Chemistry Update 2019

College of Science and Technology

CHEMISTRY UPDATE SUMMER 2019

Chair’s message As I put down my thoughts for this newsletter, the campus is full of graduation festivities. The day, of course, marks the culmination of the 2018-2019 academic year and highlights the educational mission of the Department of Chemistry. More than 80 undergraduate students earned their bachelor’s degree: 33 in chemistry and 50 in biochemistry. Fourteen graduate students earned their PhDs. The academic path that takes students from matriculation to graduation is always being examined with a critical eye for further improvement. The chemistry minor, instituted in fall 2016, has proved to be a success and has even attracted students outside CST. Eight spring 2019 graduates in the Colleges of Engineering and Liberal Arts, Boyer College of Music and Dance, and Fox School of Business & Management took advantage of this option. There were seven chemistry minor recipients in CST. This fall, we will roll out a new biochemistry course suitable for preprofessional students who are not majoring in biochemistry. To make our degree and course offerings easier for students to navigate, we have expanded the number of chemistry advisors. Graduate program excellence is also a high priority. This fall, a new required course will help our graduate students hone their research proposal development and presentation skills.

This newsletter highlights additional examples of the department’s vitality and excellence in both teaching and research. I hope you enjoy reading it.

Daniel R. Strongin Chair

chem.cst.temple.edu

Biochemistry growing at Temple

Chemistry faculty (from l to r): Assistant Professor Rongsheng Wang; Professor Robert Stanley; and Assistant Professor Carol Manhart.

The Chemistry Department’s growing focus on biochemistry is reflected in its most recent faculty hires. Assistant Professor Rongsheng (Ross) Wang, hired in 2016, and Assistant Professor Carol Manhart, who joined the department in 2018, are biochemists.

Together with Professor Robert Stanley, who has taught at Temple since 1996, the trio forms the core of the department’s biochemistry expertise—a nucleus that is supplemented by two more experimental chemists and four theoretical or computational chemists, including Dean Michael L. Klein, FRS, whose research fields include biochemistry.

“Having more of a biochemistry research focus is a good avenue to attract undergraduate and graduate students, and to enable them to see how the field impacts general science research,” says Manhart, a former Cornell University postdoctoral fellow who explores the mechanisms of proteins that repair DNA mismatches and prevent genomic instability.

Indeed, in the past four years, the number of undergraduate biochemistry majors—a major that is jointly offered by the Chemistry and Biology departments— has increased 27 percent, to 350 majors. continues on page 2

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Chemistry graduates making an impact

Biochemistry

Jennifer Francis, BS ’12: Tackling MS at Tisch

Since his arrival three years ago, Wang has also detected significantly increased interest from both graduate and undergraduate students in working with him. “Every week I get three to five emails from students interested in joining my lab for undergraduate research experiences,” says Wang. The former postdoctoral fellow at the Scripps Research Institute develops probes to dissect, or therapeutics to target, the proteins essential for the onset and relapse of such disorders as cancer, inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases.

“It’s the chemistry of life,” adds Stanley, who uses laser spectroscopy and biochemistry to understand the mechanism of light-driven repair of UV-damaged DNA. “It’s one of the most interdisciplinary of all the sciences. So many of the breakthroughs we are now seeing in medicine and biotechnology got their start in biochemistry. From gene editing to drug-delivery antibiotics, none of that would have been possible without biochemistry.”

Jennifer Francis is a quality assurance manager at the Tisch MS Research Center for New York, where she is in charge of a team that produces stem cells for a Phase II trial aimed at reversing the debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis.

“I have to make this research operation run like a drug company, which goes back to a deep understanding of analytical methods and protocols I learned at Temple,” says Francis, who also has pharmaceutical work experience. “The Temple Chemistry Department really prepared me for this.

“And it’s really rewarding and fulfilling. When you’re with a big pharmaceutical company, you’re not close to the patients. But every day I see patients who are part of our trial when they come into our clinic, and that’s made me realize how important my work is.”

Brandon DeMauro, BS ’15: Analytical chemist for J & J Since he graduated in 2015, Brandon DeMauro has worked as an analytical chemist for Johnson & Johnson in his home state of New Jersey. He first analyzed the sterility of reusable medical devices, such as endoscopes, and for the past two years has been involved in the development and launch of new acne and beauty products.

He develops and validates test methods for formulations, including active pharmaceutical ingredient and preservative assays, to support the stability and label claims of the products.

“I use a lot of what I learned at Temple, especially from my analytical chemistry courses regarding instrumentation and theory, every day,” says DeMauro, who is also pursuing an MS in chemistry from Rutgers University.

“And it’s pretty rewarding when I walk through a retailer like Target or Walmart and see a product I supported on the shelves.”

Danielle DeMauro, BS ’14: Drug analyst at NMS Ever since she aced her first interview, Danielle DeMauro has relied upon her Temple chemistry foundation at NMS Labs in Horsham, Pennsylvania.

Since graduating, DeMauro (who is not related to Brandon DeMauro), has worked at NMS, which provides clinical and forensic toxicology analyses. The endocrinology analyst now conducts confirmation testing—ascertaining that blood and other bodily fluid and tissue samples that have initially tested positive for illegal drugs do contain such substances. Companies or government agencies request the analyses.

