[email protected]
Hem Thapa
214-300-9114
EDUCATION
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics
Ph.D., Biochemistry & Biophysics
Doctoral Advisor: Dr. Timothy Devarenne
May 2017
Thesis: Elucidation and characterization of tetraterpenoid hydrocarbon biosynthetic pathway in green microalga
Botryococcus Braunii Race L
The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry
2007- 2011
PUBLICATIONS
1. Hyun Soo Kim, Shih-Chi Hsu, Song-I Han, Hem R. Thapa, Adrian R. Guzman, Daniel R. Browne,
Mehmet Tatli, Timothy P. Devarenne, David B. Stern, Arum Han (201x). A High-Throughput Droplet
Microfluidics Screening Platform for Selecting Fast Growing and High Lipid Producing Microalgae
from a Mutant Library. Under review at PNAS as of 04-05-17.
2. Hong Ma, Yong-Kyoung Kim, Eiji Takahashi, Changpeng Xin, Yi-Cheng Liu, Hem R. Thapa, Yu
Wang, Connor Gorman, Cheng Zhao, Danny Alexander, Yanbing Cheng, Susie Y. Dai, Timothy P.
Devarenne, Xinguang Zhu, Donald Ort, Joshua S. Yuan (201x). Rewiring Photosynthesis for Terpene
Production. Under review at Plant Biotechnology Journal as of 04-05-17.
3. Hye Jin Chun†, Sergio Waqued†, Hem R. Thapa, Arum Han, Vladislav V. Yakovlev, Jaan Laane,
Timothy P. Devarenne (2017). Raman spectra and DFT calculations for tetraterpene hydrocarbons from
the L race of the green microalga Botryococcus braunii. Journal of Molecular Structure 1129:216-221.
4. Ivette Cornejo-Corona, Hem R. Thapa, Dan R. Browne, Timothy P. Devarenne and Edmundo LozoyaGloria (2016). Stress response of the oil-producing green microalga Botryococcus braunii Race B. PeerJ
4:e2748.
5. Hem R. Thapa, Mandar T. Naik, Shigeru Okada, Kentaro Takada, István Molnár, Yuquan Xu, Timothy
P. Devarenne (2016). A squalene synthase-like enzyme initiates production of tetraterpenoid
hydrocarbons in Botryococcus braunii Race L. Nature Commun. 7:11198. (News coverage by BBC
World Service, Yahoo and many others)
6. Hyun Soo Kim†, Adrian R. Guzman†, Hem R. Thapa, Timothy P. Devarenne, Arum Han (2016). A
droplet microfluidics platform for rapid microalgal growth and oil production analysis. Biotechnol.
Bioeng. 113: 1691-1701. (Selected as front cover of the journal)
7. Ivette Cornejo-Corona, Hem R. Thapa, Timothy P. Devarenne and Edmundo Lozoya-Gloria (2015).
The biofuel potential of the green colonial microalga Botryococcus braunii. Microalgae and Other
Phototrophic Bacteria, pp.41-58.
8. Hyun Soo Kim, Taylor L. Weiss, Hem R. Thapa, Timothy P. Devarenne, Arum Han (2014). A
microfluidic photobioreactor array demonstrating high-throughput screening for microalgal oil
production. Lab Chip. 14:1415-1425. (Selected as cover article and classified under ‘HOT articles’
of the journal)
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
1. The 2016 A.I. Scott Medal for Excellence in Biological Chemistry Research Symposium. October 2122, 2016. College Station, Texas, USA
Poster: “A novel squalene synthase-like enzyme initiates production of tetraterpenoid hydrocarbons in
Botryococcus braunii Race L”
2. Plant Biology 2016. July 9-13, 2016. Austin, Texas, USA.
Selected Talk: “A novel squalene synthase-like enzyme initiates production of tetraterpenoid
hydrocarbons in Botryococcus braunii Race L”
3. Plant Biology 2016. July 9-13, 2016. Austin, Texas, USA.
Poster: “A novel squalene synthase-like enzyme initiates production of tetraterpenoid hydrocarbons in
Botryococcus braunii Race L”
4. 12th International Meeting on Biosynthesis, Function and Synthetic Biology of Isoprenoids. June 1-5,
2015. Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Poster: “A novel squalene synthase-like enzyme produces tetraterpenoid hydrocarbons in the green
microalga Botryococcus braunii”
5. Plant Biology 2014. July 12-16, 2014. Portland, Oregon, USA.
Poster: “Biosynthesis and biochemical characterization of the tetraterpenoid hydrocarbon lycopadiene
from the green microalga Botryococcus braunii”
6. 11th International Meeting on Biosynthesis, Function and Biotechnology of Isoprenoids in Terrestrial
and Marine Organisms. June 1-5, 2013. Kolymvari, Crete, Greece.
Selected Talk: “Biochemical characterization of the biosynthesis of the tetraterpenoid hydrocarbon
lycopadiene from Botryococcus braunii”
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Texas A&M University– Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, College Station, Texas
August 2012 - Dec 2013
Teaching Assistant
• Taught undergraduate biochemistry courses; designed and graded homework, quizzes and exams.
The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas
Teaching Assistant
August 2010 – May 2011
• Taught undergraduate General Chemistry; designed and graded homework and quizzes
RELEVANT GRADUATE LEVEL COURSWORK
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Biochemistry
Critical Analysis
Enzymes, Proteins, and Nucleic Acids
Methods of Biochemical Analysis
Biochemical Genetics
RNA Biology
Crystallography Methods
TECHNICAL SKILLS
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GC-MS analysis, method development, maintenance
HPLC analysis, method development, maintenance
FPLC, analytical ultracentrifugation, spectrophotometry
Protein purification, western blot
Enzyme assays and enzyme kinetics
Hydrocarbon purification and analysis
Cloning, multiple gene construct design
Worked with tobacco, algae, yeast and bacteria
HONORS AND AWARDS
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Winner, 3rd place, 24th Annual Biochemistry & Biophysics Research Competition, 2016, Texas A&M
University.
Recipient of Graduate Student Presentation Grant from Office of Graduate and Professional Studies,
Texas A&M University, 2015.
Recipient of travel grant awards (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016) from Biochemistry Graduate Association,
Texas A&M University.
Recipient of Academic Distinction Scholarship at The University of Texas at Arlington. August 2010May 2011
Recipient of Outstanding Transfer Scholarship at The University of Texas at Arlington. August 2009May 2011
Recipient of Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship at The University of Texas at Arlington. August 2009- May
2011
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
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American Society of Plant Biologists
American Chemical Society
Biochemistry Graduate Association, Texas A&M University
2014-Present
2009-Present
2011-Present
REFERENCES
Timothy Devarenne, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
Email: [email protected]
Arum Han, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
Email: [email protected]
Shigeru Okada, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Laboratory of Aquatic Natural Products Chemistry
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences
The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Email: [email protected]