Enrico is a second-year PhD student working jointly in the labs of Drs. Neville Bethel and Alex Guseman in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, along with his co-mentor, Dr. Rommie Amaro in the Molecular Biology Department. A Los Angeles native, he earned his B.S. in Biochemistry from UCLA, where he characterized small molecules that modulate mitochondrial protein localization. His current research integrates de novo protein design with molecular simulations to engineer "designer lectins" with improved capabilities for recognizing specific glycans, expanding the toolkit for glycobiology research while elucidating the biophysical basis of glycan recognition. Outside the lab, Enrico competes in powerlifting meets, experiments with new recipes in the kitchen, and studies foreign languages.