Mancini Group Members

Principal Investigator

Dr. Rock Mancini

Dr. Rock Mancini

Principal Investigator

Bio

Rock was born and raised in Hampton, a sleepy suburb in the North Hills of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh where he performed research with Toby Chapman. From there, he ventured to Los Angeles in search of warmer climates. He received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry researching as a NSF-IGERT fellow in the lab of Heather Maynard at UCLA followed by postdoctoral work at the University of California, Irvine with Aaron Esser-Kahn. After a short stint launching his independent career at Washington State University, Rock is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at Miami University.

Post-Doctoral Scholars

Dr. Najibi

Dr. Seyedeh Asma Najibi

Postdoctoral Fellow

Bio

Seyedeh Asma Najibi was born in Shiraz, Iran, a city renowned for its rich cultural heritage, poetry, and beautiful blossoming gardens. She holds a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Shiraz University, with research interests that integrates analytical method development, toxicology, and translational pharmacology. As a postdoctoral at Miami University, her work focuses on evaluating the in vitro and in vivo performance of novel anticancer pharmaceuticals. Her research involves preclinical studies, including PK/PD, biodistribution, drug metabolism, and cytokine profiling to assess immune responses to therapeutics. She has experience in studying tumor growth delay, including multidrug-resistant cancer systems and organ toxicity. Beyond her scientific work, she enjoys public speaking, collaborative teamwork, and spending time with her children, Sayda and Sanyar.

Graduate Students

nyan

Ezekiel Stephen Nyan

Graduate Student

Bio

Nyan earned his B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry from Kaduna State University in Kaduna, Nigeria. After joining Mancini’s lab, his research centered on addressing real-world problems by designing and studying the mechanism of thermophobic polymeric adjuvants to help reduce the side effects of vaccines, such as pyrexia. These adjuvants aim to lower the immune response at temperatures associated with pyrexia. Outside of research, I enjoy photography and videography, playing and watching soccer, and listening to podcasts in my free time.
sharmin

Sharmin Sultana

Graduate Student

Bio

From the bustling energy of Dhaka, Bangladesh, to the serene landscapes of Oxford, Ohio, Sharmin began a new chapter in 2022 to pursue her graduate studies at Miami University. Driven by the beauty of drug discovery, she joined the Mancini Lab on November 14, 2022 with an ambition to become a medicinal chemist. Currently she is a Ph.D. candidate, focusing on the development of potent immunostimulants using BAIT and optimization of drug delivery systems for immunotherapeutics via SPPS and proximity accelerated chemistry. Apart from lab work, she likes travelling, music and watching C- and K-dramas, horror and detective movies.
padmika

Padmika Wadanambi

Graduate Student

Bio

A native of Sri Lanka, Padmika holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Sri Lanka and a master’s in Biochemistry from India. Since 2015, he has gained extensive research experience at leading institutions, including the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, University of Colombo, and University of Kelaniya. His multidisciplinary work includes lectin purification, GC-MS analysis of plant metabolites, silver nanoparticle-modified electrodes, peptide synthesis, molecular studies of Leishmania donovani, computational drug discovery, and intestinal Lactobacillus research. With several first-author publications, he aspires to lead his own research group. Currently focused on cancer drug discovery, he enjoys chess, hiking, volunteering and reading scientific literature.
Muied Pranto

S M Al Muied Pranto

Graduate Student

Bio

I am a graduate researcher with a background in life sciences, focusing on cancer biology and immunology. My work investigates in vitro and in vivo immune-mediated anti-tumor responses, with a particular interest in drug delivery strategies and interactions within the tumor microenvironment. I am from Bangladesh and hold a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, along with Master’s degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry. Previously, I worked as a Quality Control Executive at Square Pharmaceuticals Limited. Outside the lab, I enjoy traveling, which inspires me to explore new cultures, histories, and perspectives.

Undergraduate Students

Coming Soon

Undergraduate Researcher

Bio

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Lab Managers

Pippin Boy

Pippin Boy

Lab Manager

Bio

Pippin is the lab's self-appointed chief of chaos. He is a carefree prankster with a fetching sense of humor. His goal is to make sure everyone's time in lab is a howling success.

Jovie Pup

Jovie Pup

Lab Manager

Bio

While she may look like a "good girl", when unleashed in the lab, Jovie rules the bench with an iron paw and zero tolerance for Ruff data. Don't even think about skipping a control. Once she catches the scent of a protocol deviation she'll hound you for Bone-afide results!

Mancini Group Alumni

Alumni list coming soon.