Steven is studying real-time physiological effects of O-GlcNAc in mammalian cells using photoprobes he designs and synthesizes. He is also developing assays to monitor cell metabolism in real-time, as well as evaluating reagents for bioorthogonal synthesis reactions in the presence of live cells!
What excites him as a scientist: The idea that there will always be something new to discover!
Professional email: steven.balboa@wayne.edu
Papers:
“Robust Rapid Cellular Metabolite Sensing Using Benchtop NMR and SABRE-Hyperpolarized [1-13C]Pyruvate.” Joseph Gyesi, Patrick TomHon, Abubakar Abdurraheem, Anna Samoilenko, Sydney Scofield, Clementinah Oladun, Stephen McBride, Erica Curran, Megan Pike, Kamal Kadari, Sydney D Welch, Sam Lipka, Steven Balboa, Charlie Fehl, Marianna Sadagurski, Jan-Bernd Hövener, Thomas Theis, Boyd M Goodson, and Eduard Y Chekmenev. Analytical Chemistry (2026) 98:8051–8059. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5c05076
“Selective Liquid–Liquid Extraction of Thorium(IV) from Rare-Earth Element Mixtures.” Wyatt B Larrinaga, Bailey J Lake, Victoria D Pacanowski, Michael G Patterson, Michael Hudson, Faith M Carlson, Gabriel Heselschwerdt, Steven Balboa, Shannon M Biros, and Eric J Werner. Inorganic Chemistry (2024) 63:13815–13819. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c01240
Awards:
Departmental citation for excellence in teaching service
CGRS Poster Award
WSU Chemistry Organic Division Excellence in Graduate Research and Teaching
Dr. Cal Stevens Memorial Scholarship
Presentations: Midwest Carbohydrate and Glycobiology Symposium Poster Presentation 2025, BASF Research Forum Poster Presentation 2025, Hope Schaap Symposium Poster Presentation 2025, Midwest Carbohydrate and Glycobiology Symposium Poster Presentation 2024, Midwest Carbohydrate and Glycobiology Symposium Poster Presentation 2023