Rochester Christian University proudly celebrates the participation of Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Ifrodet Giorgees and Pre-Med student Kaylee Gorial in the prestigious 2025 Biocatalysis 101 Workshop, hosted by the Center for Chemical Epigenetics and Synthesis (CCES) and Professor Alison Narayan at the University of Michigan from May 11–16.

This event was held in Ann Arbor at the Mary Sue Coleman Hall and the Undergraduate Science Building. The workshop gathered top undergraduate and graduate scholars from across the country for a week of hands-on training in enzyme engineering, molecular cloning, protein expression, and biocatalytic screening. Participants engaged in daily lab work, computational modelling, scientific presentations, and collaborative discussions led by expert faculty and postdocs from the Narayan Lab.

RCU student Kaylee Gorial stood out as one of the few undergraduates selected to attend this workshop. She gai

ned invaluable experience performing high-throughput screening, analytical gel preparation, and cofactor synthesis in a real-world academic research environment. On Wednesday, May 14, Kaylee gave an impressive presentation on The Synthesis of Fructosylceramide-siRNA and its therapeutic potential in targeting Multiple Sclerosis, showcasing her growing expertise and representing Rochester Christian University on a national stage.

Moreover, Dr. Giorgees contributed to the program by presenting the integration of biocatalysis in the development of oligonucleotide therapeutics on Tuesday, May 13, and connecting with scientists across institutions to build future research opportunities for RCU students.

The University of Michigan’s Biocatalysis 101 Workshop is known for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing the next generation of researchers in green chemistry, biotechnology, and enzymology. This experience enriched both faculty and student participants from RCU, showcasing the importance of experiential learning and academic outreach.

We are especially grateful to the incredible team of workshop organizers and hosts, including Prof. Alison Narayan, Alex Kim, Allie Paton, Katie Jane Torma, Eunjae Shim, Luke Schulert, Max Unger, Daniel Ong, and Katelyn Brown, for their dedication, mentorship, and hospitalitythroughout the week.

This is an annual event, and we highly encourage our future RCU students to apply and attend the workshop next year. For more information, please contact Dr. Giorgees at Ifrodet.giorgees@rcu.edu