Jean-Hubert Olivier
Principal Investigator
Jean-Hubert is originally from Strasbourg (France) and attended the University of Strasbourg, where he obtained his Ph.D. in Organic and Supramolecular Chemistry. He then moved to Duke University in 2011 as a postdoctoral associate to focus on engineering polymer-wrapped carbon nanotube compositions. He started his independent career at the University of Miami, where he was promoted to Associate Professor in 2022. In August 2023, he joined the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at the University of New Mexico. He is developing molecular tools to create new classes of structure-function-optimized organic materials constructed from out-of-equilibrium intermediates. In addition to elucidating fundamental electronic processes in these emerging materials, his research program targets applications in solar energy capture and conversion, mechanical energy harvesting, tactile sensors, and organic electronics.
Elvis Attah
Graduate Student - 3rd Year
Elvis was born in Ghana and received his B.Sc. degree in Biochemistry from the University of Cape Coast. He moved to USA to pursue research in Chemistry at the University of New Mexico. Elvis joined the Olivier lab in 2023 and is currently working on biomaterials research at the interface of chemistry and immunology.
His project focuses on designing multifunctional microelectrodes that can modulate immune responses and promote pro-healing macrophages. In addition, Elvis is developing hydrogel-based drug delivery systems for controlled release of bioactive molecules, with the long-term goal of engineering implantable devices that integrate seamlessly with neural tissue. In his free time, he enjoys travelling, music, and learning new craft.
Salika Dulanjali
Graduate Student - 5th Year
Salika Dulanjali is from Sri Lanka and earned her undergraduate degree (BSc) in Chemistry at the University of Jaffna, where she studied natural product extraction and their anti-urolithiatic activity. She joined the University of New Mexico in Fall 2021 and gained research experience in nuclear waste management, bioconjugation, and protein labeling. In May 2025, Salika joined Dr. Olivier’s lab, where she is working on synthesizing polymers with MMP-sensitive peptide sequences to explore controlled drug delivery applications.
Atul Ojha
Graduate Student - 5th Year
Atul is from Kathmandu, Nepal where he finished his BSc in Chemistry from Tribhuvan University and joined UNM in 2021. Prior to joining the Olivier lab in 2025, He has worked in rearrangements of cycloadducts from cyclooctynes and diazofluorene, and later in developing tools to study glycation. He is currently working on formulating nanoparticles with ROS-scavengers to be used in microwires. As hobbies, he loves learning foreign languages and playing the ukulele.
Ifigeneia Tsironi
Postdoctoral Researcher
Ifigeneia Tsironi
Postdoctoral Researcher
Ifigeneia Tsironi was born and raised in Heraklion, Crete. She earned her BSc. in Chemistry from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 2018, completing her thesis on phosphinic-type peptide analogs. After an Erasmus internship in Stockholm, Sweden, she moved to the University of Miami, where she joined Dr. Jean-Hubert Olivier’s group and focused on developing organic-based nanomaterials. She received her Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2024 for pioneering research on engineering and modulating π-conjugated superstructures at equilibrium and non-equilibrium states, with implications for energy storage and optoelectronic devices. Currently, she is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of New Mexico, where she designs and develops non-equilibrium organic materials with emergent electronic and structural functions.
Ifigeneia Tsironi was born and raised in Heraklion, Crete. She earned her BSc. in Chemistry from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 2018, completing her thesis on phosphinic-type peptide analogs. After an Erasmus internship in Stockholm, Sweden, she moved to the University of Miami, where she joined Dr. Jean-Hubert Olivier’s group and focused on developing organic-based nanomaterials. She received her Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2024 for pioneering research on engineering and modulating π-conjugated superstructures at equilibrium and non-equilibrium states, with implications for energy storage and optoelectronic devices. Currently, she is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of New Mexico, where she designs and develops non-equilibrium organic materials with emergent electronic and structural functions.
Troy Bencoe
Graduate Student - 2nd Year
Troy Bencoe is from Albuquerque, New Mexico and earned his Bachelor’s in Biochemistry from the University of New Mexico in 2024. The following semester, he joined UNM’s Chemistry and Chemical Biology Graduate Program and soon became a member of the Olivier Lab. His research focuses on developing novel transient reaction networks by incorporating new substrates into EDC-fueled cycles, while also engineering orthogonal kinetic controls for these networks.
Jarek Maleszka
Graduate Student - 3rd Year
Jarek Maleszka is originally from Sarasota, Florida, and received his B.S. in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Miami in 2023. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Olivier’s lab at the University of New Mexico, where he works across organic synthesis, supramolecular chemistry, and soft electronics. His research spans covalent stapling of supramolecular polymers, chemically fueled self-assembly of π-conjugated semiconductors, and the design of soft organic coatings for neural microelectrodes. He is currently exploring chirality-induced spin selectivity in PDI-based assemblies. Jarek integrates spectroscopy, electrochemistry, microscopy, and chromatography to connect molecular design with emergent function. He also serves as CGSA President and enjoys fishing, snowboarding, and hiking.
Chris Perez
Undergraduate Student
Chris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and began attending UNM in 2023 pursuing a degree in Biochemistry with aims of doing research in pharmacology. He joined the Olivier Lab in June 2025 to help with synthesis. Currently, he is developing ways to synthesize and mass-produce chiral NDI-and PDI-derivatives in order to be locked in π-conjugated supramolecular structures that preserve the emergent optoelectronic properties far from equilibrium. In his free time he enjoys cooking, playing music (electric bass, piano and percussion), and going to local concerts.
Alumni
Arindam Mukhopadhyay
postdoc (2022)
Kaixuan Liu (2022)
Graduate Student
Chuan Liu (2020)
Graduate Student
Laura Kaufman (2022)
Undergraduate Student
Madison Purkerson (2021)
Undergraduate Students
Dalia Husainy (2021)
Undergraduate Student
Alejandra Curbelo-Paz
Undergraduate Student
Tina Phang (2019)
Undergraduate Student
Adam Ashcraft (2019)
Master Student
Jared Klutke (2017)
Undergraduate Student
Adam Ashcraft
(2017-2019)
Master Student
Sebastian Duque
(2019)
High-School Student
Samantha Steefel (2017)
Undergraduate Student
Isabel Lopez (2018)
High-School Student
Adam Levy (2017)
Undergraduate Student
Aisha Chebbi (2019)
High-School Student