Le Research Group

- CURRENT MEMBERS -

Graduate Students

Maryam Jabbarpoor (she/her), MSc Student (joined 2022)

maryamjp [at] yorku.ca

Maryam grew up in Tehran, Iran, and earned her BSc and MSc in chemistry at Shahid Beheshti University developing heterogeneous catalysts in the MTH process. Then, she came to Canada, and in May 2022, joined the Le Group to study cross-coupling reactions of fluorine-containing molecules. Outside of the lab, Maryam is a film enthusiast and enjoys cooking new recipes.

Tristan Tiburcio (he/him), MSc Student (joined 2021)

trist98 [at] yorku.ca

Tristan was born and raised in Toronto ON. He earned his B.Sc in Biochemistry at York University in 2020, with his thesis on selective RNA chemistry. In March of 2021, he joined the Le and Caputo groups as a masters student in order to pursue organic synthesis, with focus on carbene chemistry. Outside of the lab, Tristan enjoys playing video games, listening to music, going for walks, and making a mess in the kitchen (but usually something good comes out of it).

Dusty Cadwallader (he/him), PhD Student (joined 2020)

dustyc94 [at] yorku.ca

Dusty grew up in Port Hardy BC, a small town on the north end of Vancouver Island. He completed his BSc in chemistry at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, BC and his MSc at Brock University developing stereoselective Birch reduction-alkylations with a chiral auxiliary. In September 2020 he joined the Le group as a PhD student looking to synthesize fluorine containing molecules. Outside the lab his hobbies include recreational power lifting, joining pick-up soccer and volleyball matches, crossing local breweries off his list and cooking up new meat-free recipes (although you can catch him enjoying a steak or chicken sandwich from time to time).

Ali McKnight (they/them), MSc student (joined 2020)

mcknighe [at] yorku.ca

Ali graduated from Reed College in 2020 with a B.A. in Chemistry after spending the first two years of their undergraduate degree as a studio art major. During their undergraduate career they dabbled in analytical nuclear chemistry, adding nitrate esters to atmospherically relevant monoterpenes, and putting bismuth in places that bismuth should not be. Outside of the lab they are an amateur artist, avid home cook, and a strong supporter of Trans-Rights and BLM.

Undergraduate Students

Yuriko Fujisato (she/her), Volunteer and NSERC USRA student (joined 2021)

fujisato [at] my.yorku.ca

Yuriko is a third-year undergraduate student completing a specialized Honours bachelor in chemistry. She is passionate about organic synthesis and drug discovery. In the future, she plans to pursue research in pharmaceutical chemistry. Outside the lab, she enjoys playing piano and string instruments.

Alex Akhundov (he/him), DURA student (joined 2022)

aakhun23 [at] my.yorku.ca

Alex began his undergraduate studies in chemistry in the fall of 2019, and joined the Hili Group in the spring of 2020 to start work on a medicinal chemistry project in the field of epitranscriptomics. There he focused on developing small molecule inhibitors of a protein that binds modified RNA. In May 2022 he joined the Le Group to work on some organofluorine chemistry and further his skills in synthesis. In the future, Alex plans to pursue graduate studies in organic chemistry. He is a former athlete, having run the 400m sprint at the European Youth Olympics and played at the FIBA European Basketball Championship. Alex also plays the drums and guitar and is a passionate music fan.

Visiting Students

Dmytro Shevchuk (he/him), MITACS GRI Student (joined 2022)

ffelicis [at] my.yorku.ca

Dmytro Shevchuck is an undergraduate internship student from Ukraine, where he studies at the Institute of High Technology at Kyiv National University of Taras Shevchenko. Before the Mitacs GRI program, Dmytro was working at Enamine Ltd. as an organic chemist, where he worked with high-pressure reactors for heterocatalytic hydrogenation and carbonylation reactions. In the future, Dmytro is planning to continue studying organic chemistry, but he also has an interest in drug discovery and maybe would like to work on some medchem projects. Outside the lab, he likes working out in the gym, playing computer games, and watching anime (but sometimes it turns into a fight for my free time).

Postdogtoral Fellow

Lola the Pembroke Welsh Corgi

Lola is an organic chemistry enthusiast. Her favourite named reaction is the Balz-Schiemann reaction, because she loves playing fetch with her tennis ball. In addition to fetching, she loves meeting new people and doing tricks (for treats, of course). She is a very good girl.