Jon Pokorski, PhD
Professor
Professor Pokorski began his scientific career by earning his B.S. in Biochemistry from UCLA in 2002. While at UCLA, he worked in private industry designing and testing biomedical devices that are currently in use around the world. In 2007, Dr. Pokorski received his doctoral degree in organic chemistry from Northwestern University, where he designed, synthesized, and tested diverse peptidomimetic systems for use in medical diagnostics and therapeutics. Dr. Pokorski then moved to The Scripps Research Institute, where he used both chemical and genetic engineering of viral nanoparticles to synthesize novel drug delivery systems. During postdoctoral training, Dr. Pokorski first earned an NIH Ruth Kirschstein fellowship and later secured an NIH Pathway to Independence Award.
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Dr. Pokorski joined the faculty at Case Western Reserve university in the department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering in 2012 and moved to the Nanoengineering department at UCSD in 2018. Pokorski’s laboratory works to bridge chemical synthesis, molecular biology, and materials science to make new materials for biomedical applications. The Pokorski lab is particularly interested in marrying biological and polymer science to generate biocomposite materials for medicine and the environment Research in the Pokorski lab is funded through grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy and the American Chemical Society.
Han Sol Kim, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Han Sol earned his BS and PhD degrees in Chemical & Biological Engineering at Korea University, Seoul, South Korea. During his PhD, he developed enzyme-based nanocomposite materials, and demonstrated their application in energy and environmental fields. Han Sol joined the Pokorski lab in May 2021. He currently focuses on the development of bacteria-incorporated thermoplastic polyurethane to enhance the biodegradation of plastic materials. In his free time, he enjoys playing guitar.
Debika Datta, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Debika joined the team in Spring 2021. Her current research focuses on the development of stimuli-responsive biosynthetic materials, combining polymeric material fabrication with genetic engineering. Prior to joining the lab, she obtained B.Tech in Biotechnology from West Bengal University of Technology and received her Doctoral degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India.
During her PhD research, she developed biocompatible gelators from short self-assembling peptides. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, painting, writing and exploring new places.
Erica Hild
Graduate Student
​Erica joined the lab in August of 2022 after her undergraduate studies in biomedical engineering at the University of Delaware. At UD, Erica worked in the lab of Dr. LaShanda Korley, researching stimuli-responsive materials. Now she is working on bioink formulations for engineered living materials and plant biohybrid systems. Outside of lab, Erica enjoys baking, hiking with friends, 3D printing, and watching cartoons.
Luis Palomino
Graduate Student
Luis Palomino earned his BSc in Chemistry at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Peru. Before joining the lab in 2021, he worked in the synthesis of metallic, polymeric, and carbon nanoparticles for use in the environment, medicine and catalysis. Currently, his research is focused on the development of plant cell-polymer hybrid materials as part of his fellowship in the UCSD Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC). He loves to spread information about mental health, practice yoga, and spend his free time on the beach.
Nicole Bialick
Graduate Student
Nicole Bialick earned her BS in Chemistry from the University of Richmond in 2021, then worked in industry as an R&D Chemist where she scaled up pharmaceutical synthesis procedures for commercial production. In summer 2024, Nicole joined the Pokorski lab where she is advancing her interests in health sciences through the development of polymeric drug delivery devices. In her free time, she enjoys training her dog, spending time outdoors, and working on various DIY projects.
Lisa Tang
Graduate Student
Lisa graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2021. Currently she is studying the material properties of cyanobacteria-laden hydrogels and engineered living materials as part of her fellowship with UCSD MRSEC. In her spare time, she enjoys playing violin, cooking, and running.
Shubhi Tiwari
Graduate Student
Shubhi is a master’s student in Chemical Engineering at UC San Diego. Her academic journey has been driven by a strong passion for sustainability and environmentally conscious engineering. Shubhi is particularly interested in exploring how engineering solutions can drive sustainable innovations in the chemical industry. Through her graduate studies, she aims to contribute to the development of cleaner, more responsible industrial practices.
Milena Zeru
Graduate Student
Milena is a senior Chemical Engineering Student at UC San Diego. She joined the lab in 2022 where she is currently working with her mentor Erica Hild on bioink formulations for engineered living materials. In her freetime she enjoys baking and watching movies.
Jeremy Clemons
Undergraduate Student
Jeremy is an undergraduate researcher majoring in NanoEngineering with a minor in Chemistry. He joined the lab in March 2024 and began his research experience by working on the testing of biocatalytic hydrogels and he is working on engineered living materials. Jeremy's interests lie in the intersection of nanotechnology, biotechnology, and materials science. He will be continuing to conduct research and plans to pursue a Ph.D in a field related to Chemical and Biological Engineering.
Viggo Kovas
Undergraduate Student
Viggo is a senior at UC San Diego who joined the lab in 2024. He first worked in the Tao Lab on Copper Sulfide nanoparticle self assembly. Now, his research focuses on synthesizing polynorbornene based polymers for integration onto living plants. In his free time, Viggo enjoys going on runs, playing retro video games, and spending time with friends.
Gabe Miguelino
Undergraduate Student
Gabe joined the team in 2025. As an undergraduate researcher, he is currently working on climate proof hydrogel matrices to house symbiotic microbes for the improvement of plant health with his mentor Erica. In his free time, he enjoys rock climbing, gaming with friends, and discovering new restaurants or cafes.
Joanne Tang
Undergraduate Student
Joanne is an undergraduate at UCSD (class of 2027) majoring in General Biology and minoring in Chemistry. She joined the Pokorski lab in Fall 2024. She has an interest in developing solutions to help the environment, specifically finding ways to combat pollution. She enjoys skiing, doing gymnastics, and playing guitar.
