Colin is a recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University where he earned his doctorate and masters degrees in Chemistry. Colin wrote his doctoral thesis titled, “Strategies for Sequence-Specific Targeting & Delivery of γPNA in Human Cellular Systems.” Working under Head of Chemistry Dr. Bruce Armitage, Colin investigated novel methods for delivering a synthetic oligonucleotide called gamma-Peptide Nucleic Acid (γPNA) into cells as a means of treating rare genetic diseases and cancer. Additional collaborations with the University of Pittsburgh investigated how γPNA could be adapted to efficiently deliver into the mitochondria of human cells.
Throughout his studies at Carnegie Mellon, Colin served as a teaching assistant for the Department of Chemistry. Colin spent four semesters teaching Introduction to Modern Chemistry under Dr. Leonard Vuocolo and two semesters teaching Organic Chemistry I and II under Dr. Gloria Silva. Colin’s consistent dedication to his students earned him the Hugh D. Young Graduate Student Teaching Award in 2025, the Mellon College of Science’s highest teaching honor for graduate students.
Colin also holds a master’s degree in Secondary Education from the Citadel in Charleston, SC. His passion for teaching led him to a local Charleston county high school where he taught Honors biology to students. Colin was the recipient of the 2020 Colonel Charles E. Hirshey Award for his performance as a student and his promise as a future educator.
