The Department of Chemistry at Villanova University

The 2026 Summer Research season has concluded!!! What a great group of students this summer and great research efforts by all!!

We extend a warm welcome to our newest staff member, Andrew Devany! Andrew joins the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry in the capacity of Laboratory Coordinator. In this role, Andrew will be supporting the general chemistry labs, ensuring our students have a seamless, safe, and enriching hands-on learning experience.

Andrew brings a wealth of scientific expertise to Nova Nation. Prior to joining us, Andrew worked as a R&D scientist at IFF in Wilmington, DE, investigating enzymatic polymerization and the chemical derivatization of biopolymers.

Outside of lab, Andrew is an avid reader who loves traveling around the city to explore different libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops.

Welcome Andrew!

Are you attending the 2026 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE) this week? https://bcce.divched.org/2026 We are proud to highlight two must-attend sessions co-led by our very own Dr. Tom Umile.

Mark your calendar for these fantastic green chemistry opportunities:

🗓️ Tuesday (7/28): Case Studies of Green Chemistry in the Classroom
Join Dr. Umile as he co-moderates this session exploring innovative, sustainable frameworks that bring real-world environmental solutions into the chemistry curriculum.

🗓️ Wednesday (7/29): Writing Green Chemistry Case Studies Workshop
Ready to develop your own curriculum? Dr. Umile is co-hosting this interactive, hands-on workshop to guide you through the process of authoring and implementing impactful green chemistry case studies for your students.

Whether you are looking for ready-to-use classroom materials or want to learn how to write your own, we hope to see you there!

Be sure to check out other amazing Green Chemistry and Sustainability programming sponsored by the ACS Green Chemistry Institute and Beyond Benign—Green Chemistry for a Sustainable Future.

Justin Mitsch, Laboratory Coordinator, recently presented at the National Association of Scientific Materials Managers (NAOSMM) Annual Conference, sharing Villanova's approach to incident response and reporting. Dr. Eydiejo Kurchan, Lab Manager and part-time faculty member, also attended the conference, connecting with colleagues and learning about new ideas and best practices in laboratory operations and safety. www.naosmm.org
Thank you to Justin and Dr. Kurchan for representing Villanova and to all of our amazing staff members who help keep our laboratories running safely and smoothly every day.

Dr Anthony Lagalante's research in the Vatican Catcombs was featured in the Villanova magazine - Congrats!

Decoding the Catacomb Frescoes Villanova researchers use advanced imaging to uncover new insights into two ancient Roman frescoes

Congratulations to the Palenchar lab on their recent publication! https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42456964/

New Job Opportunities ALERT! Are you interested or know someone who would interested in joining the faculty of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. We are hiring for two positions, analytical and biochemistry assistant professor.

Here are the links for more information about these positions:
Biochemistry: https://jobs.villanova.edu/postings/35537
Analytical: https://jobs.villanova.edu/postings/35538

Way to go Dr Minbiole! Give a listen to learn more about using AI to fight drug-resistant bacteria!

Drug-resistant bacteria are becoming an increasingly serious issue. Could artificial intelligence help solve the problem? 🦠

With nearly 3 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occurring annually in the United States and more than 35,000 of those resulting in death, researchers are on the case to solve this emerging issue.

In the latest episode of "NSF's Discovery Files" podcast, an NSF-supported professor discusses his work using AI systems to discover new compounds to fight drug-resistant bacteria that may help save the lives of people fighting drug-resistant infections. Watch to learn more: https://brnw.ch/21x3FLc.

📷: Courtesy of The Minbiole Research Lab

Congratulations to Dr. Vanessa Boschi, Dr. Amanda Grannas, and former MS students Allison Remenapp and Amy Troutman on their latest publication! Well done! Read more about the work here: https://online.ucpress.edu/elementa/article/14/1/00074/218008/Sea-ice-coverage-and-water-depth-influence

Summer T-Shirt Time! This year we had 6 Entries from our students, faculty and staff. Which one would you pick? For Alumni out there, post pictures of your Summer T-Shirts if you still have them.