Personal Statements. Please see each section for all candidate statements and CVs.
Secretary and Newsletter Editor (vote for 1)
For Student Member (vote for 1)
For Member-at-Large, Member Residing Outside the USA (vote for 1)
For Member-at-Large, Academic (vote for 2)
For Chair-Elect (vote for 1): CVs – Chair-Elect Position 2025
Kamil Godula, PhD
Dear CARB Division Executive Committee and fellow members,
I am writing to express my interest in seeking nomination for the position of Chair-Elect of the ACS Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Chemical Glycobiology (CARB). Over the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of serving our community as CARB Division Secretary and Program Chair. These roles have been deeply meaningful, allowing me to connect with many of you, especially during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, and collaborate with the Executive Committee (EC) and our members to develop exciting and impactful programming at ACS national meetings.
As CARB Division Secretary, I’ve worked closely with our Division Chairs and the EC to support membership growth and enhance our scientific programming, integrating carbohydrate chemistry and chemical glycobiology into the broader chemical and biological sciences. One of the most rewarding aspects of this work has been mentoring and promoting junior colleagues, whether through visibility and networking opportunities like the Young Glycoscience Investigators Symposium (co-organized with Professor Hien Nguyen at the 2024 ACS Fall Meeting in Denver), award nominations, or highlighting their research in our divisional newsletters.
The CARB Division has played a vital role in my own professional development, welcoming me into its community when I transitioned into glycoscience research following my training in synthetic organic chemistry at Columbia University and postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. I have benefited greatly from the support of the CARB community as I established my independent research program at the University of California, San Diego, where I currently serve as Professor and Vice Chair for Graduate Education in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. My research centers on the development of synthetic glycomimetics and cell-surface engineering strategies to explore glycan-mediated processes in development and viral pathogenesis.
As Co-Director of the UCSD Glycobiology Research and Training Center, I’ve been committed to advancing education and training in glycoscience. This includes developing an undergraduate Introduction to Glycoscience course – now enrolling over 150 undergraduate students annually – to introduce glycans early in scientific education and broaden their integration into biomedical research. As the Co-Director of the NIH K12 UCSD Biomedical Scientist Career Development Program and as the National Coordinator for the NIH Consortium for Career Development in Glycoscience, I’ve enjoyed working with CARB colleagues and beyond to promote our field. I plan to continue strengthening ties with sister glycoscience societies and professional organizations (e.g., SFG, AGS, GlycoNet, JCGG, JSCR, IGO, EGC, and others) through collaborative programming and networking.
Looking ahead, I believe CARB will play a pivotal role as glycans are reintegrated into mainstream science and leveraged in emerging technologies and industrial applications. Deepening our engagement with industry will be essential, and as Chair-Elect, I aim to expand our industrial partnerships and grow their presence within the Division. I am excited about the opportunity to continue serving our vibrant community and would be honored to contribute as the next Chair-Elect of the CARB Division.
Zhongwu Guo, PhD
I am honored and grateful for being considered as Chair-Elect of the ACS CARB Division. I look forward to the opportunity to serve the community and apply my management and leadership experiences and skills to advancing the Division’s mission and promoting its prominence. My academic career working on diverse projects and serving different roles in the Division and other professional functions has equipped me with awareness of various aspects of carbohydrate research and the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration. If elected, I am committed to the promotion of chemical education and will strive to increase and diversify the Division’s membership, including boosting the enrollment of students and junior colleagues from both academia and industries. I will enhance communication with other ACS divisions and organizations to build and foster more cooperative relationships, including planning joint and appealing meetings or programs to stimulate participation. In brief, I will faithfully and enthusiastically represent the Division, continue the excellent work of the executive committee, and execute the Division’s visions, thereby embracing a vibrant and inclusive community and expanding the legacy of ACS Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry & Chemical Glycobiology.
