Highlights

Mariana Mateus Cardenas — FAU Undergraduate Research Grant

Florida Atlantic University · $1,200 · Summer/Fall 2026

FAU VIP Seed Grant Supports Quantum-Accelerated RNA-Targeted Cancer Research

PI: Ilyas Yildirim · Co-PIs: Shailaja Allani and Ajay Bommareddy · $46,500 · awarded 2026

Quantum-Accelerated Discovery of Small Molecule Inhibitors Targeting Precursor Mitochondrial microRNAs in Cancer

Nakul Balaji — John Nambu Memorial Summer Research Experience Award

Florida Atlantic University · $4,200 · 2025

Nicholas Ndreca — OURI Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow

Florida Atlantic University · Summer 2025

Dynamic Docking: A Scalable Computational Framework for Conformational Profiling of Small Molecule/RNA Binding

Nakul Balaji · Schrödinger Virtual Science Fair · June 12, 2025

Mariam Ibrahim — Sterling H. Huntington, M.D. Scholarship

Florida Atlantic University · $500 · 2024–2025

Mariam Ibrahim — Student Travel Award

Florida Atlantic University · $356 · 2024–2025

Niransha Kumarachchi — Student Travel Award

Florida Atlantic University · $356 · 2024–2025

Development of a Dimeric RNA Force Field

Niransha Kumarachchi & Ilyas Yildirim · Florida Inorganic and Materials Symposium (FIMS), University of Florida · Nov. 8–9, 2024

TAPERSS-MoCa: Theoretical Analyses, Prediction, and Evaluation of RNA Structures from Sequence using Monte Carlo Simulations

Mariam Ibrahim, Ivan Riveros & Ilyas Yildirim · FIMS, University of Florida · Nov. 8–9, 2024

Development of a Dimeric RNA Force Field

Niransha Kumarachchi & Ilyas Yildirim · Graduate Student Poster Session, FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute · Mar. 1, 2024

Optimization of lead compounds targeting RNA CUG repeats causing Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1

Adam Burjan & Ilyas Yildirim · Graduate Student Poster Session, FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute · Mar. 1, 2024

Experimental and computational investigations of RNA duplexes containing N7-regioisomers of adenosine and LNA-adenosine

Nucleic Acids Research · Lab contributor: Amirhossein Taghavi (former postdoctoral fellow)

Prediction of 3D RNA Structures from Sequence Using Energy Landscapes of RNA Dimers: Application to RNA Tetraloops

Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation · Lab contributor: Ivan Riveros (former undergraduate researcher)

Searching for Solutions

FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute · Masterminds 2024

Ivan Riveros — NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

National Science Foundation · $111,000 · Proposal: Application of Evolutionary Algorithm in RNA 3D Structure Prediction

Michael Cevallos — S-STEM Scholar Scholarship

National Science Foundation · Full tuition through completion of M.S. · 2023

Michael Cevallos — Undergraduate Award in Physical Chemistry

American Chemical Society, Division of Physical Chemistry · 2023

Optimization of lead compounds targeting RNA CUG repeats causing Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1

Adam Burjan & Ilyas Yildirim · FAU Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Showcase · Aug. 17, 2023

Optimization of lead compounds targeting RNA CUG repeats causing Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1

Adam Burjan · 22nd Annual Scholarly Creative Research Symposium, FAU · Apr. 12, 2023

Evaluating Geometric Definitions of Stacking for RNA Dinucleoside Monophosphates Using Molecular Mechanics Calculations

Ivan Riveros, Amirhossein Taghavi & Ilyas Yildirim · RNA: From Biology to Drug Discovery, UF Scripps · Jan. 17–18, 2023

Development of a Dimeric RNA Force Field

Niransha Kumarachchi & Ilyas Yildirim · RNA: From Biology to Drug Discovery, UF Scripps · Jan. 17–18, 2023

Conformational Dynamics of RNA G4C2 and C2G4 Repeat Expansions causing ALS/FTD using NMR and Molecular Dynamics Studies

