The Gellman Group is a multidisciplinary team of researchers united by a common interest in understanding the complex molecular phenomena in biological systems, including catalysis, recognition and signal transduction. We study a broad array of topics in our lab through combination of organic chemistry, chemical biology, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology and cell biology. Our projects focus on natural proteins as well as the creation and use of new folding molecules (“foldamers”) that display diverse functionality. Many of these projects involve collaborations with other laboratories.
The broad array of active topics in our group offers each student the opportunity to develop a unique research thrust. A primary goal of our laboratory is to provide an environment that fosters creativity and independence in young scholars. A shared sense of diligence, personal investment in one’s efforts and a regard for one’s colleagues provide the foundation for this environment. We seek to maximize diversity among group members, which maximizes our collective creativity.
We’re pleased to welcome all new graduate students to UW madison. All students, whether they are “rotators” or not, are invited to introduce themselves and make connections with our group members. An important part of a student’s first year is establishing relationships with researchers across the department. Please reach out, say hello and get to know us. We’d like to get to know you.
Group Meetings
Rotators and other interested new graduate students are welcome to join us at our group meeting.
These are usually hosted at 6pm on Wednesday in Room 9341. Please contact Sam for the full group meeting schedule.
Rotations
Most rotations are done though the departments rotation schedule, however new graduate students are also welcome to interact with the group outside of the official rotation schedule.
Rotations in our group are flexible and what you make of it. There is no set assignment or rigid expectations, although it is usually expected that you attend group meeting if your schedule allows. You can stop by at any time and talk to whoever is available, or schedule meetings with specific people. Some examples of activities rotators have done in the past include meeting with graduate students whose projects are of interest to them, shadowing in lab to learn techniques and see how we work, discussing an interesting paper with Sam, and just spending time in the office space with us to get to know us. It’s up to you what you feel will help you get the most out of your rotations.
We are always happy to welcome new folks, answer questions, and tell them about our lab.
Group Socials
Every fall we host a group social for students interested in our group. This usually takes place in late September, but it can vary. Posters will be put up around the department with exact dates and info, and this page will also be updated with this information.
Join us for fun, food, drinks, and a chance to meet the Gellman Group!
Gellman Group Videos
Watch videos to see how we work in the Gellman Group.
Group Research Areas
Click on each research area to see selected publications and a short description of each topic.
Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation
Associated Group Members:
- Aevi van der Stok
- Yucheng Jiang
- Rui Wang
New Foldamers
Associated Group Members:
Foldamer Catalysis
Associated Group Members:
- Charlie Roberts
Transmembrane Protein Quaternary Structures
Associated Group Members:
- Ash Sarkar
Modulating and Elucidating GPCR Signaling
Associated Group Members:
- Lauren Tran
- Eden Xu
- Justin Suter
- Joe Swain
- Nishu Yadav
Anti-viral Foldamers
Associated Group Members:
- Ash Sarkar
Meet the Gellman Group
Please send an email introducing yourself to group members whose research interests you.
Lauren Tran
lmtran2@wisc.edu
Joined 2021
(Graduate Student)
From:
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Undergraduate Institution:
Boston College
Studying:
GPCRs and amino acid synthesis
Aevi van der Stok
vanderstok@wisc.edu
Joined 2021
(Graduate Student)
From:
Texas
Undergraduate Institution:
UT Austin
Studying:
Liquid liquid phase separation
Eden Xu
xu588@wisc.edu
Joined 2022
(Graduate Student)
From:
Shenzhen, China
Undergraduate Institution:
University of Southern California
Studying:
Heterochiral GLP-1 Analogues
Yucheng Jiang
yjiang382@wisc.edu
Joined 2023
(Graduate Student)
From:
China
Undergraduate Institution:
University of California, Irvine
Studying:
Liquid-liquid Phase Separation
Justin Suter
suter2@wisc.edu
Joined 2023
(Graduate Student)
From:
Orange, CA
Undergraduate Institution:
University of La Verne
Studying:
GPCR dynamics with NMR
Ash Sarkar
amsarkar@wisc.edu
Joined 2024
(Post Doc)
From:
Bangladesh
Studying:
Anti-viral peptides
Peptide backbone and side-chain modifications
Joseph Swain jwswain2@wisc.edu
Joined 2025
(Postdoc)
From:
America
Undergraduate Institution:
Boston College
Studying:
Structure and computation guided design of GPCR agonist sidechain modification
Sam Gellman
gellman@chem.wisc.edu
Joined 1987
(PI)
From:
Born in Evanston, IL, raised outside of Philadelphia, PA
Undergraduate Institution:
Harvard
Graduate Institution:
Columbia with Ronald Breslow
Post-Doc:
Caltech with Peter Dervan
Studying:
All the things that members of the group want to study!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a question not on this list, please contact Sam at gellman@chem.wisc.edu.
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
How do I learn more about the Gellman Group and its research?
To learn more about our group style and research, please:
- Contact Sam at gellman@chem.wisc.edu.
- Attend our group meetings.
- Participate in group socials.
- Contact group members associated with research areas you are interested in to schedule an introduction meeting.
Where is the Gellman group located?
The 7th floor of the chemistry building’s Shain tower.
What instrumentation does the Gellman Group provide?
Instrumentation our group provides includes:
- 2 microwaves for manual peptide synthesis.
- 1 Liberty Blue and one Multipep for peptide synthesis.
- 3 HPLC systems for peptide purification, one of which is also equipped with an MS detector.
- 1 FPLC system for protein purification.
- 1 LC-MS spectrometer for small-molecule research.
- 1 UPLC for purity determination.
- 1 CD spectrometer for protein and foldamer research.
- 1 cell culture box in a shared cell culture room.
Ample shared instrumentation, including world-class NMR, MS and X-ray crystallography facilities, are provided by the Paul Bender Chemistry Instrumentation Center.
How long does it take a Gellman Group member to graduate?
Sam encourages students to aim to complete the PhD by the end of the 5th year. On average, students graduate in 5.5 years.