Hien Nguyen, PhD
Hien Nguyen is the Carl Johnson Endowed Chair Professor in the Chemistry Department at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. His research focuses on drug discovery, medicinal chemistry, glycobiology, organic chemistry, and computational chemistry. His group aims to develop small carbohydrate molecules aimed at targeting multiple myeloma, pancreatic cancer, metastatic breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and glioblastoma. In addition to cancer research, his group investigates vaccine adjuvants that show potential for enhancing the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy. His group also explores heparan sulfate mimetics to prevent tau-induced toxicity associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, his team is working on the development of new catalytic glycosylation methods using small-molecule phenanthroline catalysts. His research is funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Hien is actively engaged with the glycosciences community. He has organized many symposia at the ACS national meetings. In addition, he has organized the Young Glycosciences Investigators Symposium at ACS meetings and at the international meeting in Shanghai to promote the visibility of young glycoscientists. By mentoring young scientists, he is investing in the next generation of glycosciences researchers. Firmly rooted in his foundation of support since beginning his graduate studies, Hien is passionate about nurturing future talent and contributing to the glycosciences community.
For Secretary and Newsletter Editor (vote for 1): CVs – Secretary 2025
Jim Janetka, PhD
Submitted by Steven Sucheck: As Past Chair of the ACS Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry (CARB) and former Secretary/Newsletter Editor, I am honored to nominate Professor James W. Janetka for the position of Secretary and Newsletter Editor for the Division. Professor Janetka’s distinguished record of scholarship, service, and leadership make him exceptionally well suited to carry forward CARB’s mission.
Professor Janetka is a Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics and Molecular Microbiology at Washington University St. Louis School of Medicine with more than three decades of experience in medicinal chemistry, drug discovery, and carbohydrate-based therapeutic design. His laboratory is internationally recognized for work on glycomimetics, peptidomimetics, and protease inhibitors, with numerous NIH-funded projects and strong ties to the ACS CARB community
He has organized and co-organized high-impact scientific meetings, including the Midwest Carbohydrate and Glycobiology Symposium and multiple ACS National Meeting sessions, experience directly relevant to managing communications, elections, and newsletters.
Professor Janetka currently serves on the ACS CARB Division Executive Council as Industry Member-at-Large and brings extensive administrative experience from his leadership roles at Washington University. These experiences have honed the organizational, communication, and record-keeping skills essential for the Secretary position, from maintaining accurate minutes to coordinating election ballots and producing high-quality newsletters.
He is also deeply committed to mentorship and training. Having organized national and regional symposia and served as an invited speaker worldwide, he understands the needs of symposium organizers and is well prepared to be trained as the next Program Chair for ACS National Meetings. His vision for the CARB newsletter includes highlighting member accomplishments, showcasing emerging research, and strengthening our network across academia, industry, and government labs.
It is with great enthusiasm and confidence that I submit this nomination of Professor James W. Janetka for Secretary and Newsletter Editor of ACS CARB. His expertise, dedication, and collaborative spirit will help sustain and advance the Division’s impact over the next two years.
Prof. Steven Sucheck / Past Chair, ACS Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry / Former Secretary & Newsletter Editor
Jia Niu, PhD
I am humbly asking for your support that could allow me to serve as ACS CARB Executive Secretary to facilitate the division’s operations and future conference programming. As a Member-at-Large in the past two years, I participated in the leadership activities of the executive committee, and helped organize glycomaterials symposia at the 2025 Spring ACS Meeting and Pacifichem. These glycoscience symposia become premier opportunities to advance the intersection of glycoscience and materials science, and strengthen the visibility of our division across disciplines. My experiences in event organization underscored the importance of effective and transparent communication, as well as strong scientific programming, all of which are central to the Secretary role. I look forward to contributing to the division’s continuity while preparing to take on the responsibilities of Program Chair.
Hao Xu, PhD
I very much appreciate the friends and mentors in the ACS CARB Division. Without you, it would be impossible for me to start my adventure into Glycoscience and Carbohydrate Chemistry. Trained as a synthetic organic chemist (by Professors K. C. Nicolaou and Eric Jacobsen), I am interested in discovery of general and selective catalytic reactions that can precisely functionalize both readily available feedstocks and complex molecules. One of our research foci is to develop iron-catalyzed, nitrogen atom transfer methods for stereoselective hydrocarbon functionalization, including olefin aminohydroxylation, aminofluorination, and diazidation–diamination reactions. By exploring the new reactivity that significantly departs from the established ones in iron catalysis, my research team has been developing a range of catalytic methods that are valuable for synthetic chemistry and chemical biology.
We have also expanded the iron catalysis program to address the emerging challenges in glycosciences. Recently, we have developed an array of iron-catalyzed, highly stereoselective glycosylation methods that are effective for a broad range of substrates with consistently high stereoselectivity, such as entirely 1,2-cis-selective glycal aminoglycosylation and highly stereospecific glycosylation with glycal epoxides. I hope that members in the ACS CARB Division will find these new tools helpful for your research.
