Spring 2025 chemistry graduate sets sights on doctoral degree
Jenny Nguyen’s passion for chemistry started in eighth grade, grew in high school and this spring culminated with her earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from The University of Texas at Arlington.
But Nguyen is far from finished with her educational journey in chemistry. She has been accepted to the College of Science’s Ph.D. program in chemistry and will begin doctoral studies this fall under the supervision of He Dong, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry.
Nguyen plans to focus on peptide research and drug delivery systems in Dong’s lab, where she got her start in research in spring 2023.
“I had previously taken an Organic Chemistry I class with Dr. Dong and was drawn to her research on peptide nanofibers for drug discovery and delivery, a topic that deeply aligns with my interests,” Nguyen said.
As a research assistant in Dr. Dong’s lab, she supported graduate students with various experimental techniques, from amino acid and peptide synthesis, chromatography purification to structural analysis and antimicrobial assay.
“These experiences have greatly enhanced my laboratory skills and provided valuable opportunities to develop my communication and presentation abilities,” she said.
Her undergraduate research experience also provided her with the opportunity to become a published author. She has co-authored two peer-reviewed publications — in Chemistry: A European Journal and Biomacromolecules — and is a co-author of a third manuscript which is under review.
“Jenny is a good example that through hard work, resilience, and patience, one can make a meaningful difference in their career and lives,” Dong said. “Since joining my lab, Jenny has been working on the discovery of functional peptides for antimicrobial therapy development. The project requires multiple skillsets across several scientific disciplines.
“My own experience is that it takes tremendous efforts for undergraduate students to get over the learning barrier to be able to independently carry out experiments. What impressed me is that Jenny is always positive and patient in setting up realistic goals and working toward them. I see her deep enthusiasm for learning science as shown by the number of hours she worked in the lab while taking many classes during the semester. Jenny has exceeded my expectations constantly on learning experimental techniques and analyzing scientific results.”
Nguyen was born in Vietnam and moved with her family to Texas as a child. She attended Arlington High School, and it was there that her AP Chemistry teacher inspired her to further pursue the subject.
“He demonstrated how chemistry is used in real-world applications and how it plays a critical role in solving complex problems,” Nguyen said. “I have always loved science, and chemistry appealed to me as it integrates concepts from multiple scientific disciplines.”
When it came time to choose a university, Nguyen said UTA stood out.
“I chose to attend UTA because of its strong research environment, especially in health science related areas,” she said. “After researching various institutions in the North Texas area, I found that UTA had one of the most active and well-respected research programs. Additionally, being close to home made it the ideal choice for me.”
During her sophomore year at UTA, Nguyen joined the Chemistry & Biochemistry Society student organization and worked as a tutor in the AVID program at Arlington Seguin High School. AVID is a college-readiness support system that prepares students for college eligibility and success.
After getting involved in undergraduate research during her junior year, Nguyen presented her results at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) 2025 Annual Meeting in Chicago, the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) 2025 in Pittsburgh, and the ACS D-FW 2025 Meeting in Miniature, as well as the College of Science’s Discover Student Research Symposium and the UTA Chemistry & Biochemistry Society Symposium each of the past two years.
She also participated in the UTA I-Engage Mentoring Program in 2024 and the UTA Undergraduate Research Assistant Program (UGRAP) in 2025. The I-Engage program brings graduate and undergraduate students together for a summer-long research experience, and exposes undergraduates to cutting-edge research in their field. UGRAP enables transformative learning through research by engaging students with innovative faculty, professional communities, professional development, and their developing identities as leaders.
During her undergraduate career she received the UTA Partnership for Research and Education in Materials (PREM) scholarship and the Undergraduate Research Award from the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
Now she’ll be continuing her research and furthering her education in the field she loves, with the goal of helping to develop better drug delivery systems for treatment of a variety of diseases.
“I look forward to continuing my work in Dr. Dong’s lab, with a focus on peptide research and drug delivery systems,” she said.
--
The UTA College of Science, a Carnegie R1 research institution, is preparing the next generation of leaders in science through innovative education and hands-on research and offers programs in Biology, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Data Science, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Health Professions, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology. To support educational and research efforts visit the giving page, or if you're a prospective student interested in beginning your #MaverickScience journey visit our future students page.