Welcome Dr. Marta Overchuk
The Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics is pleased to welcome Dr. Marta Overchuk as its newest tenure-track Assistant Professor.
Dr. Overchuk’s research operates at the intersection of translational cancer photomedicine, lipid metabolism and nanotechnology. She looks forward to combining the department’s established leadership in drug delivery with the exceptionally strong campus-wide expertise in metabolism.
Dr. Overchuk earned her B.S. with honors in biology from the Department of Biochemistry, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (Ukraine), where her passion for biophotonics first took root. She went on to complete her PhD in biomedical engineering at the University of Toronto (Canada) under the mentorship of Professor Gang Zheng, a renowned expert in photoactive nanomedicine, and Professor Brian Wilson, a pioneer in biophotonics. Driven to advance light-based cancer therapies, she joined the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2022 as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Imran Rizvi, carving out a niche focused on photodynamic therapy, cancer lipid and redox homeostasis.
Dr. Overchuk is a recipient of an NIH-NCI K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award, and several other scholarships and awards including a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the American Cancer Society, a Carolina Cancer Nanotech Pilot Grant, a Postdoctoral Award for Research Excellence (PARE) awarded to the top 5 postdoctoral fellows at UNC, ACS Editors' Choice Article, and Women in Molecular Imaging Award. Having authored or co-authored over 30 publications, Dr. Overchuk also brings strong teaching experience from BME programs alongside advanced training in academic leadership and mentorship.
Dr. Overchuk looks forward to building a vibrant, collaborative research group at the University of Utah focused on advancing translational photo- and nanomedicine. She believes that great science is best done in great company, bringing together curious minds from all walks of life to collaborate, think differently, and solve complex problems. Her goal is to foster an environment where curious minds feel empowered to push boundaries, challenge convention, and show up as their authentic selves. Outside the lab, she looks forward to settling into Utah with her husband and their two beloved cats, exploring the state’s stunning national parks, and eventually welcoming a White Swiss Shepherd to join in on the adventure.
Please visit overchuklab.com to learn more about her research program and lab culture.
