Department Engagement Committee

I’m Ivette Cornejo-Corona. Though Mexico City is where my journey began, I’ve embraced the thrill of living in three different countries and calling six unique cities home. Aggieland has been my enriching abode for the past five years. I proudly identify as a Aggie-biotechnologist, impassioned about guiding the next generation toward becoming better individuals.

My hobbies effortlessly intertwine with my scientific pursuits—I find solace in crafting illustrations and diving into captivating sci-fi novels. Nature’s allure, especially forests and lakes, captivates my heart. An intriguing tidbit about me: I devoted extensive time to artistic swimming; while the Olympic medal evaded me, I can hold my breath for a minute and navigate waters adeptly. Sociology and linguistics stand as my second interests, following science, of course. Additionally, I maintain a global network of friends fluent in various languages, stemming from diverse backgrounds and professions.

My involvement in the Climate Committee is driven by a desire to advocate for postdocs, ensuring our voices resonate. The Biochemistry and Biophysics department has been my academic family for over six years. I eagerly anticipate fostering a collaborative environment while contributing to our shared goals within the Climate Committee. Feel free to connect—I’m always open to engaging conversations and offering a cup of coffee at my office in BCBP NMR Bldg. Room 220, ready to embrace new perspectives and meaningful discussions.

I’m Betty Cotton, proud to serve as part of the dedicated staff within the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. Originally hailing from Cleveland, TX, I’ve called Bryan, TX, my home for the past 24 years.

A typical day for me at work consists of reading emails, addressing questions, and providing information or guidance to any situation that arises within the department.  Outside these walls, you’ll find me at the College Station F45 gym, dedicated to fitness, or capturing precious moments through scrapbooking—memories from our family’s adventures and escapades.  I like to scuba dive, (but only in crystal clear water, with shallow depths, and no sharks, of course). 

Inspirational quotes fuel my days; among my top five are:

1. “What doesn’t kill you, will make you stronger.”
2. “I didn’t come here to play.”
3. “Work till Jesus comes, I’ll work…(song).”
4. “Let your conscience be your guide.”
5. “Two wrongs don’t make it right.”

Being part of the Climate Committee holds great meaning to me; it’s a platform to foster unity and familial bonds within our department. I extend a warm invitation for your participation in our events, hoping you find the committee as beneficial and inspiring as I do.

Feel free to drop by my office in room 103D for a chat or a simple hello.

Best wishes with your endeavors while here at Texas A&M University. It’s a great place to work and have a career!

I am Vishal M. Gohil, a faculty in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics since 2012. I was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, and grew up in a small coastal town in western India called Porbandar, which is famous as the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. While Gandhi conducted his experiments with truth, I experiment with mitochondria!

In addition to mentoring students in my lab, I teach metabolism-related courses to graduate and undergraduate students and serve in various departmental committees, including the Climate Committee. Symmetry, harmony, and balance found in nature inspire me and guide all my work. I derive immense pleasure in training my students while making fundamental discoveries that can benefit human health. I like working with honest and sincere colleagues, whereas dishonesty, arrogance, and manipulation drive me crazy. Apart from work, I enjoy playing and watching cricket, a popular sport in India. I also enjoy reading biographies, listening to music, and watching movies. My favorite quotes that describe my life philosophy are:

1. “Truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
2. “Hard work never killed a man.”
3. “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.”

I have been very fortunate to have some dedicated students, a great family, wonderful friends, and teachers. I hope to create the same supportive environment in the department through the Climate Committee.

Howdy, my name is Suhas Sura, and I am the undergraduate representative for the BCBP Department Engagement Committee. I am a sophomore from Dallas, TX, and I am involved in a variety of clubs and extracurricular activities here on campus, one of those being BGS, or Biochemistry/Genetics Society

I am involved with genetics research on campus with the Wehman Lab, focused on utilizing the model organism C. elegans to understand lipid bilayer dynamics and EV release/production. All of the research is very involved, & if you’d like to talk about BICH/GENE 491 credits, please reach out!

If you have any questions or concerns about the department, or if you have any ideas for the undergraduate population here, feel free to email me at [email protected] and chat!

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Dr. Pingwei Li was born in the suburb of Xi’an, China. He obtained his Ph.D. from Peking University in 1996, majoring in X-ray crystallography. During his graduate studies, he determined the crystal structure of Cu, Zn SOD from duck erythrocytes. He came to the United States in the spring of 1998 and did a postdoc with Roland Strong at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. He determined the structures of the noncanonical MHC class I like molecules MICA, RAE-1b and their complexes with the natural killer cell and gd T cell receptor NKG2D. He moved on to work in the department of molecular biology at Princeton University as a staff scientist in the fall of 2001, studying the structures of the UBP family deubiquitinating enzymes USP7 and USP14. In the summer of 2003, he moved to the California Institute of Technology and did a post-doc with Pamela Bjorkman. His research at Caltech focuses on the structural studies of a monoclonal antibody against polyglutamine. He cloned the V_H and V_L genes of the antibody, generated the Fv fragment by refolding, and determined the structure of the antibody in isolation and in complex with a polyglutamine containing peptide. Dr. Pingwei Li started his own lab in the department of biochemistry and biophysics at Texas A&M University in the fall of 2005.