WHAT'S NEW?

Nine undergraduate researchers from our Chemistry & Biochemistry Department recently took Denver by storm, presenting their scientific findings at the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting, August 18-22, 2024. Under the mentorship of Dr. Sunghee Lee, these bright minds showcased seven posters in the Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry of the ACS. Our students stood shoulder-to-shoulder with PhDs and PostDocs from around the globe, demonstrating the high caliber of undergraduate research at our institution. Their presentations were the culmination of tireless efforts in the lab, spanning intense summer sessions and busy academic semesters. In addition to their academic achievements, the Project Symphony team seized the opportunity to explore Denver's cultural offerings, including a breathtaking sunrise at Red Rocks Park and enriching museum visits. These shared experiences outside the conference halls further strengthened their bonds as a cohesive research unit. This successful venture to the ACS National Meeting exemplifies the Project Symphony ethos: harmonious collaboration towards shared scientific goals, coupled with the joy of collective achievement and exploration. We're immensely proud of our undergraduate researchers for representing our department on the international stage and look forward to their future contributions to the field of chemistry.

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Lee has been named one of the 37 ACS Fellows for 2024 by the American Chemical Society! This prestigious recognition celebrates Dr. Lee's remarkable contributions to the field of science and dedicated service to the ACS community. Dr. Lee expressed gratitude, stating, "Being recognized as an ACS Fellow is a profound honor. This award acknowledges my work in biophysical chemistry and my commitment to mentoring nearly 100 undergraduate students. It's a testament to our shared success in integrating education with research excellence." The special awards ceremony will take place at the ACS National Meeting in Denver, CO, on August 19th, 2024. Dr. Lee is eagerly looking forward to celebrating this milestone with 10 talented students from the research group, who will also be presenting their findings to an international audience. Their hard work and dedication have made this journey unforgettable! Congratulations to Dr. Lee and the entire team for this incredible achievement. We can't wait to see the exciting discoveries that lie ahead! -Project Symphony Team

Wow, what a summer it has been! Time truly flies when you're immersed in exciting research, and this summer was no exception for our dedicated research team, The Project Symphony. As we look back, it's hard to believe how quickly the days slipped by, filled with laughter, learning, and teamwork. The camaraderie among our team members has been nothing short of inspiring. While some might think spending long summer days in a science lab could be daunting, we found that collaborating with fellow aspiring scientists made every moment enjoyable and rewarding. Our group name, Project Symphony, reflects our spirit perfectly: we work together in harmony, united by our shared goals and passion for discovery. This summer, we made significant strides in our ambitious research plans, and we were thrilled to welcome two bright high school students, Maryam and Pariss, to our team. Their enthusiasm and fresh perspectives brought even more joy and productivity to our lab experience. Thank you, Maryam and Pariss! You will be greatly missed! Looking ahead, we’re gearing up for the ACS National Meeting in Denver, CO, where we’ll present our scientific findings to international audience. The excitement is palpable, and we can’t wait to share our work with the broader scientific community. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue this incredible journey!

We are delighted to share the publication of our most recent research paper. The article titled “The Role of Lipid Intrinsic Curvature in the Droplet Interface Bilayer” is now available in the Langmuir, the publication of American Chemical Society. The open access article can be seen in this link: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00270 In this paper, we investigate the effect of intrinsic curvature of lipid molecules assembled in a droplet interface bilayer array, on its free energy of formation. Using lipid molecules of different curvature values, the role of curvature stress on the values of free energy of formation is discussed, revealing a linear function of squared value of curvature. Our findings has significant potential to uncover the functional relationships between bilayer stress and protein function, and provide insights on the understanding of how proteins fold, bind, and act, in real cellular membranes. We are so grateful for the harmonious efforts of all members of our research group and their contributions, as well as to the NSF for their funding support.

I am thrilled to congratulate and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our undergraduate research group, the Project Symphony, at this year's Iona Scholars Day! Our team of dedicated students has worked tirelessly, and their hard work and commitment have truly paid off. The presentations showcased a wide range of impactful research projects that not only demonstrate the academic excellence of our research group members but also their passion for discovery and learning. Each project was a testament to the creativity and hardwork of the Project Symphony research team. One of the most inspiring aspects of the day was seeing how the Project Symphony members engaged with their research topics. Your enthusiasm was contagious, and it was clear that you had developed a deep understanding and appreciation for the chosen fields of topic. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to each member of the Project Symphony members for your exceptional presentations. Your hard work, dedication, and passion for research have truly set you apart, and I am incredibly proud of all that you have accomplished. As I reflect on Iona Scholars Day and look towards the future, I am excited to see where our Project Symphony research group will go next. I have no doubt that you will continue to achieve great things and make meaningful contributions to your field of study. Once again, congratulations to the Project Symphony on a successful Scholars Day! Your hard work, dedication, and passion for research are truly inspiring, and I can't wait to see what you will accomplish next. -Dr. Lee

