People

Our Team

Group Picture May 2023: (back row, from left) Xingyu Wu, Ivan Buslov, Wenhao Ren, Uttam Dhawa, Xile Hu, Celine Prange, Miyeon Chang, Nanjun Chen, Wenchao Ma. (front row, from left) Chao Fan, Weijin Wang, Lara Lavrencic, Nadia Yasmina Ben Sayed, Yiwei Zheng, Jiaming Tian, Ariana Serbin.  Missing: Sarah Desmons, Arthur Blumenstein, Jennifer Morel, Christina Zamanos-Epremian.

Group Picture July 2022: (back row, from left) Wenhao Ren, Celine Prange, Weijin Wang, Nanjun Chen, Miyeon Chang, Nadia Yasmina Ben Sayed, Lara Lavrencic, Wenchao Ma, Ariana Serbin. (front row, from left)  Josephine Meibom, Sarah Desmons, Ivan Buslov, Jennifer Morel,  Chao Fan, Xingyu Wu, Yiwei Zheng, Xile Hu. Missing: Arthur Blumenstein, Christina Zamanos-Epremian.

Older Pictures

Current Members

Professor / Director of Lab

Xile Hu
B.S. Peking University (2000)
Ph.D. University of California, San Diego (2004)
Postdoc. California Institute of Technology (2005-2007)
Assistant Prof. (07. 2007 – 12.2012)
Associate Prof. (01.2013 – 05.2016)
Full Prof. (06.2016 – present), EPFL
Office: BCH 3305; Tel. +41 (0)21 693 9781
E-mail: xile.hu at epfl.ch

Administration

Christina Zamanos-Epremian, Swiss
Office: BCH 3306
Tel. +41 (0)21 693 9301
Fax. +41 (0)21 693 9305
E-mail: christina.zamanosepremian at epfl.ch

Master Students

Doctoral Students

Lara Lavrencic, Slovenia
B.S. (2019), University of Ljubljana
M.S. (2020), Uppsala University
(Thesis under Dr. Abraham Mendoza, Stockholm University)
PhD student, EPFL (01.2021)
Project: C-H functionalization using photo- or electrocatalysis

Weijin Wang (王伟琎), Chinese
B.S. (2020), Peking University
PhD student, EPFL (07.2021)
Project: Bio-inspired catalysis; artificial enzyme
Room: BCH 5218
Phone: 021 693 9813
Email: weijin.wang at epfl.ch

Nadia Yasmina Ben Sayed, Swiss
B.S. (2018), M.S. (2021), University of Basel
(Master thesis: Prof. Li Tang at EPFL)
PhD student, EPFL (08.2021)
Project: Bio-organic chemistry for immuno therapy
E-mail: nadia.bensayed at epfl.ch

Miyeon Chang, Korean
B.S. (2019), M.S. (2021), EPFL
(Master thesis: with Prof. Hu at EPFL)
PhD student, EPFL (10.2021)
Project: Electrocatalysis for energy conversion
Office: BCH 3108; Phone: +41 21 693 5569
Lab: BCH 3218; Phone: +41 21 693 9886
E-mail: miyeon.chang at epfl.ch

Ariana Serban, Romanian
B.S. (2018), M.S. (2020), University of Bucharest
PhD student, EPFL (02.2022)
Project: Electrocatalysis for energy conversion
Office: BCH 3201, +41 (0)21 693 9877
Lab: BCH 3214; Phone: +41 21 693 9884
E-mail: ariana.serban at epfl.ch

Jiaming Tian, Chinese
B.S. (2021), Tsinghua University
M.S. (2023), EPFL
PhD student, EPFL (10.2023)
Project: Solid-oxide electrolysis
E-mail: jiaming.tian at epfl.ch

Visiting PhD students

Liyue Zhang
B.S. (2020), East China University of Science and Technology
PhD student (2020-present), East China University of Science and Technology
Exchange PhD student, EPFL (02.2024)
Project: AEM water electrolysis
E-mail: liyue.zhang at epfl.ch