“I don’t know if I’d ever want to do anything else,” says DeMauro. “I like knowing that what I do has a large impact because I am helping law enforcement and victims get answers.”

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Enhancing climate for students, faculty and staff The department has launched a “Strengthening Climate” Seminar Series and a graduate course on the ethical and responsible practices of scientific research.

The goal of the seminar series, which will be presented each semester, is to help create a fair and comfortable environment for every member of the department, so that everybody can do their best work. While improving the experience of graduate students is part of the focus, the audience also includes undergraduates, postdoctoral researchers, faculty and staff.

“Inter-personal conflicts, ethical issues and sexual harassment are global issues that can affect everyone associated with the department,” says Associate Professor Kallie Willets, who is leading these initiatives with Assistant Professor Sarah Wengryniuk.

Professors Tricia Jones and Deborah Cai, department chair and senior associate dean, respectively, from Temple’s Klein College of Media and Communication, presented an initial one-hour seminar on conflict management. “Whether it’s research lab conflicts with graduate student peers, or with advisors or professors, the seminar offered strategies for addressing such situations,” says Willets.

The ethics course, “Responsibility and Ethics in Chemical Research,” launched in 2018 as a one credit, half-semester course, which is offered each spring semester. Its purpose: to understand what constitutes ethical scientific practices both in the laboratory and in professional interactions with colleagues—including such topics as mentoring relationships with advisors, research misconduct and the responsibilities of whistleblowers.

Importantly, says Wengryniuk, each class is taught by rotating teams of two faculty members: “The faculty is invested and engaged in these issues because we want to lead by example and stress that these issues are important—for both us and for our students.”

Matsika confirms magnetic ‘spin flips’ happen much faster than previously thought Solar cells, quantum computing and photodynamic cancer therapy all involve molecules switching between magnetic and nonmagnetic forms, which occurs by flipping the spin of electrons. It used to be assumed that this “spin flip” process occurred slowly in organic molecules—but not anymore.

In research that was published this year in Nature Chemistry, Professor Spiridoula Matsika and collaborators at the University of Missouri demonstrated that this process happens in one half of one trillionth of a second—and demonstrated why.

The Missouri researchers, led by Professor Arthur Suits, conducted a scattering experiment where beams of molecules collided with each other, which created a chemical reaction inside a vacuum chamber. They then teamed up with Matsika, who used computational modeling to figure out why the spin flips were taking place, and why so fast.

Their conclusion: as the products were exiting the reaction they could still interact long and strong enough to enable the spin flip to occur.

“It was completely unexpected,” notes Matsika, who has taught at Temple since 2003.

“That had never been observed before.

“I also think that it is important in science to combine both experimental research and computational modeling. That’s when you get a more complete picture of what is actually happening.”

Extended Research Grants Eric U. Borguet • Investigating Complex Solid-Liquid Interfaces Using the Vibrational Spectroscopy and Dynamics of Molecular Ions, American Chemical Society

Hai-Lung Dai • Collaborative Research: Photoactivator Chemistry in Atmospheric Aerosols, NSF

Robert J. Levis • Detection of Explosive Signature Molecules Using Rotational Raman Spectroscopy, Office of Naval Research • Effects of Environmental Variables on Ultrashort Laser Pulse Filamentation, Office of Naval Research

Ronald M. Levy • CDS&E: Adaptive Biomolecular Free Energy Simulations on Massive Computational Grids, NSF

FACULTY NOTES Andrew Price, associate professor of instruction, served on a committee that developed a new version of the standardized test for first-term general chemistry courses that is used by hundreds of U.S. colleges and universities, including Temple University. He wrote and reviewed questions on thermodynamics, as well as atomic and molecular structure, for the American Chemical Society’s Division of Chemical Education Examinations Institute, which published the new final exam last year.

Yugang Sun, associate professor, appeared on the 2018 Highly Cited Researchers List produced by Clarivate Analytics.

Roy Keyer, associate professor of instruction, has received the 2019 ACS Philadelphia Section Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in the Chemical Sciences. This is the second year in a row that Temple faculty has won the award (Professor Steve Fleming received the award in 2018).

Professors Eric Borguet, Michael L. Klein, FRS, Daniel Strongin and Associate Professor Michael Zdilla gave invited lectures in October 2018 at the fourteenth Jawaharlal Nehru Centre Research Conference on Chemistry of Materials in Kovalam, India.

Rod Andrade has been promoted to the rank of professor, effective July 1, 2019.

