The Abil Lab

• Ph.D. – Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (mentored by Huimin Zhao), 2015
• Postdoctoral fellow – University of Texas Austin (mentored by Andrew Ellington) 2015-2018
• Postdoctoral fellow – Delft Technical University (mentored by Christophe Danelon) 2018-2021

Riku Nagai

Postdoctoral fellow

I earned my PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Tokyo, where I developed a yeast-based in vitro translation system to study translation regulation, including ribosome stalling. Now, I am excited to apply my expertise in translation systems to synthetic cells for protein and RNA engineering. Beyond fundamental research, I am also interested in using molecular biology to tackle environmental and health challenges, such as developing enzymes for bioremediation and designing targeted protein- and RNA-based therapeutics. Outside the lab, I enjoy music and outdoor activities, and I am thrilled to explore Florida’s beautiful nature and work with UF’s fantastic colleagues in such a great environment.

Carlos Chavez Ramirez

Graduate student

I am Carlos, a PhD student in the Department of Biology. I graduated from the University of Chicago where I studied Biology and Neuroscience. My research there was mainly focused on worm artificial chromosomes. Now, I am excited to join efforts to build an artificial cell. I look forward to being part of the synthetic biology community. My research interests include self-replicating molecules, in vitro reconstitution of cell functions, chemical evolution, and the origin of life. Outside of the lab, I like Rubik’s cubes, fossils, space, K-pop, and the history of science.