Meet our New Faculty: Dr. Jun Ohata

We are very happy to announce that Dr. Jun Ohata has joined our team as Assistant Professor effective July 2020.

• Jun’s research focus lies at the interface between chemistry and biology. His interdisciplinary approach aims to develop molecular tools for the investigation of disease-related protein activity. Such tools will be employed to elucidate the chemistry of proteins in living systems and to develop functional protein–conjugates that can be brought to bear against a variety of diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases. More information can be found on Jun Ohata’s lab website.
• He is very interested in collaborating with biological groups and will be a tremendous asset to the new Chemistry of Life Program that is just now getting off the ground.
• Jun was born and raised in Japan. He received his B.S. in 2011 and his M.S. in 2013 from Osaka Prefecture University, where he worked in Hiroyuki Matsuzaka’s group examining the reactive carbon species on ruthenium complexes (synthesis of metal complexes). Jun received his Ph.D. in 2018 in Zachary Ball’s group at Rice University studying transition metal-mediated protein bioconjugation (utilization of metal catalysis). As a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) postdoctoral fellow, Jun worked in Christopher Chang’s group at the University of California, Berkeley for two years to develop detection methods of calcium and copper ions in living systems through protein labeling (visualization of metals).

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Jun Ohata to the Department!