Postdoctoral Scholars

Dr. Chao Fan (樊超), Chinese
B.S. (2015), Wuhan University
Ph.D. (2020), Nankai University (with Prof. Qi-lin Zhou)
Postdoc EPFL (04.2021 – )
Project: Asymmetric catalysis
BCH 3107 (office), Phone: +41 (0)21 693 9883
BCH 3212 (lab), Tel. +41 (0)21 693 4649.
Email: chao.fan at epfl.ch

Wenchao Ma (马文超), Chinese
B.S. (2016), Ph.D. (2021, with Prof. Ye Wang), Xiamen University, China
Postdoc (07.2021-), EPFL
Project: Solid-state electrolysis (SOEC)
Office: 3207, Tel. +41 (0)216939881
E-mail: wenchao.ma at epfl.ch

Sarah Desmons, French
M.S. (2017) Paris Descartes University
Ph.D. (2020, with Dr. Sébastien Bontemps), Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Toulouse, France
Postdoc (12.2021-), EPFL
Project: Biocatalysis
Room: BCH 5218
Phone: 021 693 9813
E-mail: sarah.desmons at epfl.ch

Ivan Buslov
Ph.D. (2016) with Prof. Xile Hu, EPFL
Postdoc (2017-2019), MIT (with Prof. Stephen Buchwald and Prof. Bradley Pentelute)
Researcher (2019), with Prof. Wymann, Univ. Basel, Biomedicine
Postdoc (07.2022), EPFL
Project: Biocatalysis
Room: BCH 5218
Phone: 021 693 9813
E-mail: ivan.buslov at epfl.ch

Uttam Dhawa, Indian
BS (2013), University of Calcutta
MS (2015), IIT Kanpur
PhD (2021), with Prof. Lutz Ackermann
University of Göttingen, Germany
Postdoc (2021-2022), Broad Institute, MIT and Harvard, USA
Postdoc (08.2022 – ), EPFL
Project: Asymmetric catalysis
BCH 3107 (office), Phone: +41 (0)21 693 9883
BCH 3212 (lab), Tel. +41 (0)21 693 4649
E-mail: uttam.dhawa at epfl.ch

Dr. Andrit Allushi, Swedish
B.S (2012) Middle East Technical University, Turkey
MSc. (2017) Istanbul Technical University, Turkey (master thesis with Prof. Dr. Yusuf Yagci )
Ph.D. (2022), Lund University, with Prof. Dr. Patric Jannasch
Postdoc, EPFL, 07.2023
Project: Ion exchange membrane for energy devices
Office: BCH 3108; Phone: +41 21 693 5569
E-mail: andrit.allushi at epfl.ch

Dr. Damien Dégoulange, French
B.S (2018) Paris-Sud University, ENS Paris-Saclay
MSc. (2020) Paris-Saclay University
Ph.D. (2023), Sorbonne University, with Prof. Dr. Alexis Grimaud
Postdoc, EPFL, 02.2024
Project: Fundamental studies of CO2 electroreduction
E-mail: damien.degoulange at epfl.ch

Former Members

Ph.D. Students

Dr. Oleg Vechorkin, Ukranian (Ph.D. student, 2007-2011, D.Sc. 2011, EPFL)
Project: nickel catalysis
Immediately after: postdoc, MIT, Jamison group, 09, 2011 -02, 2013
Current status: Associate director, Incyte Corporation, USA

Dr. Daniel Merki, Swiss (Ph.D. student, 2009-2012, D.Sc. 2012, EPFL)
Project: hydrogen evolution catalysis
Current status: teacher at Kantonsschule im Lee, Winterthur

Dr. Peng Ren (任鹏), Chinese (Ph.D. student, 2008-2012, D.Sc. 2012, EPFL)
Project: nickel and copper catalysis
After: postdoc, Oxford, (01, 2013 -06, 2014), Princeton (07, 2014-08, 2015)
Current status: Associate Professor, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen Campus

Dr. Heron Vrubel, Brasilian and Hungarian (Ph.D. Student, 2008-2013; D.Sc. 2013, EPFL)
Project: hydrogen evolution catalysis
Current status: Senior process development engineer, Nel Hydroen, Norway