We are thrilled to announce the publication of our latest research paper titled "Concentration-Dependent Effects of Curcumin on Membrane Permeability and Structure" in the ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science ( https://doi.org/10.1021/acsptsci.4c00093 ) . This publication represents the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and collaboration within our research group. In this paper, we delve into how phytochemical curcumin interacts with lipid bilayer. Our findings not only contribute to the existing body of knowledge in this field but also have the potential for successful translation of curcumin into effective medicine. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the members of our research group for their invaluable contributions, and NSF for funding support. We look forward to continuing our research efforts and sharing more exciting discoveries in the future. Stay tuned for further updates from our research group! Go Project Symphony!

The Project Symphony team publishes another research paper in peer-reviewed journal, Journal of Physical Chemistry B The article titled “Differential Effects of Soy Isoflavones on the Biophysical Properties of Model Membranes” is published in Journal of Physical Chemistry B, an American Chemical Society publication. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c08390 This paper is coauthored by nine undergraduates, Jamie Gudyka ('24 Biochemistry), Jasmin Ceja-Vega ('23 Biochemistry), Katherine Ivanchenko (’23 Chemistry), Wilber Perla (’25 Chemistry), Christopher Poust (’25 Chemistry), Alondra Gamez Hernandez ('23 Biochemistry), Colleen Clarke (’23 Chemistry), Shakinah Silverberg (’24 Biology/Chemistry), Escarlin Perez ('22 Biochemistry) with Dr. Sunghee Lee. Congratulations to the Project Symphony!

The diligent work of Project Research team has culminated in a peer-reviewed research publication. This is the proud result of 10 undergraduate coauthors over the span of 3 years. The title of the article is “Aspirin Interacts with Cholesterol-Containing Membranes in a pH-Dependent Manner”, and appears in Langmuir, an American Chemical Society publication. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c02242 This paper is coauthored by ten undergraduates, Michael Krmic (’22 Biochemistry), Escarlin Perez ('22 Biochemistry), Patrick Scollan (’21 Chemistry), Katherine Ivanchenko (’23 Chemistry), Alondra Gamez Hernandez ('23 Biochemistry), Joseph Giancaspro (’21 Biochemistry), Juan Rosario (’21 Biochemistry), Jasmin Ceja-Vega ('23 Biochemistry), Jamie Gudyka ('24 Biochemistry), Riley Porteus ('24 ACS Chemistry), with Dr. Sunghee Lee. Congratulations to the project team!

This summer, Caroline Scott (Class of 2025, ACS Chemistry) joined a globally renowed scientific team in Tokyo to perform research in the field of Biophysical Chemistry. This opportunity was enabled by the NSF Award to Dr. Sunghee Lee for international research collaboration with Professor Shoji Takeuchi of the University of Tokyo. In the past, five students from Dr. Lee’s research group have traveled to Japan for a month-long research project: Peter J. Milianta (Class of 2016, Biochemistry), Michael McGlone (Class of 2017, Physics), Jacqueline Denver (Class of 2017, Biochemistry), Alessandra Armetta (Class of 2018), and Joseph Giancaspro (Class of 2020). Dr. Lee noted, “This is a tremendous opportunity for our students to experience a true intellectual collaboration. Our research partners in Japan are very impressed by our students’ dedication and contribution. After three years of interruption, I am very happy to be able to send an Iona student to Japan again this summer. Caroline has been working diligently on the investigation of electrical property of model cell membranes and her summer experience provided an even greater level of confidence and strength towards her goal in advancing to a PhD program upon graduation from Iona.” Caroline added “This summer I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Tokyo, Japan for 5 weeks to conduct electrophysiological measurement of a model cell membrane. This experience was incredible. Not only did I learn an immense amount of important research skills, but I also got to explore the country of Japan and learn about its culture and history. On the weekends, I even got to hike to the top of Mount Fuji! The most valuable part of my experience in Japan was how much science I learned including how to analyze data and display results in a way that can help organize ideas and discover problems that will lead the research in the right direction. I am extremely thankful to Dr. Osaki and Prof. Takeuchi for welcoming me and guiding me with every step, and Dr. Lee for giving this opportunity and for her continuous support. I will now get to put these skills to use for the rest of my own scientific career, as I aspire to advance to PhD program after Iona.”