Lab Members

We share our interest in various aspects of venom research, ranging from venom discovery, evolution, phylogenetics, biochemistry, pharmacology, chemistry, and therapeutic application. We come from diverse scientific backgrounds and develop and implement research ideas both individually and together.

In addition to being dedicated scientists, we care about the motivation, success, and well-being of team members and ensure a safe, positive, and inclusive environment where scientific problems and ideas can be openly shared, and where we learn from each other, regardless of background and academic rank.

  • Helena Safavi, PhD

    Helena Safavi, PhD

    Associate Professor

    Bio: MSc in Biology (2006, University of Cologne, Germany), PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2011, University of Melbourne, Australia), Postdoc (2012-2017, University of Utah, USA and University of Copenhagen, Denmark)

    Passion: Research and education, being in nature

    Email
  • Thomas Lund Koch, PhD

    Thomas Lund Koch, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    Bio: BSc Mathematics and Physics (2012), BSc Biomedicine (2014), MSc Biomedicine (2016), PhD Evolutionary Neuroendocrinology (2021, University of Copenhagen), Postdoc (2021-ongoing, University of Copenhagen)

    Skills: Peptide analysis, Molecular biology, Neuropeptide and GPCR signaling, Bioinformatics, Cell culture

    Passion: Rock climbing, Archery, Hunting, Fishing, BJJ, Science, Jelly Fish and Corals, Monty Python

    Email
  • Ho Yan Yeung, PhD

    Ho Yan Yeung, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    Bio: MPharm (2015, University of Bath), Pre-registration pharmacist (2016, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust), MPhil Pharmacology (2017, University of Cambridge), PhD in Pharmacology (2020, University of Cambridge), Postdoc (2021-ongoing, University of Copenhagen)

    Skills: G protein-coupled receptors functional assays (e.g. FRET and BRET based signal transduction and ligand binding assays), insulin and glucagon secretion assays, cell culture, in silico docking

    Passion: GPCR signalling, cooking, travelling, wandering in nature (with a dog), outdoor running, learning foreign languages, reading

    Email
  • Nicholas Schumann, PhD

    Nicholas Schumann, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    Bio: BSc Chemistry (2015), MPhil Medicinal Chemistry (2018), PhD Medicinal Chemistry (2023), Postdoc (2023-Ongoing, University of Utah)

    Skills: Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Synthesis, Peptide Synthesis, SAR Studies, Characterization of Organic Compounds, In-Silico Docking

    Passion: Snowboarding, Hiking, Cooking, Traveling, Road Trips

    Email

  • Aymeric Rogalski, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    Bio: BSc Life Sciences & Geosciences (2014), MSc Biology & Health (2017), PhD Biology/Ecology/Biochemistry (2023), Postdoc (2023–Ongoing, University of Utah)

    Skills: Peptide analysis, proteomics, transcriptomics, histology, electron microscopy

    Passion: Herping, camping, cooking, exploring tide pools, Neapolitan pizza, Rick and Morty

    Email

  • Tian Zhao

    Lab Technician

    Bio:

    Skills:

    Passion:

    Email

  • Colton Gschwandtner

    Graduate Student

    Bio:

    Skills:

    Passion:

    Email

  • Reza Moosavi

    Graduate Student

    Bio:

    Skills:

    Passion:

    Email

  • Hudson Judge

    Undergrad Researcher

    Bio:

    Skills:

    Passion:

    Email
Join the Lab
The Cone Snail, treasured object of our research

The Cone Snail

Treasured object of our research

Bio: Relatively young genus (oldest fossil: 55 million years); highly diverse (700-800 extant species); predation on polychaete worms was the ancestral state and the majority of living snails prey on worms. Snail and fish-hunting clades evolved later with the major radiation of fish-hunting cone snails during the Miocene, 15-10 mya.

Selected Skills: High-throughput peptide mutagenesis, biosynthesis and delivery

Passion: Enjoys the warm weather of the tropics with the greatest diversity found in the Indo-Pacific region, uses highly efficient venom delivery system to envenomate prey with a complex mixture of peptides (conopeptides or conotoxins).

 

Alumni & Copenhagen Safavi Lab

  • Walden Bjørn-Yoshimoto

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    University of Copenhagen

    (2017 - present)

  • Ebbe Engholm, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    University of Copenhagen

    (2020 - present)

  • Joshua Torres, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    University of Copenhagen

    (2020 - present)

  • Lea Cecilie Christensen, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow

    University of Copenhagen

    (2021 - present)

  • Sophie Heiden Laugesen

    PhD Student

    University of Copenhagen

    (2018 - present)

  • Iris Bea Ramiro

    PhD Student

    University of Copenhagen

    (2018 - present)

  • Paula Flórez Salcedo

    PhD Student

    University of Utah

    (2017 - present)

  • Robert Paul Baskin

    Undergraduate Researcher

    University of Utah

    (2017 - 2018)

    Medical Student, Ohio State Medical School