Dr. Jan Breitenfeld, German (Ph.D student, 2009-2013; D.Sc. 2013, EPFL)
Project: mechanistic organometallic chemistry
Immediately after: Postdoc, Carla, BASF/Univ, Heidelberg, 06, 2014 – 06.2015
After: ChemSpeed, Basel.
Current status: Project manager,

Dr. Gerald Bauer, Autrian (Ph.D. Student, 2011-2015; D.Sc. 2015, EPFL)
Project: Iron-catalyzed cross coupling
After: CTO, novoMOF SA, Switzerland
Current: Senior development chemist, ClimeWorks, Switzerland

Dr. Yeonji Oh, Korean (Ph.D. Student, 2011-2015; D.Sc. 2015, EPFL)
Project: Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction by metal oxides
Current status: Team manager, LG chemicals, Korea

Dr. Pablo M. Perez Garcia, Bolivian (Ph.D. Student, 2011-2015; D.Sc. 2015, EPFL)
Project: Nickel cataysts for cross-coupling reactions
After: Lecturer and researcher at Universidad Privada Boliviana, Bolivia
Current status: Postdoc, University of Utrecht, Netherlands (with Prof. Marc Etienne Moret)

Dr. Simona Mazza, Italian (Ph.D. Student, 2011-2015; D.Sc. 2015, EPFL)
Project: Fe complexes for hydrogenation reactions
Current status: , UBDS, London

Dr. Carlos Morales-Guio, Columbian (Ph.D. student, 2013-2016; D.Sc. 2016, EPFL)
Project: Integration of catalysis for solar fules
Immediately after: Postdoc, Jaramillo group, Stanford Univesity
Current status: Assistant Professor, University of California Los Angeles

Dr. Ivan Buslov, Russian (PhD student, 2012-2016; D.Sc. 2016, EPFL)
Project: Ni-catalyzed hydrosilylation
Immediately after: Postdoc, Buchwald group, MIT
Current status: Postdoc, EPFL

Dr. Thomas Di Franco, French (PhD student, 2012-2016; D.Sc. 2016, EPFL)
Project: Suzuki-Miyaura coupling using nickel pincer complexes
Current status: Program manager, Swiss National Science Foundation

Dr. Fedor Zhurkin, Russian (PhD student, 2013-2017; D.Sc. 2017, EPFL)
Project: base metal catalysis for organic synthesis
After: Teacher and researcher, Université de Paris Descartes
Current status: Postdoc, CNRS, Chimie ParisTech (with Dr. Guillaume Lefèvre )

Dr. Lucas-Alexandre Stern, Swiss (PhD student, 2013-2017; D.Sc. 2017, EPFL)
Project: OER catalysis and photoelectrochemical HER
Current status: Safety officer, CSEM SA

Dr. Laurent Liardet, Swiss (PhD student, 2015-2019; D. Sc. 2019, EPFL)
Project: Metal oxides as electro and photoelectro catalysts for oxygen evolution
After: Chemist R&D engineer, Private company, Switzerland
Current status: Chemistry teacher, Vevey, Switzerland

Dr. Marten L. Ploeger, Dutch (PhD student, 2016-2020; D. Sc. 2020, EPFL)
Project: Mechanistic organometallic Chemistry
Current status: Postdoc, Hermans group, Strasbourg,

Dr. Aliki Moysiadou, Greek, (Ph.D. student, 2016 – 2020; D.Sc. 2020, EPFL)
Project: Stability and mechanism of oxygen evolution catalysts.
Current status: R&D engineer, Hitachi Energy, Switzerland

Dr. Runze Mao (毛润泽), Chinese, (Ph.D. student, 2016 – 2020; D.Sc. 2020, EPFL )
Project: Synthetic methodology based on decarboxylative couplings
Current status: Postdoc, Arnold group, Caltech

Dr. Murat Alkan-Zambada, Swiss (Ph.D. student, 2016 – 2020; D.Sc. 2020, EPFL )
Project: New copper photoredox catalysts
Current status: Senior Engineer, Janssen Cilag AG, Schaffhausen

