Our group includes graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, PharmD students, and undergraduates with diverse backgrounds. We work together to tackle significant biomedical challenges by integrating natural products chemistry, molecular biology, and pharmaceutical formulation.
Our Team
Hang Ma, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
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Research Asistant Professor
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Tel: 401.874.2711
Email: hang_ma@uri.edu
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Office: 395A; Lab 440, Avedisian Hall
Hang Ma, Ph.D., is the Associate Director of Bioactive Botanical Research Laboratory (BBRL) in College of Pharmacy at the University of Rhode Island (URI). Dr. Ma received his bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Tianjin Medical University, China, in 2008, and his Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2011 and 2014 from URI, respectively. He has over 10 years of research experience in the field of natural products chemistry and his research interests include the phytochemical and biological investigations of natural products from medicinal plants and functional foods for therapeutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical applications. Dr. Ma is a committee member of several scientific organizations including the sub-division of Natural Products and Functional Foods in the Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division of American Chemical Society (ACS). He is also a committee member of the Cannabis Chemistry Subdivision of ACS and a member of the editorial board of journals including Cannabis and Cannabinoids Research and Journal of Cannabis Research.
Navindra P. Seeram, Ph.D.
Professor
Mentor of the Ma lab
Director of BBRL
Department Chair of BPS
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Navindra P. Seeram, Ph.D., the Director of BBRL, is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island.
Chang Liu, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Chang obtained his Ph.D. degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from URI in 2021. His research focus on developing molecular biology based assays and evaluting the pharmacological effects of natural products.
Current members
Tess Puopolo
Graduate student
Tess received her B.S. in Biology from Salve Regina University in December, 2019. She is currently a Ph.D. student in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at URI. Her research interests include studying natural products in the context of neuroinflammation and pain management.
Kara Torrey
Graduate student
Kara received her B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Rhode island in May of 2020. She is now pursuing her Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, with a concentration in Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy. Kara assisted research projects in the Seeram lab through her undergraduate career, and is now exploring bioactivities of maple sap water.
Huifang Li
Visiting student
Huifang (Shelly) is a graduate student from Wuyi University in Jiangmen, China. Shelly works on the biological evaluation of the skin protective effects of phytochemicals from functional foods.
Hao He
Visiting Student
Hao (John) is a graduate student from Wuyi University in Jiangmen, China. John's research fucuses on the evaluations of the anti-alpha-glycosidase and anti-hyaluronidase effects of natural products including phytocannabinoids and oleanolic acid- and betulinic acid-based triterpenoid derivatives.
Former members
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Shengli Niu, Ph.D., Visiting scholar from Shengyang Agricultural University, Shenyang China
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Xiaodan Tang, Visiting student from Wuyi University, Jiangmen, China
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Yongming Lu, Ph.D., Visiting Professor from Anhui University, Hefei, China
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Hao Guo, M.D., Dermatologist, Visiting scholar from The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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