CST DISTINGUISHED FACULTY AWARDS 2018

• HIV Macromolecular Interactions and Impact on Viral Evolution of Drug Resistance, Scripps Research Institute

Spiridoula Matsika • Combining High Level Ab Initio Calculations with Laser Control of Molecular Dynamics, DOE

Christian Schafmeister • Development of a Robust, Mini-Sleb Mimic Based on Molecular Lego as a Countermeasure Against Anthrax, Department of the Army

Robert Stanley • DNA Repair under Extreme Conditions— Extended Studies, NASA

Ann Valentine • Interactions of Biomolecules and Bacteria with Titanium at the Mineral Microbe Frontier, NSF

Vincent Voelz • Markov State Model Approaches for Folding, Binding and Design, NIH/DHHS

Rongsheng Wang • Development of Chemical Probes to Study Post-Translational Modifications Key to Human Diseases, Fox Chase Cancer Center • Novel Protein Agents for Image-Guided Cancer Immunotherapy, American Cancer Society Caption (from l to r): Assistant Professor Graham Dobereiner, Chemisty Department Chair Daniel Strongin, and Assistant Professor Sarah Wengryniuk.

Italia-Eire Foundation Distinguished Teacher of the Year Funded by Dr. Joseph C. Allegra (BA ’70, Chem), a member of the college’s Board of Visitors

William Caldwell Memorial Distinguished Teaching Award Funded by Seda K. Tarzian (BA ‘48, Bio), a member of the college’s Board of Visitors

Assistant Professor Sarah Wengryniuk

Assistant Professor Graham Dobereiner

Sarah E. Wengryniuk • CAREER: Novel Synthetic Applications of Poly(cationic) Lambda-3 Iodanes, NSF • Simplified Approaches to Medium-Sized Heterocycles for the Synthesis of Bioactive Small Molecules, NIH/DHHS

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Grants

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Katherine A. Willets • DMREF: Collaborative Research: Nanoscale Temperature Manipulation via Plasmonic Fano Interferences, NSF

Stephanie Wunder • Development of Hybrid InorganicPolymer Separators for Li Metal Batteries, PolyCeramX

Michael Zdilla • Conformationally-flexible, Reactive Manganese Clusters to Probe Possible Mechanisms of O-O Bond Formation in Photosystem II, NSF

Chemistry minor increasingly popular The chemistry minor is becoming increasingly popular among science majors since its fall 2016 introduction. The following spring, three students earned the minor when they graduated.

Last year, 12 earned the minor and this spring 15 students did so.

The minor is attractive to students in pre-health profession majors, since they were already taking general chemistry with a lab, organic chemistry with a lab and, for those students taking the MCAT exam to enter medical school, biochemistry as well.

One more course would qualify them for a minor.

“These students were already doing almost all the work required for a chemistry minor but we didn’t have any way to reward them,” says Ann Valentine, professor and associate department chair.

The minor is also proving popular with other CST majors, such as biology, for engineering majors, including those focusing on bioengineering, and even psychology and philosophy majors.

“We think this minor is a great incentive to encourage students to dig a little deeper into chemistry than they would otherwise,” says Valentine.

NSF-funded research experience for undergraduates This summer 10 non-Temple college students from underrepresented and disadvantaged communities are benefiting from an NSF-funded 10-week Research Experience for Undergraduates at the Temple Materials Institute. The sophomore-and-above science majors receive faculty mentoring, a $6,000 stipend and on-campus housing.

The program culminates with two symposia—one where the REU students present their research along with other undergraduate Temple researchers, and a second near-peer symposium in which the students discuss their research with and inspire similarly disadvantaged Philadelphia area high school students.

“The students get an introduction and immersion in their field with a really intense research experience,” says Susan Jansen-Varnum, chemistry professor and associate dean of undergraduate affairs and science education. “And once they get a taste of what real science and research is, they seek out other opportunities.

“Many of our earlier students are now pursuing professional or graduate degrees.”

Originally funded four years ago by the CST Dean’s Office, last year the NSF awarded Temple a three-year grant to support the program.

Hazel M. Tomlinson Lecture Hall dedicated The Hazel M. Tomlinson Lecture Hall was dedicated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 2, 2018. Located in the Science and Education Research Center, the state-of-the-art lecture hall was named in honor of longtime chemistry professor Hazel Tomlinson during the College of Science and Technology’s 20th anniversary celebration.

Tomlinson, BA ’26, MA ’28, inspired generations of Temple students as a faculty member and assistant dean from 1928 to 1974. After earning her master’s degree, she served as an instructor from 1928 until 1939. After earning her PhD from Columbia University, she was an assistant professor from 1939 to 1949 and an associate professor from then until 1968, when she became an assistant dean of the College of Liberal Arts until her retirement in 1974.

Robert Fineman, BA ’66, who regarded Tomlinson as an inspiring mentor, provided much of the leadership to have a lecture hall named for Tomlinson. Fineman, who was accompanied by his wife Bonnie, gave a very moving speech at the dedication. Dean Michael L Klein also spoke, as did Professor Ann Valentine, who gave a biographical talk.

Also attending were several members of the CST Board of Visitors, including Albert Brown, BA ’64; Stanley Lefkowitz, PhD ’65, and his wife Debbie; and Seda Tarzian, BA ’48.

(from l to r) Robert Fineman, BA ‘66, Chandrakant “Chuck” Gupta, MA ‘58, CST Dean Michael L. Klein, FRS, Albert Brown, BA ‘64, Stanley Lefkowitz, PhD ‘65, Professor Emeritus David Dalton, and Art Dawson, BA ‘68, PhD ‘76