Dr. Guido Barzanò, Italian (Ph.D. student, 2016 – 2020; D.Sc. 2020, EPFL )
Project: Synthetic methodology based on alkyl radicals
Current status: Patent attorney trainee, Roche, Switzerland

Dr. Lichen Bai (柏力晨), Chinese (Ph.D. student, 2016 – 2021; D.Sc. 2021, EPFL)
Project: Electrocatalysis
Current status: Postdoc, Beatriz Roldan Cuyena group, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society

Dr. Xiangli Yi (易祥力), Chinese (Ph.D. student, 2017 – 2021; D.Sc. 2021, EPFL)
Project: Synthetic methodology using photocatalysis or electro synthesis
Current status: R&D, Wanhua Chemical Group, China

Dr. Albert Claude Jean-Pierre Daubry, French (Ph.D. student, 2017 – 2021; D.Sc. 2021, EPFL)
Project: Electrocatalysis and Li-ion battery
Current status: Integrated Project Services (IPS), Basel

Dr. Weiyan Ni (倪伟焱), Chinese (Ph.D. student, 2017 – 2021; D.Sc. 2021, EPFL)
Project: Electrocatalysis for hydrogen oxidation
Current status: postdoc, Northwestern University (Sargent group)

Dr. Xingyu Wu (吴星宇), Chinese (PhD student, 2018-2023, D.Sc. 2023, EPFL)
Project: Anion exchange membranes for fuel cells
Current status: CEO, NovaMea Ltd., Switzerland

Dr. Celine Prange, Swiss (PhD Student 2018-2023; D.Sc. 2023, EPFL)
Project: Smart chemistry for Cancer Immunotherapy
Current status: Postdoc, Rogelio Hernandez Lopez lab, Standford University, USA

Postdoctoral Scholars

Dr. Zsolt Csok, Hungarian (Postdoc, 2007-8)
Project: pincer complexes
After: researcher in Hungary

Dr. Stephane Fierro, Swiss (Postdoc, 2010)
Project: electrocatalysis
After: Assistant professor, Keio University, Japan

Dr. Dafa Chen (陈大发), Chinese (Postdoc, 2008-2011)
Project: hydrogenase mimics
Current status: Associate Professor at Southern University of Science and Technology, ShenZhen, China

Dr. Matthew Wodrich, American (postdoc, 2011)
Project: computational study of hydrogenase
Current status: research associate at EPFL

Dr. Katherine Schultz, American (Postdoc, 2012-2013)
Project: hydrogenase mimics
Current Status: Product Quality Lead, Merck Group

Dr. Ligang Feng (冯立刚), Chinese (postdoc 2013)
Project: electrocatalysis using Ni2P
After: postdoc at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
Current status: Professor, Yangzhou University

Dr. Hasan Mehdi, Hungarian (Swiss-Hungarian exchange postdoc 2014)
Project: Frustrated Lewis Pair
Current status: scientist at XiMo, Hungary

Dr. Xiang Xu (徐翔), Chinese (Swiss Government Fellowship postdoc 2015-6)
Project: Catalytic materials for water splitting
Current status: Professor at Fujian University of Technology, China

Dr. Tao Xu (徐涛), Chinese (2013-2017)
Project. Base metal catalysis for organic synthesis and biomimetic chemistry
Current Status: Professor, Tongji University

Dr. Chi Wai Cheung (张志伟) , Chinese Hongkong (2013-2017)
Project. Base metal catalysis for organic synthesis
Current Status: Associate Professor, Tianjin University

Dr. Alberto Battistel, Italian (2017-2018)
Project: ERC POC project – construction of an electrolyzer
Current Status: Researcher, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Italy

Dr. Fang Song (宋昉), Chinese (2013-2018)
Project: Energy materials
Current status: Associate Professor, Shanghai Jiaotong University

Dr. Renyi Shi (师仁义), Chinese (2017-2019)
Project: Biomimetic chemistry and Ni catalysis
Current status: Associate Professor, Xi’an Jiaotong University