I have been an avid participant in the GRC Carbohydrate for the past 10 years and one of the organizers for the annual New England Carbohydrate Chemistry Meeting this year. So I am quite familiar with the CARB community. In addition, I have had extensive service experiences in the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry, as well as at Brandeis U and Georgia State U. These valuable experiences will facilitate my service at CARB Division. So, I look forward to serving as the division secretary and contributing back to this nurturing community.
For Student Member (vote for 1): CVs – Student Member 2025
Shumin Bao, Georgia State University
Shumin Bao is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemistry at Georgia State University. Her research focuses on the chemoenzymatic synthesis of complex mammalian glycans and the elucidation of their biological functions through glycan–protein interactions. Over the past three years, she has developed efficient enzymatic strategies for constructing rare O-glycan cores, human milk oligosaccharides, and site-selectively I-branched poly-N-acetyllactosamine chains. Her three first-author publications in Angewandte Chemie International Edition and Chemical Science have provided powerful tools and new insights into the roles of glycans in neonatal health and immune regulation.
Shumin is an active member of the ACS CARB Division, where she has presented her work at national meetings and received the Best Poster Award at the Fall 2025 CARB Symposium. Beyond research, she mentors junior graduate students and advocates for engagement in carbohydrate chemistry.
As a student representative on the ACS CARB Member-at-Large Committee, she aims to strengthen communication between student members and division leadership, enhance CARB’s visibility among emerging scientists, and promote broader students participation in the carbohydrate chemistry community.
Simone Duran-Nyers, Brown University
Submitted by Prof. Megan Kizer: I am delighted to nominate Simone Duran-Nyers for the position of ACS CARB Division Student Member-at-Large. Simone is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the Chemistry department at Brown University, and is a member of my research group. I first met Simone through Brown’s recruiting efforts at the 2022 ACS Spring Meeting, and since joining my lab, she has become an outstanding contributor to both our research and the broader carbohydrate community.
Simone’s graduate research focuses on the isolation and characterization of sulfated polysaccharides from marine sponges and their potential therapeutic applications in cancer and immunology. Complementing this effort, she is also investigating glycosylation changes in endometrial cancer, aiming to connect disease progression and treatment efficacy with distinct glycophenotypes. This dual focus reflects Simone’s creativity and her ability to bridge the chemical and biological dimensions of glycoscience. Within my lab, Simone has also been instrumental in introducing key glycoscience methods and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among students. Beyond her research, Simone has been an active and visible member of the carbohydrate community. She presented her preliminary findings on marine sponge polysaccharides at the 2025 Carbohydrate GRC/GRS, where she was subsequently nominated to co-chair the 2027 Carbohydrate GRS.
In the role of Student Member-at-Large, Simone would bring strong communication and organizational skills, scientific rigor, and a genuine passion for community building. She is deeply committed to advancing carbohydrate research and supporting fellow scientists, especially trainees entering this dynamic field. I am confident that Simone would both contribute meaningfully to the CARB Division and grow as a leader through this service opportunity.
Simone embodies the curiosity, leadership, and collaborative spirit that define the CARB community; she has great potential to become a future leader in the field. I wholeheartedly endorse her for this role, and am certain that the division will benefit greatly from her contributions.
For Member, Member Residing Outside the USA (vote for 1): CVs- International
Gavin J. Miller, PhD (University of Manchester, United Kingdom)
GJM has made national and international contributions to the carbohydrate community. GJM is past-Chair of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Carbohydrate Interest Group and was Chair 2021-2023 and Secretary 2019-20. He is a current elected member of the RSC Chemical Biology Interface Community council and in 2023 joined the RSC Chemistry Biology Interface Prize Committee. In 2023 GJM guest edited a special issue of Carbohydrate Research, focused on articles written by Early Career Researchers – Early Career Researchers in Glycoscience [sciencedirect.com]. GJM helped co-found the European Glycoscience Community (EGC), a pan-European Glycoscience network and in October 2023 the European Chemical Society (EUChemS) inaugurated a Division of Glycoscience (https://www.euchems.eu/divisions/division-of-glycoscience/ [euchems.eu]) based on the community work of the EGC. GJM has been a member of the ACS since 2010.
