Meet our team!
Principal Investigator & Assistant Professor in Physical Chemistry
I’m a physical chemist/chemical biologist from Canada. I completed my Ph.D. in supramolecular chemistry and single-molecule fluorescence at McGill University in 2021 with Prof. Hanadi Sleiman & Prof. Gonzalo Cosa. From 2021-2025, I was a Herchel Smith Postdoctoral Fellow in Biophysics at the University of Cambridge, where I developed single-molecule nanopore assays to detect pathogenic RNAs in the group of Prof. Ulrich Keyser. Outside of the lab, I run long distance, practice yoga, host dinner parties, and am an avid hiker and traveller. Otherwise, you can find me curled up with a book and a cup of coffee.
Dr. Max Earle
Research Ireland Postdoctoral Fellow
I’m a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Platnich lab where my work focuses on using solid-state nanopore sensing to assess the quality of synthetic mRNAs. I previously held a postdoctoral position at Imperial College London where I worked on miniaturisation of DNA reactions and before that, completed my Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge, developing techniques for robust DNA data storage. Outside the lab, my interests currently centre around reading, coffee, hobbyist electronics and propping up the bar. A reward will be issued for tips resulting in the apprehension of the best cup of coffee in Dublin.
Hanna Grothe
Ph.D. Candidate
I’m originally from Berlin, where I studied Biotechnology and Bioinformatics. For my Master’s, I shifted towards Molecular Medicine and moved to Switzerland to study at ETH Zurich, where I worked on a biosensing project in neuroscience. Along the way, I’ve also spent time in industry and the Swiss startup ecosystem. My research interests focus on micro- and nanoscale biotechnologies, especially in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. Outside of the lab, I enjoy hiking, reading, and baking, and I could probably live entirely on chocolate.
Surabi Naidu
Ph.D. Candidate
I'm from the SF Bay Area, California. I discovered my love for Ireland and specifically Irish poetry at Baylor University, where I studied Biochemistry and English. I completed my MSc in Science and Health Communication at DCU on a Rotary Global Grant, where I researched the communications of Irish women’s organisations on matters of sexual, maternal, and reproductive health. After returning to the US, I worked both in academia and the SF biotech industry. My research interests concentrate on building bioanalytical sensing platforms for the study of nucleic acids. When I'm not in lab, I love reading, swimming in the ocean, and skiing
PLATNICH lab alumni
Visiting students:
Tom Lange (Summer 2026, Erasmus Master’s student)
Undergraduate summer students:
John Kinirons (Summer 2026)
Matthew Murlidar (Summer 2026)