Dr. Chin Lee Ong, Malaysian (2018-2019)
Project: Innogrant EPFL
Current status: R&D, private sector

Dr. Mahbod Heidari, Iranian (2019)
Project: Thermal water purification
Current status: Engineer, private sector

Dr. Deyun Qian (钱德云), Chinese (2017-2020)
Project: Ni-catalyzed hydroalkylation
Current status: Professor, Yunnan University

Dr. Lei Zhang (张雷), Chinese (2016-2021)
Project: Photoredox and electrochemical organic synthesis
Current Status: Associate Professor, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Dr. Jun Gu(顾均), Chinese (2016-2021)
Project: CO2 electroreduction
Current Status: Tenure track assistant professor, Southern University of Science and Technology, ShenZhen, China

Dr. Huijie Pan (潘惠杰), Chinese (2017-2021)
Project: Bio-mimetic chemistry of [Fe]-hydrogenase
Current status: Tenure track assistant professor, Nanjing University

Dr. Pengzuo Chen (陈鹏作), Chinese (2018-2021)
Project: Electrocatalysts and electrolyzers
Current status: Professor,  Zhejiang Sci-tech University

Dr. Srikrishna Bera, Indian (2018-2021)
Project: Nickel-catalyzed enantioselective hydroalkylation of alkenes
Current status: Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati

Dr. Zhikun Zhang ( 张志坤 ), Chinese (2017-2021)
Project: Base metal catalysis
Current status: Professor, Shanghai University.

Dr. Seunghwa Lee, Korean (2017-2022)
Project: operando spectroscopic studies of OER catalysts
Current status: Tenure-track assistant professor, Changwoo National University, Korea

Dr. Wenhao Ren (任文皓), Chinese, (2020-2023)
Project: CO2  and CO electroreduction
Current status: Lecture (assistant professor), University of Adelaide, Australia

Dr. Nanjun Chen (陈南君), Chinese, (2021-2023)
Project: AEM electrolyzers
Current status: Associate Professor, Xiamen University, China

Dr. Yiwei Zheng, Chinese (2022-2024)
Project: AEM electrolyzers
Current status: Postdoc, Sargent group, Northwestern University, USA

Academic Visitors

Prof. Hong-Ling Gao, Chinese (Visiting scholar 2013)
Current status: Associate professor, Tianjin University, China

Mr. Martin Hangaard Hansen, Danish (Visiting Ph.D. student 2013)
After: Ph.D. student in Physics, Danish Technical University
Current status: Senior Data Scientist, TopSoe, Denmark

Ms. Peng Wang, Chinese (Visiting Ph.D. student 2014)
After: Ph.D. student in University of New South Wales, Australia
Current status: JSPS Postdoc in Japan

Ms. Elitsa Petkucheva, Bulgarian (Visiting PhD student, 2016)
Current status: PhD student in Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Mr. Teng Wang, Chinese (Visiting PhD student 2017)
Current status: Postdoc, University of Delware, USA

Mr. Kongliang Xu, Chinese (Visiting PhD Student 2016-2017)
Current status: Lecturer, Zhejiang University of Technology

Prof. Liviu Mirica, American (Visiting Professor 2017)
Current status: Professor, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Prof. Jordan Katz, American (Visiting Professor 2017)
Current status: Associate Professor, Denison University, USA

Dr. Chao Hu, Chinese (Visiting scholar, 2017-2018)
Current Status: Assistant Professor, Xi’an Jiaotong University