Billy Ng, PhD (Chinese University of Hong Kong)
Billy Ng (CUHK) completed his postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School / Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of Oxford (mentor: Ben Davis), following his Ph.D. and B.Sc. in Chemistry from CUHK. During his graduate studies, he was also a Fulbright Scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with Prof. Stephan Buchwald. He was recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and received the Academic Young Investigator Award from the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry. He is currently an associate professor at the School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK.
Professor Ng’s research interests are carbohydrate chemistry, chemical biology, and drug discovery. He has co-authored more than 30 papers in prestigious journals such as Science, Nature Chemical Biology, Molecular Cell, J. Am. Chem. Soc., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., and ACS Central Science. His research has been funded by diverse sources, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, US National Academy of Medicine (NAM), the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF), and Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong.
Suitability for the position. Professor Ng has been a member of ACS CARB Division since 2018. He serves as an ad hoc grant reviewer for European Research Council (ERC) and Alzheimer’s Association, and also a reviewer for more than 40 journals including Science Translational Medicine, Nature Chemical Biology, Nature Biotechnology, and Nature Communications. He is passionate about mentoring the next generation of scientists – over the past 6 years, he has mentored >30 junior researchers, with a female to male ratio of ~1:1. Some of his trainees have been recognized by esteemed scholarships/fellowships, such as the Croucher Scholarship, Hong Kong PhD fellowship, and the RGC Postdoctoral Fellowship.
For Awards (vote for 1): CVs – Awards 2025
Steven Townsend, PhD
I am running for a position on the awards committee to help support the growth and visibility of the division. I recognize the importance of upholding the standards and processes for determining awardees and aim to ensure that divisional awards are given in a transparent manner. While awards can often turn into “beauty prizes”, my goal is to ensure that a wide range candidates (based on disciple and university) are evaluated every year. This action will expand the talent pool and elevate each award to greater heights. Perhaps most important, it is my goal to help the division develop the next generation of leaders by identifying talented glycol-scientists who are dedicated to the divisions mission.
For Member-at-Large, Academic (vote for 2): CVs – Member-At-Large Academic 2025
Lei Li, PhD
Dr. Lei Li is an Assistant Professor and the Associate Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Chemistry at Georgia State University. His research focuses on chemoenzymatic synthesis of complex carbohydrates and glycoconjugates as well as exploring their functions and applications. Over the past decade, he has contributed significantly to developing new strategies to streamline the synthesis of O-glycans, N-glycans, complex human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) glycosides, and others.
Dr. Li has been an active member of the ACS CARB Division since 2020. He has contributed to the community through service as a grant reviewer for agencies such as ORAU (Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award) and the UK Medical Research Council. He also reviewed over 60 journal papers in the past five years, including JACS, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, ACS Catalysis, Nature Protocols, etc. As Associate Director of Graduate Studies in Chemistry, Dr. Li is deeply engaged in mentoring and training the next generation of scientists, especially in carbohydrate chemistry and Glycoscience.
If elected as an academic member of the ACS CARB Member-at-Large committee, he will strengthen connections between CARB members and leadership; actively serve on the Executive Committee; help to recruit members and improve member satisfaction. He is committed to enhancing CARB’s presence across the broader scientific community.
Carlos Sanhueza, PhD
My commitment to carbohydrate chemistry and the American Chemical Society is defined by both my scientific dedication and my active engagement in organizational leadership. As an Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at St. John’s University, my research focuses on carbohydrate chemistry, a dedication that aligns with the mission of the ACS Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Chemical Glycobiology. I have been a proud member of the ACS and this division since 2018. My involvement has extended beyond membership to dedicated service at the local level. I am honored to serve as the 2025 Chair of the ACS Long Island Subsection, where my focus has been on driving member engagement, professional development, and scientific divulgation. Furthermore, as Chair of Chemagination for the ACS New York Subsection, I actively work to foster excitement for chemistry among high school students, building the pipeline for the next generation of scientists. This experience has equipped me with skills in strategic planning, event management, and team leadership, abilities I am prepared to leverage for the Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Chemical Glycobiology. I am eager to translate my passion for glycoscience and my track record of effective ACS leadership into a valuable contribution at the divisional level. I look forward to the opportunity to serve and help shape the future direction of the Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Chemical Glycobiology.