Nucleic Acids Research · Lab contributor: Amirhossein Taghavi (former postdoctoral fellow)

Dynamic Docking of Small Molecules Targeting RNA CUG Repeats Causing Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1)

Biophysical Journal · Lab contributors: Kye Won Wang (former postdoctoral fellow), Ivan Riveros, and James DeLoye

NIH Administrative Supplement Expands GPU Computing Capacity

NIH 3R15GM146199-01S1 · $90,396 · awarded 2023

FAU iSENSE / CoECS PFAS Detection Project

Co-PI: Ilyas Yildirim · $30,000 · awarded 2023

Chemistry Professors’ Research Showcased by Oxford University Press

FAU coverage of the lab’s RNA repeat-expansion research.

Chemistry Graduate Ivan Riveros Awarded Prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

FAU Chemistry · 2023

Julianna Lian — Regeneron Science Talent Search Top 300 Scholar

Regeneron Science Talent Search · 2022

Julianna Lian — National Merit Scholarship Competition Scholar

2022

Maureen Tanner — ASPET Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow

University of Florida · Summer 2022

Small Molecules Targeting RNA A-bulge sites using Computer-Aided Drug Design

Maureen Tanner & Ilyas Yildirim · SACNAS National Diversity in STEM Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico · Oct. 27–29, 2022

Application of Dynamic Docking Methodology to Discover the Binding Properties of a Lead Compound Targeting pre-miRNA-515 Causing Cancer

Arjun Nair & Ilyas Yildirim · 20th Annual Wilkes Honors College Symposium · Apr. 1, 2022

Small Molecules Targeting RNA A-bulge sites using Computer-Aided Drug Design

Maureen Tanner & Ilyas Yildirim · 20th Annual Wilkes Honors College Symposium · Apr. 1, 2022

Small Molecules Targeting RNA A-bulge sites using Computer-Aided Drug Design

Maureen Tanner & Ilyas Yildirim · FAU High School–Jupiter Campus / Max Planck Academy · Mar. 25, 2022

Evaluation of geometrical definition of stacked/unstacked conformers in RNA dinucleotides using molecular mechanics calculations

Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation · Lab contributors: Amirhossein Taghavi and Ivan Riveros

Computational investigation of bending properties of RNA AUUCU, CCUG, CAG and CUG repeat expansions associated with Neuromuscular disorders

Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences · Lab contributor: Amirhossein Taghavi (former postdoctoral fellow)

NIH R15 Supports In Silico Drug Design Targeting RNA Repeat Expansions

NIH R15GM146199 · $419,475 · 2022–2025

De novo 3D RNA Structure Prediction from Sequence

FAU Brain Institute David J.S. Nicholson Pilot Grant · $21,971 · awarded 2022

Harnessing the Power of Discovery

FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute · Masterminds 2022

NIH Grant Awarded to Target RNA Through Drug Design

FAU Chemistry · 2022

Julianna Lian — Regeneron ISEF, 2nd Place in Biochemistry

Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair · $2,000 to student and $2,000 to FAU High School · 2021

Julianna Lian — Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair Finalist

2021

Ivan Riveros — Outstanding Chemistry Graduating Senior

South Florida Section, American Chemical Society · 2021

Julianna Lian — FAU OURI Research Grant

Florida Atlantic University · $600 · Spring 2021

Adam Burjan — Honors College Foundation Scholarship

Florida Atlantic University · $1,250 per semester · 2021–2024

Atomic Force Microscopy to Study Structure of RNA CUG Repeats

Julianna Lian et al. · FAU Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Showcase · Aug. 2021

Atomic Force Microscopy to Study RNA CUG Repeat Structure

Julianna Lian et al. · 11th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, FAU · Apr. 9, 2021

Ribonuclease recruitment using a small molecule reduced c9ALS/FTD r(G4C2) repeat expansion in vitro and in vivo ALS model

Science Translational Medicine · Lab contributor: Kye Won Wang (former postdoctoral fellow)