Master Students

Ms. Francoise Borcard, Swiss (Master semester project, 2008)
Ms. Julie Risse, Swiss (Master semester project, 2008)
Mr. Baihua Ye, Chinese (Practical work, 2008)
Ms. Delphine Barmaz, Swiss (Master semester project, 2009)
Ms. Natacha Aubry, Swiss (Master semester project, 2010)
Ms. Rima Drissi, Swiss (Master semester project, 2010)
Ms. Julien Falcy, Swiss (Master semester project, 2010)
Mr. Kim Von Allmen, Swiss (Master semester project, 2010; Master thesis project, 2010-2011)
Mr. Rovelli Lorenzo, Swiss (Master semester project, 2011)
Mr. Sonego Giona, Swiss (Master semester project, 2011)
Mr. Luiser Nicolas, Swiss (Master semester project, 2011)
Mr. Aurélien Godinat, Swiss (Internship, 2011)
Ms. Yeong-Eun Kim, Korean (Exchange semester project, 2011)
Ms. Gaelle Lapicorey, French (Master semester project 2012)
Mr. Nicolas Chabloz, Swiss (Master semester project 2012)
Mr. Alessio Orsino, Swiss (Master semester project 2012)
Mr. Lucas-Alexandre Stern, Swiss (Master semester project 2012)
Mr. Jesus Ruiz, Spanish (Master thesis project 2012)
Mr. Thomas Di Franco, French (Master thesis project 2012, exchange from CPE Lyon)
Ms. Celine Monard, Swiss (Master thesis project 2012)
Mr. Sébastian Guidoux, Swiss (Master semester project, 2013; Master thesis project 2013)
Mr. Mathais Mamboury, Swiss (Master semester project, 2013)
Mr. Carlos Morales, Colombian (Master thesis project 2013)
Ms. Madeline Yin, Australian (Master semester project, 2013)
Mr. Michael Montandon, Swiss (Master thesis project 2013)
Mr. Laurent Liardet, Swiss (Master semester project 2014, Master thesis project 2015)
Ms. Céline Treiber, Swiss (Master semester project 2014)
Ms. Sophia Stark, German (Master semester project 2015)
Mr. Marko Stojanovic, Swiss (Master semester project 2015)
Mr. Albert Daubry, French (Master semester project 2016)
Mr. Valentin Queloz, Swiss (Master semester project 2016)
Mr. Weiyan Ni, Chinese (Master semester project 2016, Master thesis project 2017)
Ms. Helene Meng, Swiss (Master semester project 2016)
Ms. Henglu Xu, Chinese (Master semester project 2017)
Mr. Adrian Frey, Swiss (Master semester project 2017)
Mr. Tim Pfister, Swiss (Master semester project 2017)
Mr. John-Joseph Marie, British (Master project 2017, from University of Southampton )
Mr. Manuel Cordova, Swiss (Master semester project 2018)
Mr. Huanyu Zhang, Chinese (Master project 2020)
Ms. Miyeon Chang, Korean (Master semester project, 2020; internship 2020; master project 2021)
Ms. Valerie Held, Swiss (Master semester project 2020)
Mr. Harry Mccaughey, Irish/British (Master exchange student 2021, from University of Edinburgh)
Mr. Maël Djaïd, Swiss, Master semester project 2021
Mr. Damien Chen, French, Master semester project 2021
Ms. Ines Lopez Martinez, Spanish, Master semester project 2021
Mr. Mohamad Chabok, Iranian, Master semester project and intern 2022
Ms. Laura Elena Massaad, Master semester project 2023
Mr. Jiaming Tian, Chinese, Master project 2023
Ms. Milena Charlotte Wiegand, German, Master semester project 2023

Bachelor Students

Mr. Aswin Yellepeddi, Swiss (Undergrad summer intern, 2007)

Mr. Matthias Urfer, Swiss (Undergraduate summer intern, 2009)

Mr. Mattia Palla, Italian (Erasmus exchange student from Italy, 2009-10)

Mr. Christopher Bamfirth, British (Exchange student from University of Glascow, 2016-2017)

Apprentices

Ms. Valérie Proust, Swiss (2009)

Ms. Nathalie Hirt, Swiss (2010)

Mr. Isuf Salihu, Swiss (2011)

Mr. Nicolas Boutin, Swiss (2013)

Mr. Alexandre Epenoy, Swiss (2014)

Mr. Sébastien Keller, Swiss (2015-2016)

Mr. Alexis Cheseaux, Swiss (2016-2017)

Mr. Jonathan Balon, Swiss (2017-2018)

Ms. Aurélya Christelle Turla, Swiss (2019-2020)

Ms. Jennifer Morel, Swiss (2022-2023)

Mr. Arthur Blumenstein , Swiss (2021-2023)