
(Class of 2027)
Undergraduate Student
(PURM recipient)
Le (Helen) He
(Jun-Aug 2020)
School of Arts & Sciences
University of Pennsylvania
Volunteer
Sherry Zheng
(Jun 2020-Feb 2021)
B.S. in Neuroscience, School of Art & Sciences, University of Pittsburgh
NYU College of Dentistry
(Class of 2025)
Postdoc
Dr. Minjun Oh
(Aug 2020-May 2023)
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea
Postdoc
Dr. Atul Dhall
(Sep 2019-Dec 2021)
Ph.D. in Nanoscale Engineering,
SUNY Polytechnic Institute, State University of New York, Albany
Graduate Student
Bawazir, Marwa Mohammed
(Dec 2019-Aug 2021)
DScD program
School of Dental Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Postdoc
Dr. Hye-Eun Kim
(Oct 2018-Feb 2022)
Ph.D. in Molecular Biology,
Hiroshima University, Japan