Hometown: Dumasua-Brong Region of Ghana
Faculty mentor: Dave Martin, PhD, associate professor, Department of Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Degree program and anticipated graduation date: PhD in chemistry, December 2026

Emmanuel Yeboah Bonsu investigates a family of compounds called limonoids, that are present in nature and shown to protect against a type of neurodegeneration. Bonsu is developing methods to reproduce four limonoid compounds and similar non-natural chemicals to investigate how they protect nerve cells. He is collaborating with Jonathan Doorn, professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics in the College of Pharmacy, to assess how model cell lines respond to these compounds. Bonsu’s research aims to better understand neurodegeneration and develop new molecules to treat neurodegenerative diseases, which affect an estimated 55 million Americans.

After graduation, Bonsu hopes to work in the pharmaceutical industry and establish an organization to help underprivileged individuals achieve their life goals.

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