Angel Muñoz Hernández, Ms Email & Phone Number

My name is Angel L. Muñoz Hernández and I have a Master of Science degree in Biochemistry, Microbiology & Molecular Biology, with a focus on bioinorganic chemistry, from Penn State University. My thesis project, under the supervision of Dr. Squire J. Booker, investigated a possible iron-sulfur (Fe/S) cluster regeneration pathway for the Escherichia coli radical SAM protein MiaB, which is an RNA methylthiotransferase that modifies position 37 of transfer RNAs that contain adenosine in position 36 of the anticodon to ultimately enhance translational fidelity. Working with radical SAM proteins enabled me to develop and apply various analytical and experimental skills, such as anaerobic purification methods, plasmid design and preparation, Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC), Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC), SDS-PAGE, Bacterial Two-Hybrid Assay, and Crosslinking Mass Spectrometry (XL-MS). During my time at Penn State, I also contributed to a collaborative research project with Dr. Amie Boal and Dr. Martin J. Bollinger, which was published in ACS Catalysis in May 2022, on using noncanonical tyrosine analogues to determine the site of radical generation during endoperoxide installation by verruculogen synthase.My passion for biochemical research was sparked by my previous 2018 summer research experience at Georgia Tech's NSF Center for Chemical Evolution (CCE), where I worked on a chemical evolution project titled "Synthesis and Chemical Ligation of Oligonucleotides with Acyclic and Non-Natural Nucleotides" under the mentorship of Dr. Nicholas Hud, Dr. Suneesh C. Karunakaran and Gary Newnam. I learned and trained in useful research skills such as organic synthesis and column chromatography, and explored the alternative hypothesis that RNA is a product of chemical evolution. I also gained valuable research experience working with the chemical education of antibiotics as an Undergraduate Research Student at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, where I obtained my ACS-Certified Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 2020. My project focused on isolating natural products from native Puerto Rican plants and testing their antibacterial properties with assays to monitor inhibition of bacterial growth.I am a bilingual (Spanish and English) bioinorganic chemist with strong analytical and critical thinking skills, and a keen interest in understanding and manipulating the molecular mechanisms of life. My goal is to advance the knowledge and application of biochemistry and molecular biology in the fields of biotechnology and medicine.