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Dr. Matthew (Matt) J. McLeod
Dr. Matthew (Matt) J. McLeod
Matt is the group leader. He did his Bachelors of Science at the University of Waterloo, Ontario in Biomedical Sciences. He initially thought he would go into nursing or medicine, but was largely undecided at the end of his degree. His senior year, he tried his hand at biochemistry by completeing an undergraduate thesis with Dr. Todd Holyoak. What began as an 8-month project turned into another 6 years of graduate school (Masters and PhD, 2014 - 2020), where he learned the in's-and-out's of enzymology (kinetics and X-ray crystallography). After defending, Matt moved to Ithaca, NY to start his postdoctoral training in Dr. Rob Thorne's lab. Cornell is home to CHESS (Cornell High-Energy Synchrotron Source), which allowed Matt to learn several new structural biology methods, such as small-angle X-ray scattering, as well as high-pressure, multi-temperature, and time-resolved X-ray crystallography. During his time at Cornell, he was also able to learn cryoEM through the TP-1 training program at NCCAT (National Center for CryoEM Access and Training). After 5 years at Cornell, he was afforded the opportunity to start his own lab at the University of Cincinnati in the Department of Chemistry (2025).
Book Recommendations: I am currently reading Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere anthology (fiction) and I would also recommend Range by David Epstein for the new graduate student (non-fiction).
Album Recommendations: Purgatory - Tyler Childers, Hitch-Hikin' Music - Classified, The Very Best of Otis Redding vol. 1 - Otis Redding, Tsunami Sea - Spiritbox.
Movie/TV Recommendation: Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Favorite Food: Popcorn
Hobbies: Cooking/baking, archery, hiking, reading.
Email: mcleodmw@ucmail.uc.edu
ORCID: 0000-0001-5540-916X0000-0001-5540-916X0000-0001-5540-916X
Graduate Students
Balamani (Bala) Guduru
Balamani (Bala) Guduru
Balamani graduated from Eastern Illinois University in December 2022 with her M.S. in Chemistry and a minor in Biochemistry, where her master’s research focused on the synthesis and characterization of supramolecular metal complexes using X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic techniques. After completing her master’s degree, she worked as an R&D Chemist at PIM Brands until the end of 2024, followed by a position as an R&D Formulator at Icelandirect. She joined the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Chemistry in the fall of 2025 and became a member of the lab group later that year.
Book Recommendations: Geetanjali, Home and the world, Five point someone, The three mistakes of my life.
Movie/TV Recommendation: The Pursuit of Happyness, Goodwill Hunting
Favorite Food: Biryani, Chicken
Hobbies: Cooking, listening to music, and watching movies.
Owen Focht
Owen Focht
Owen graduated from the University of Dayton in 2025 with his B.S. in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. He joined UC’s Department of Chemistry in the summer of that year and became a member of the lab group at the end of the year.
Book Recommendations: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Album Recommendations: Dawn FM - The Weeknd, In Rainbows - Radiohead, An Evening with Silk Sonic - Silk Sonic, and Bloom - Beach House
Movie/TV Recommendation: Interstellar (2014)
Favorite Food: Eggs
Hobbies: Running, lifting, listening to music, and playing video games
Undergraduate Students
Alena Dorning
Alena Dorning
Alena is currently a fourth year Biochemistry student at the University of Cincinnati. After exploring a couple different areas of research as an undergraduate, she joined the McLeod Lab at the beginning of her final year as an undergraduate. Alena has been accepted to the university's Chemistry PhD program, and is very excited to continue her education and research in the McLeod Lab! She is currently an ASTRO fellow for Spring 2026.
Book Recommendations: Metropolitan Life - Fran Lebowitz, Everything is Tuberculosis - John Green
Album Recommendations: Debut - Björk, Camera - Harri Stojka Express, The Low End Theory - A Tribe Called Quest, 3D Country - Geese
Movie/TV Recommendation: Phantom Thread (2017)
Favorite Food: Sushi
Hobbies: Listening to music, reading, cooking
Hansel Barre
Hansel Barre
Hansel Barre is an undergraduate researcher. He is particularly interested in how biochemical processes influence cellular function and broader biological outcomes. This experience supports his long-term goal of working at the intersection of biochemistry and human health. Hansel was awarded the Michelman Fellowship and is going to continuing working in the lab Summer 2026.
Book Recommendations: The Book of Disquiet ( Fernando Pessoa), I Am a Strange Loop (Douglas Hofstadter)
Album Recommendations: Human Clay (Creed), Wrong Side of Heaven (5FDP), Awake (Skillet), One-X (Three Days Grace)
Movie/TV Recommendation: Ex Machina (2014)
Favorite Food: Ice Cream
Hobbies: Lifting, Hiking, Biking, Cooking
Thao Nguyen
Thao Nguyen
Coming soon.
Support Staff
Martie (Matt)
Ranger (Matt)
Bowie (Owen)
Past Members
John A. Indergaard; Collaborator; 2022-2025 (currently: Research Support Specialist at Cornell High-Energy Synchrotron Source)
Siddhi Balamurali; Undergraduate thesis (Cornell University); 2022
Roosevelt (Ross) Lu; Undergraduate thesis (Cornell University); 2022
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