Michael Marty – Principal Investigator
Michael received his undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College with majors in chemistry and mathematics. He proceeded to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a Springborn Graduate Fellow under Stephen Sligar. After completing his PhD in 2013, he performed postdoctoral research with Carol Robinson at the University of Oxford. He joined the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Arizona in 2016 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2021. He moved to the Department of Chemistry at University of Texas at Austin in 2025.
Since starting his faculty position, he has received the ASMS Research Award, the ACS Arthur F. Findeis Award for Achievements by a Young Analytical Scientist, the NSF CAREER award, and the NIH/NIGMS MIRA award. Outside the lab, he loves to get outside and play music.
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Annika Silverberg
GRADUATE STUDENT
Hi, I’m Annika, a fourth-year student in the Marty Lab at UT Austin. I’m part of the lipidomics team, where I use nanodiscs and mass spectrometry to study lipid affinities for different membrane proteins. Before coming to UT, I received the Howard P. Klein Early Career Endowment from the University of Arizona and was recognized as a Galileo Scholar. Outside the lab, you can usually find me reading romantasies and thrillers, going to concerts, getting coffee, or unapologetically rotting on my couch.
Contact: asilverberg@austin.utexas.edu
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Brian Tran
GRADUATE STUDENT
Hi, I’m Brian, a third-year graduate student in Professor Marty’s lab. I earned my undergraduate degrees in Chemistry and Biological Sciences from the University of Delaware, followed by a master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After that, I worked for several years as a Senior Research Associate at KBI Biopharma before beginning my doctoral studies in 2023 at the University of Arizona, and now at the University of Texas at Austin.
My Research in the Marty lab focuses on native and charge detection mass spectrometry analysis of proteins and protein complexes that exhibit significant mass heterogeneity. When I’m not in the lab, I enjoy playing video games on my PC and spending time with my dog.
Contact: brian.tran@austin.utexas.edu
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Estevan Cleveland
GRADUATE STUDENT
Hi, I’m Estevan. I don’t like writing about myself, so I am just going to let whoever made this webpage write about me. I earned my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at the University of Arizona. My undergraduate class with Dr. Marty inspired me to pursue a PhD in mass spec, and here we are. Currently I am working on the biology section of our lab getting all the proteins and lipids ready.
Contact: estevan.cleveland@austin.utexas.edu
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Farhana Afrin Mohana
GRADUATE STUDENT
Hi, I am Farhana. I am from Bangladesh and completed my Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Dhaka in 2021. I got my master’s degree in Biochemistry at the University of Arizona, where I worked with native mass spectrometry. I will complete my PhD degree in Chemistry at the University of Texas, Austin, in the Marty lab. Currently, I am working on disease-relevant human membrane proteins to uncover protein-lipid interactions using mass spectrometry. Other than enthusiasm towards academia, I am a pluviophile who enjoys traveling with friends and loves to cook her local foods. Also, I always participated in cultural events from childhood, which gave me space to escape from a monotonous life.
Contact: farhana.mohona@austin.utexas.edu
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Phuong Ho
GRADUATE STUDENT
GRADUATE STUDENT
Hi, I’m Phuong, a first-year graduate student in the Marty Lab. I got my undergraduate degree in chemistry at The Pennsylvania State University. Currently, I am working on the lipid exchange engine. Outside of lab, I play video games, knit/crochet, and hang out with my cat.
Contact: ph24248@eid.utexas.edu
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Shivam Sharma
GRADUATE STUDENT
GRADUATE STUDENT
Hi, I am Shivam Sharma. I am from India. I did my undergraduate from ARSD College, University of Delhi, and my master’s from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, where I worked in the Membrane Biophysics lab. Currently, I am a first-year graduate student and part of the Lipidomics team. Besides lab, I am a travel enthusiast and I like to explore new cultures and places. I love experimenting in the kitchen, and I am also a firm believer in facts over myths. I would describe myself as bashful, impeccant, and unfeigned.
Contact: shivamsharma@utexas.edu
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Tapasyatanu Dash
GRADUATE STUDENT
Hi, I am Tapasyatanu Dash. I am from India. I joined the Marty Lab four years ago when dinosaurs were still roaming earth and Steven Spielberg was running around with a camera trying to film them. I have previously worked with chemical labeling and native mass spectrometry. At the University of Arizona, where the lab was born, I received the NIH Biological Chemistry Program Fellowship and was a George Gregson Fellow. I also had the opportunity to be a part of various departmental committees and several outreach programs.
Right now, I am working with Team Lipid and Team CDMS. When I am not working in the lab and exercising a terrible sense of humor, I am probably fighting crimes on the rooftop of Gotham City.
Contact: tapasyatanu.dash@austin.utexas.edu
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Aiden Wolf
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT
Hi I’m Aiden, a third year biochemistry major minoring in business & public policy and business spanish from the DFW area. I mainly work with Estevan in getting all of the biological samples prepped but I also have my own project on a how membrane protein activity changes with disease. My main research interests are in lipid changes in neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. I was recently recognized as an advanced summer research fellow and will continue my work over the summer. In my free time I like to read rom-coms, watch tv, and scroll reels with my cat.
Contact: aw39776@my.utexas.edu
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Ash Roberts
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT
Hi! I’m Ash, a third year chemistry and anthropology major from Houston, TX. I work with Dash and Phuong on whatever is happening that day, which is usually lipid exchange and/or mass spec. I also research the impact of heavy atoms on photopolymerization in an undergrad lab, Materials in Color. While not in lab, I like to play viola, learn languages and be indentured by my cat.
Contact: arr4967@my.utexas.edu
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Evelyn Lee
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT
Hello, I’m Evelyn. I’m a sophomore majoring in Chemistry and Plan 2, and I’m from Round Rock. I usually help Annika with tasks related to lipid exchange MS. Outside lab or school, I like reading comics, listening to ZUTOMAYO, or going on walks, but I often do all three at the same time.
Contact: elee13567@utexas.edu
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Lawson Schneider
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT
Hello, I’m Lawson. I’m from San Antonio, Texas. I am a chemistry major and Dean’s Scholar at the University of Texas at Austin. I joined the Marty Lab in 2026. The work I’ve been doing in the lab mostly focuses on the growth, purification, and analyzing of lipids and proteins through our E.Coli and HEK cell batches. In the future, I plan to go to graduate school and pursue research in drug development. When I am not in the lab, you can find me at the gym, playing video games, or reading books by Stephen King.
Contact: ljs3592@my.utexas.edu
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Shawn Chen
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT
Hi I’m Shawn, a third year Chemistry major with a pre-health certificate from Houston Texas. Most of the times I work with Estevan with sample prepping as well as running instruments. I am interested in further developing my lab skills as well as what it means to be a researcher. Outside of School, I like fishing, golf, and spending time with my family.
Contact: sc66234@my.utexas.edu
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