Prof. Socrates B. Munoz

Principal Investigator

After finishing is undergraduate degree in pharmaceutical chemistry and biology in the University of Guadalajara, Mexico, Prof. Socrates B. Munoz continued his PhD studies in chemistry at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles under the supervision of Prof. G. K. Surya Prakash and Prof. George A. Olah, where he concluded in 2015. He then continued his postdoctoral studies at the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute at USC as an Anton B. Burg fellow until 2019. Following this experience, Dr. Munoz then joined the laboratory of Prof. Gregory C. Fu at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) as a Postdoctoral Fellow from 2019-2021.

In August 2021, after an enriching industry experience at Provivi Inc., (Dr. Pedro Coelho and Prof. Frances Arnold’s company) he then started his independent career and joined the Department of Chemistry at Kansas State University as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry. Research at his laboratory lies at the intersection of synthetic organic, organometallic chemistry and catalysis. He devotes special attention to the development of new synthetic methods and new reagents to enable the synthesis of new molecules for human health, agrochemistry, materials science and energy storage.

Research at the laboratory of Prof. Munoz is driven by Da Vinci’s motto:

“Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication”

Thus, his group strives to develop synthetic methods that enjoy practicality, efficiency, are cost-effective and are ultimately amenable for real-life applications.

Education and Professional Appointment

2021-Present
Assistant Professor; Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.
2021- 2021 (Apr-Aug)
Process Chemistry Research Scientist, Provivi Inc., Santa Monica, CA.
2019-2021
Postdoctoral Scholar, California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA.
(Advisor: Prof. Gregory C. Fu)
2015-2019
Anton B. Burg Postdoctoral and Teaching Fellow, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. (Advisor: Prof. G.K. Surya Prakash)
2010-2015
Ph.D. Organic Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. (Mentors: G.K. Surya Prakash and George A. Olah)
2005-2009
B.S. Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Biology, University of Guadalajara, Mexico.

Aanya Jindal

Aanya earned her Bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a minor in Physics and Mathematics (which explains why she’s a big fan of Srinivasa Ramanujan) from Panjab University, Chandigarh, India in 2019. After this, she pursued a Masters in Chemistry from IIT Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India doing research focused on Synthesis of heterocycles using Photoredox catalysis. She concluded her MSc Degree in 2022. In the fall of 2023 she then joined the PowerCat Lab @  K-State where she is currently working on catalytic transformations of carboxylic acids and organofluorine chemistry, developing new reactions and reagents. She is also actively engaged in phororedox catalysis and mechanistic investigations. Her interests outside of chemistry include hiking, drawing, dancing, reading philosophy to pacify her mind and get new chemistry ideas. Welcome to the PowerCat Lab Aanya!!!

laxman lamichhane

Laxman earned is MSc degree in chemistry from Tribhuvan University in Nepal with specialization in Organic Chemistry. He concluded his MSc degree in the summer of 2023 and came to K-State in the fall of 2023, to finally join the Munoz PowerCat Lab @  K-State in Dec 2023. Laxman is currently working in SO2 and fluorine chemistry, developing novel reagents for fluorosulfonylation. In addition, he is also actively engaged in achieving challenging transformations through mechanochemistry. Welcome to the PowerCat Lab Laxman!!!

Dr. MD Nirshad Alam

​Chemistry Ph.D – CSIR- National Chemical Laboratory, India

Nirshad, is the great, great, great grandson of the Mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan, born in West Bengal, India. He obtained his B.Sc and M.Sc in organic chemistry from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. In 2022, he superbly defended his Ph.D. in synthetic methodology from CSIR-NCL Pune, India under the supervision of Prof. Pradip Maity. Nirshad enjoys purifying the toughest mixtures of organic compounds and is famous for his superb ability to purify the lowest-boiling liquids without losing anything during evaporation. His expertise on asymmetric synthesis and stereoselective molecular rearrangements will undoubtedly prove valuable to our group. In Dec 2022, Nirshad joined the PowerCat Lab at K-State. He is currently working on exploring new investigative avenues in organofluorine chemistry and C-C and C-X bond-forming reactions using catalyst based of first-row earth-abundant transition metals (Cu, Ni, Co and Fe). In his spare time, he enjoys playing cricket, hanging out with friends. Nirshad is a huge fan of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and also enjoys fishing for novel chemical transformations. Welcome to the PowerCat Lab Nirshad!!!

Luis De la Cruz Morales

Medical biochemistry undergraduate

Nicholas Edwards

​Biochemical Engineering undergraduate

Jackson Meyer

Biology – pre-med Undergraduate at K-state

Jackson joined the PowerCat Lab in the Fall of 2023 to grow the skills and techniques learned in his organic chemistry classes here at K-State.  He is interested in developing new synthetic methodologies toward organic bioactive compounds. He is passionate about medical innovation, and he is currently working alongside graduate students and postdocs developing new reactions that could be used to improve how molecules for human health are made. Outside of school, he likes watching movies, running, playing chess, and spending time with friends.

Daja Cooker

Chemistry Science Undergraduate

Daja Coker graduated from K-state in Summer 2021. Her Senior Thesis involved the development of Nickel-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions for the synthesis of difluoroalkylated compounds. 

Daja currently holds a research scientist position at Pfizer. Congratulations Daja!

Julia Helt

​Medical Laboratory Science Undergraduate

Julia is a sophomore in Medical Laboratory Science. She has always said that she wants to “help find new ways to treat and cure diseases”. In her career she will help doctors diagnose patients by analyzing and evaluating samples from the patient. She is passionate about her major, and excited to be a part of impacting someone’s health journey. In the laboratory of Dr. Munoz, she is currently working in the synthesis of organofluorine compounds for medicinal applications.

Outside of school, Julia is an active member of Reformed University Fellowship, a student ministry group on K-State’s campus. In her free time, of which there is little, she spends time with her fiancé and friends, usually doing something outside.

daniel j. hubin

Bsc chemistry major 

Daniel joined the PowerCat Lab in the summer of 2022 after receiving the ACS Division of Division of Organic Chemistry Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) award which offers funding for research and networking with industry leaders. Daniel presented his research in a poster session at Pfizer HQ in Groton, CT in the spring of 2023.  Shortly after, Daniel took an internship at ETH in Zurich, working with Professor Dr. Roger Schibli’s in radiopharmaceutical imaging . After this experience, Daniel returned to K-State and continued his research at the PowerCat Lab for the spring 2023 semester. In the summer of ’23 he graduated from KSU with my B.S. in chemistry. Daniel is now pursuing his PhD in Chemistry at University of Missouri (Mizzou) since the fall of 2023.

Congratulations Dan!!! All the best in your future endeavors.

Morgan l. haynes

moissan surf award (2022) – acs Division of fluorine chemistry

Morgan spent a summer of very productive research in 2022 as part of the Moissan SURF award by the ACS Division of Fluorine Chemistry. Morgan worked on the development of a new method for the synthesis of difluoroketones and she presented her work at the 2023 ACS Winter Fluorine Conference in Clearwater Beach, FL. Left: Morgan explaining her research to Prof. Lukas J. Gooßen during the poster session.