Curriculum vitae

Academic Research Experience

  • Visiting Research Fellow, Rockefeller University (Host: Steve Bonilla) – May 2026 to Present
  • Doctoral Candidate, University at Buffalo – September 2023 to Present
  • Research Fellow, XSig – Summer 2018, 2019
  • Undergraduate Research, Gettysburg College – January 2018 to May 2021

Industry Research Experience

  • Platform Chemistry Intern, Enveda – May 2025 to August 2025

Education

  • State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY.
  • Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA.
    • B.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
    • Advisor: Tim Funk
    • Thesis: “Synthesis of cyanuric chloride-based synthetic lipids”

Certificates

  • Schrödinger - Virtual Screening and Machine Learning. Nov 2025.
  • Schrödinger - Free Energy Calculations for Drug Design with FEP+. Oct 2025.

Publications

Research Articles:

(6) Zhang, H.; Baidya, L.; Nguyen, H. T. Temperature-dependent ion partitioning remodels RNA structure and internal organization in condensate. Submitted.

(5) Mohanta, D.; Zhang, H.; Thirumalai, D.; Nguyen, H. T. Molecular origins of heterogeneous aging and spatial organization of RNA condensate. Under Review.

(4) Zhang, H.; Maity, H.; Nguyen T. H. Temperature-Dependent Ion Migration Underlies Sequence-Specific RNA Collapse. Biophys. J.. 2026, 125, 3456–3470. pdf

(3) Baidya, L.; Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H. T. Poly(ADP-Ribose) (PAR) Exhibits Ion-Dependent Structural Properties Distinct from RNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2026, 54 (6), gkag265. pdf

(2) Maity, H.; Zhang, H.; Thirumalai, D.; Nguyen, H. T. RNA Structural Complexity Dictates Its Ion Atmosphere. J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2025, 8393–8402. pdf

(1) Fang, M.; Kumar, G. S.; Racioppi, S.; Zhang, H.; Rabb, J. D.; Zurek, E.; Lin, Q. Hydrazonyl Sultones as Stable Tautomers of Highly Reactive Nitrile Imines for Fast Bioorthogonal Ligation Reaction. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145 (18), 9959–9964. pdf

Review Articles:

(2) Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H. T. Multiscale Models of Nucleic Acid–Driven Assembly and Biomolecular Condensation. In Preparation

(1) Zhang, H.; Abidakun, O.; Nguyen, H. T. Molecular Insights into the Regulation of RNA Conformational Transitions : Ensembles, Dynamics, and Cellular Heterogeneity. In Preparation

Book Chapters:

(1) Zhang, H., Fang, M., Lin, Q. (2025). Photo‑activatable Reagents for Bioorthogonal Ligation Reactions. In: Vrábel, M., Mikula, H. (eds) Bioorthogonal Reactions. Topics in Current Chemistry Collections. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-09821-4_5. pdf

Presentations

  • Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H.T. RNA Collapse and Condensate Formation Tuned by Temperature and Counterions. Poster Presentation. Biophysical Society Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Feb 2026.

  • Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H.T. Coarse-grained Simulation of ssRNA. Oral Presentation. MDAnalysis UGM, Tucson, AZ, Nov 2025.

  • Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H.T. Temperature-Dependent Ion Migration Underlies Sequence-Specific RNA Collapse. Poster Presentation. Rustbelt RNA Conference, Huron, Ohio, Oct 2025.

  • Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H.T. Ion-dependent Structural Ensemble and Phase Separation Propensity of Single-stranded RNA. Poster Presentation. Computational Medicinal Chemistry School, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, September 2025.

  • Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H.T. Ion-dependent Structural Ensemble and Phase Separation Propensity of Single-stranded RNA. Poster Presentation. Academic Excellence Celebration, Buffalo, NY, May 2025.

  • Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H.T. Coarse-grained Simulation of RNA. Invited Lecture. Molecular Dynamics Simulations (Prof. Viviana Monje), Buffalo, NY, April 2025.

  • Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H.T. Ion-dependent Structural Ensembles and Phase Separation of Single-stranded RNA. Oral Presentation. Buffalo RNA Group, Buffalo, NY, March 2025.

  • Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H.T. Ion-dependent Structural Ensembles and Phase Separation of Single-stranded RNA. Poster Presentation. Biophysical Society Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, Feb 2025.

  • Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H.T. Ion-driven RNA Condensate Simulation. Poster Presentation. Biophysical Society Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, Feb 2025.

  • Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H.T. Ion-dependent Structural Ensemble of Single-stranded RNA. Poster Presentation. New York State RNA Conference, Canandaigua, NY, Oct 2024. (Best Poster Award.) 🏆

  • Zhang, H.; Nguyen, H.T. Parameterization of Coarse-grained ssRNA Force Field. Poster Presentation. Buffalo Graduate Student Symposium, Buffalo, NY, May 2024.

Teaching

  • Computational Chemistry - Spring 2025
  • Organic Chemistry - Spring 2024
  • Physical Chemistry for Life Sciences - Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2024
  • Honors Organic Chemistry - Fall 2022
  • General Chemistry - Fall 2021, Fall 2025

Honors & Awards

  • John Rys Fellowship, University at Buffalo - Summer 2026
    Awarded; declined in favor of research appointment at Rockefeller University
  • Employee of the Month, Enveda Biosciences - Summer 2025
  • First Place, Summer Hackathon (Customized Bruker timsTOF Scheduler), Enveda Biosciences - Summer 2025
  • Academic Excellence Award, State University of New York - Spring 2025
  • John B. Zinn Chemistry Research Award, Gettysburg College - Spring 2021

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