WKU News

When asked why he chose biochemistry, Brayden Gross doesn’t hesitate: “I like chemistry. I like biology. But when my classes skipped over how the chemistry drives the biology, I always wanted more. Biochemistry gives me that whole experience.”

Brayden, a native of Somerset, Kentucky, came to WKU with a clear purpose: prepare for medical school. His academic path has been anything but typical. After leaving behind sports and close friends to attend The Gatton Academy, he accelerated into college coursework two years early. “It was probably the hardest decision I’ve ever made,” he reflected. “But in the end, it was the right one. It put me ahead academically and financially.”

Today, Brayden’s work in the lab demonstrates exactly why he thrives at the intersection of disciplines. His research focuses on developing copper nanoparticles—so small that thousands could fit across the width of a human hair—and combining them with methylene blue, a dye that reacts to red light. The light triggers the production of unstable molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS), which act like chemical “bulldozers,” breaking down bacteria.

On its own, methylene blue doesn’t produce enough of these bulldozers to be effective. But paired with copper nanoparticles, the effect multiplies. The long-term goal, Brayden explains, is to use this discovery to reduce dangerous infections during prosthetic joint surgeries. “If we can treat the prosthetic or wound area with this material, we can limit the chance of infection,” he said.

The road to research wasn’t simple. After a year and a half in a previous lab that never allowed him to truly get started, Brayden almost gave up. Then, through a chance conversation in the tutoring center, he was introduced to Dr. Ali Oguz Er’s lab. “He wasn’t just telling me what to do; he was collaborating with me,” Brayden shared. “I even pitched switching from gold to copper nanoparticles because copper is cheaper and less toxic. He backed me the whole way.”

When he’s not running laser experiments or testing bacteria samples, Brayden can usually be found in WKU’s Chemistry and Physics Tutoring Center. He describes tutoring as both a passion and a challenge: “My friends say I have a spreadsheet brain. I can break things down step by step, but I have to explain it in 17 different ways before it clicks for someone else. That’s what I love—helping them get there.”

Now in his senior year, Brayden is awaiting word from the University of Louisville School of Medicine, his top choice because of affordability and proximity to home. He envisions a career in radiology, inspired by years of watching his brother undergo countless sports-related scans and confirmed by shadowing radiologists in Louisville. “It was super dark, super cold, super chill,” Brayden laughed. “They’d all gather around interesting images like a little pack. I thought—that’s where I want to be.”

Though his accelerated path has meant sacrificing some of the “typical” college experience, Brayden doesn’t regret the choices he’s made. “I’m two years younger than most of my peers, taking the same classes they’re struggling with—and I’m doing really well. Everyone’s path is different, and mine is definitely not the same as others. But it’s getting me where I want to go.”