Andres is a second year PhD student at the Conticello Group where he uses structural techniques like Cryo-EM to study the assembly of filament proteins derived from archaea living in deep sea hydrothermal vents. 

He obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida where he explored a wide range of research areas from asymmetric catalysis to molecular biology. 

“Andres is a very engaging individual and contributes strongly to the positive culture of the research group,” says his primary research mentor, Dr. Vince Conticello. “He has made a fast start in our research group and the results that he obtains may provide insights into the molecular design of hyperthermophilic nanomaterials.”

“Andres is a very engaging individual and contributes strongly to the positive culture of the research group.“

Dr. Vince Conticello

Andres values community engagement outside of the lab and serves as the VP for Social Affairs for Phi Alpha Chemical Society (PACS) and is a Student Advocacy for Full Engagement (SAFE) representative for the Graduate Committee.

“Andres is passionate about people and creating spaces where our students, staff, and faculty can come together as a community,” says chemistry’s program coordinator for events, Kat Williams. “It is a pleasure to work with him and I am excited to see how he continues to engage our community and grow in his ability to lead others. He is thoughtful, creative, and always willing to dedicate his time to helping make chemistry a place we all want to be.”

Andres is also the guitarist for the graduate student chemistry band Schrödinger’s Dog.