ESP Biography



GIOVANNI FORCINA, Stanford Biology graduate student



Major: Biology

College/Employer: Stanford

Year of Graduation: 2021

Picture of Giovanni Forcina

Brief Biographical Sketch:

My name is Giovanni and I am a forth year graduate student in the department of Biology, and a Chemistry Biology Interface ChEM-H predoctoral Fellow. I am interested in applying chemical tools to biological systems to better understand how cells work and how they can be manipulated. My research focus is at the intersection of cell death, sugar biology (glycobiology), and rare disease.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

B4860: Life from the Lifeless in Splash Spring 2016 (Apr. 09 - 10, 2016)
When we learn about biological chemistry, we tend to focus on the most abundant elements-- namely carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen amongst others. What often gets lost in this discussion is the 1% of trace elements, made up mostly of inorganic, lifeless metals. This course will provide a broad overview of the essential role of metals in biology, a field commonly known as bioinorganic chemistry.


B4564: Totally Radical Biology: The Biology and Chemistry of Oxygen in Splash Fall 2015 (Nov. 07 - 08, 2015)
Did you know that oxygen comprises only 21% of the air you breathe? Where did oxygen come from and how does it support life on earth? How are free radicals made from oxygen and why are they bad for you? In this course, we‘ll learn about the chemistry of oxygen and its role in biology. We’ll unleash the power of oxygen through explosive in-class demonstrations.


B4565: Navigating the Chaos of the Cell in Splash Fall 2015 (Nov. 07 - 08, 2015)
We like to think about cells in terms of a few parts-- nuclei, endoplasmic reticula, ribosomes, and so on. However, the reality of a cell is much more complex-- each cell is a jumbled mess of different biological molecules with nearly no free space. How do proteins find each other in this mess and how does the cell accomplish anything amidst the chaos? This course will explore how some basic physical and chemical knowledge can predict how a biological system behaves.


B4098: Evolution through Pokemon in Splash Spring 2015 (Apr. 11 - 12, 2015)
This course will provide a brief introduction to the concept of evolution and how it acts as a force to shape all life. All explanations and examples will be taught using Pokemon.


B4099: Funky Fungi of the Amazon in Splash Spring 2015 (Apr. 11 - 12, 2015)
Explore the microscopic world by examining some of the most varied and awesome creatures: fungi. In particular, we will look at fungi that live within plants that can also produce medically relevant natural products.


B3863: Funky Fungi of the Amazon in Splash Fall 2014 (Nov. 08 - 09, 2014)
Many of us think of fungi as mushrooms we sometimes eat. By the end of this course, you'll realize that these complex organisms represent tons of unexplored biology and chemistry that can even help fight diseases, like cancer. This course will be an introduction to basic fungal biology and natural products chemistry and its applications. *Bonus* there will be lots of pretty pictures of newly discovered fungi.