Home » Daniel Ta

Daniel Ta

Daniel Ta

Education: 

Ph.D. Chemistry, Texas Christian University, 2024; B.S. Chemistry, Texas Christian University, 2019

From: Fort Worth, Texas

Joined David Lab: June 2024

Outside of lab: Reading, running, hiking, and cooking

Research in David Lab:

Design and synthesis of nucleoside analogs for inhibition of enzymes in the base excision repair pathway

Previous Research Experience:

Fascinated by the impact of organic chemistry and its potential to impact and improve the lives of others, Daniel obtained his Ph.D. from TCU (Go Frogs!) where he developed green, sustainable synthetic methods towards organic dyes with Prof. Sergei V. Dzyuba. He also spent time with Thermo Fisher Scientific developing cost-effective methods towards fluorescent labeled oligonucleotides. Daniel moved to Davis to expand proficiency as an organic chemist while working on discovering new and exciting insights in nature.

RSS Science Daily News

  • A 3-minute brainwave test could spot Alzheimer’s years before symptoms September 4, 2025
    Scientists at the University of Bath have developed a simple three-minute brainwave test called Fastball EEG that can detect memory problems years before Alzheimer’s is typically diagnosed. Unlike traditional memory tests, it passively records brain responses to images and has now been proven effective in people’s homes. With breakthrough Alzheimer’s drugs working best in early […]
  • Scientists watch an atomic nucleus flip in real time September 4, 2025
    Scientists at Delft University of Technology have managed to watch a single atomic nucleus flip its magnetic state in real time. Using a scanning tunneling microscope, they indirectly read the nucleus through its electrons, finding the nuclear spin surprisingly stable for several seconds. This “single-shot readout” breakthrough could pave the way for manipulating atomic-scale quantum […]
  • Fossil reveals a 310-million-year-old fish that ate with a hidden second jaw September 4, 2025
    Scientists uncovered a 310-million-year-old fish fossil with a “tongue bite,” teeth on the roof and floor of its mouth that worked like a second jaw. This adaptation, previously thought to have appeared much later, shows how fish rapidly experimented with new feeding strategies after mass extinction.
  • Scientists create biodegradable plastic stronger than PET September 4, 2025
    A Japanese research team successfully harnessed E. coli to produce PDCA, a strong, biodegradable plastic alternative. Their method avoids toxic byproducts and achieves record production levels, overcoming key roadblocks with creative fixes.
  • A tiny embryo fold changed the course of evolution September 4, 2025
    A small tissue fold in fly embryos, once thought purposeless, plays a vital role in stabilizing tissues. Researchers show that it absorbs stress during early development, and its position and timing likely shaped its evolutionary emergence.

Contact:

Dr. Sheila S. David
ssdavid@ucdavis.edu
(530)-752-4280

Department of Chemistry
One Shields Ave.
Davis, CA 95616