Chemistry department welcomes three new faculty
The Penn State Department of Chemistry is pleased to announce that Yi Liu, Kyan D’Angelo, and Carly Schissel will be joining the department as assistant professors of chemistry.
Yi Liu
Liu earned her doctoral degree in chemistry from McGill University, her master's degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and her bachelor’s degree from Xiangtan University. She conducted postdoctoral research at Cornell University and in the Hyster lab at Princeton University, where she explored photochemistry with flavin-dependent enzymes to unlock Csp³–Csp³ cross-coupling reactions.
“I’m excited to join Penn State chemistry and start my research group in such a vibrant space,” Liu said. “I’m looking forward to working with everyone, having fun, and seeing where we can take our research together!”
Liu’s research focuses on using mono- and binuclear metalloenzymes for catalysis to address synthetic challenges, with an emphasis on photochemistry, cross-coupling, and carbonylation chemistry. By integrating protein engineering with synthetic method development, her lab aims to broaden the applications of biocatalysis in organic synthesis.
The field of biocatalysis faces challenges in expanding enzyme types for catalysis, discovering new enzymatic transformations, and advancing mechanistic understanding. Liu aims to investigate metalloenzymes and photochemistry for controlled radical-based transformations, bridging enzyme studies and catalytic strategies for synthetic applications.
Penn State’s strong community in bioinorganic chemistry and catalysis makes it an ideal home for Liu’s research. She is enthusiastic about collaborating with colleagues across chemistry and related disciplines and contributing to the research enterprise.
“I also see exciting opportunities for collaboration in chemical biology, photophysics, computational studies, and beyond,” she said.
Outside of the lab, Liu enjoys hiking, running, and spending time with her cat.
Liu will officially begin her appointment on July 1.
Kyan D’Angelo
D’Angelo earned his doctoral degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed his undergraduate work and master’s degree at the University of Toronto. He joins Penn State from the University of California, Berkeley, where he is an NIH postdoctoral fellow in the Hartwig lab, conducting research on transition metal catalysis.
“I am excited to contribute to Penn State’s legacy of accomplishments in synthetic organic chemistry,” D’Angelo said. “Having admired the work of Penn State faculty for many years, it is a tremendous privilege to start my independent career here."
Efficient access to complex molecules is key to developing new organic compounds that tackle major societal challenges. D’Angelo’s research at Penn State will focus on developing new methods that simplify the synthesis of complex molecules such as natural products, particularly those that have interesting biological activities.
D’Angelo strongly resonates with the department’s goal of making outstanding contributions to the chemical sciences.
“In my experience, excellence in research and mentorship go hand in hand,” he said. “For this reason, I will prioritize learning from my colleagues and guiding my students to be the best scientists they can be.”
D’Angelo is also enthusiastic about the many opportunities to work across disciplines, as the ability to synthesize organic compounds of interest to the broader academic community at Penn State opens various avenues for unique collaboration. He is particularly interested in working with those in the College of Agricultural Sciences who study natural products, as well as physician-scientists in the College of Medicine who are seeking new compounds to treat human diseases.
In his free time, D’Angelo enjoys cooking, a common passion shared by many organic chemists.
“As the saying goes, never trust an organic chemist who can’t cook”, he said.
He is also looking forward to exploring the hiking trails in and around State College.
D’Angelo will officially begin his appointment on August 15.
Carly Schissel
Schissel earned her doctoral degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed her undergraduate work at Williams College. She comes to Penn State from the University of California, Berkeley, where she is a Miller Institute postdoctoral fellow in the Schepartz lab. There, her research centers on developing peptide backbone editing reactions, including the substitution of canonical amide bonds with carbon-carbon bonds.
“I’m thrilled to join the vibrant community of scientists and scholars at Penn State chemistry,” Schissel said. “While I have a focused vision, I am excited to see how our program evolves through fruitful discussions and collaborations with my future colleagues."
In the lab, Schissel works at the intersection of chemistry and biology, focusing on the discovery, design, and synthesis of bioactive peptides with unusual amino acids and structures. By building upon nature’s blueprint, she aims to create novel peptides with therapeutic potential, leveraging chemical synthesis, molecular biology, and machine learning. Her research explores how these unusual structures can bestow new functions on peptides, ultimately pushing the boundaries of drug discovery and the understanding of bioactive molecules.
Schissel is excited to synergize with the deep expertise in bioinorganic chemistry and to bolster the chemical biology research and curriculum in the Penn State Department of Chemistry.
“A huge variety of metalloenzymes, many of them unknown, introduce unique modifications to peptide substrates, and I’m excited to collaborate with enzymologists to probe and repurpose these enzymes,” she said.
She is especially excited to collaborate with the One Health Microbiome Center in the Penn State Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, as she hopes to elucidate the structures of peptides involved in host-microbe interactions.
Outside the lab, Schissel is a passionate volleyball fan and looks forward to supporting the Nittany Lion women’s team. She also enjoys hiking and is eager to explore the nearby towns of Pennsylvania.
Schissel will officially begin her appointment on August 15.