A Small Molecule Exploits Hidden Structural Features within the RNA Repeat Expansion that Causes c9ALS/FTD and Rescues Pathological Hallmarks

ACS Chemical Neuroscience · Lab contributor: Amirhossein Taghavi (former postdoctoral fellow)

Massively Parallel Optimization of the Linker Domain in Small Molecule Dimers Targeting a Toxic r(CUG) Repeat Expansion

ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters · Lab contributor: Kye Won Wang (former postdoctoral fellow)

The Building Blocks of Life

FAU I-Health · 2021

Adam Burjan — FAU 100 Scholarship

Florida Atlantic University · $1,000 per semester · 2020–2024

Adam Burjan — Florida Academic Scholarship (Bright Futures)

State of Florida · $3,000 per semester · 2020–2024

Ivan Riveros — Barry Goldwater Scholarship Nominee

Florida Atlantic University · 2020

Maureen Tanner — NIH U-RISE Program Recipient

National Institutes of Health · 2020

Stacking Properties of RNA Dimers Using Computational Methods

Ivan Riveros, Amirhossein Taghavi & Ilyas Yildirim · 10th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, FAU · Apr. 3, 2020

Comparing Geometric Definitions of Stacking in RNA Dinucleotides Through Molecular Dynamics Studies

Ivan Riveros, Amirhossein Taghavi & Ilyas Yildirim · Science Olympiad Undergraduate Research Poster Showcase, FAU · Feb. 29, 2020

Comparing Geometric Definitions of Stacking in RNA Dinucleotides Through Molecular Dynamics Studies

Ivan Riveros & Ilyas Yildirim · Florida Undergraduate Research Conference, Florida Gulf Coast University · Feb. 21–22, 2020

A general fragment-based approach to identify and optimize bioactive ligands targeting RNA

PNAS · Lab contributor: Kye Won Wang (former postdoctoral fellow)

Structural Features of Small Molecules Targeting the RNA Repeat Expansion That Causes Genetically Defined ALS/FTD

ACS Chemical Biology · Lab contributor: Kye Won Wang (former postdoctoral fellow)

Design of a small molecule that stimulates vascular endothelial growth factor A enabled by screening RNA fold–small molecule interactions

Nature Chemistry · Lab contributor: Kye Won Wang (former postdoctoral fellow)

A small molecule that binds an RNA repeat expansion stimulates its decay via the exosome complex

Cell Chemical Biology · Lab contributor: Kye Won Wang (former postdoctoral fellow)

Macrocyclization of a ligand targeting a toxic RNA dramatically improves potency

ChemBioChem · Lab contributor: Kye Won Wang (former postdoctoral fellow)

Small-molecule targeted recruitment of a nuclease to cleave an oncogenic RNA in a mouse model of metastatic cancer

PNAS · Lab contributor: Kye Won Wang (former postdoctoral fellow)

Microsoft AI for Health COVID-19 Grant

Structural analysis of SARS-CoV-2 s2m RNA elements · $100,000 Azure credit · 2020–2021

Computational study of RNA folding using physics-based approaches

Ivan Riveros & Ilyas Yildirim · Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Showcase, FAU · Aug. 15, 2019

Predictions of Single-Stranded RNA Structures by Computational Methods Using RNA Dimer Libraries

Ivan Riveros & Ilyas Yildirim · 9th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, FAU · Apr. 4, 2019

Computational Analyses of MicroRNA-Ago2 in RNA Inducing Silencing Complex (RISC)

Marina Nad & Ilyas Yildirim · 9th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, FAU · Apr. 4, 2019

Ivan Riveros — Florida Academic Scholarship (Bright Futures)

State of Florida · $3,000 per semester · 2017–2021

Ivan Riveros — FAU Presidential Scholarship

Florida Atlantic University · Full tuition · 2017–2021

Ivan Riveros — FAU 4.0 GPA Recognition, President’s List

Florida Atlantic University · 2017–2018