New Full-Time Chemistry Faculty in 2016

This Autumn quarter we were delighted to have three new full-time faculty join our Department.

Prof. Charles Rubert Pérez joined the department a little early, teaching CHE139 in the summer, but started full time this quarter as a tenure-track assistant professor. He will be teaching organic chemistry lecture and laboratory this academic year. He is also starting a research group here at DePaul and is currently looking for dedicated and highly motivated students to join his group.

His research interests lie in the area of supramolecular polymers, which are materials composed of monomeric units held together by non-covalent interactions (ionic, aromatic, hydrogen-bonding, hydrophobic effects, metal-ligand, host-guest chemistry, etc.). The polymerization process in which these monomeric units are attracted to each other is often referred to as “self-assembly”. Supramolecular polymers differ from typical synthetic polymers in that covalent bonds are not necessary for polymerization. Some of the advantages of supramolecular polymers include: the diversity of monomeric unit that can be used (small molecules, peptides, DNA, sugars. Etc.), their formation can be reversible and externally triggered by mild stimuli (salt, pH and/or temperature) and they have the potential to form highly ordered and complex supramolecular structures such as fibers, spheres, ribbons, sheets and tubes at the nanoscale level. Such materials have shown to have vast applications in the field of nanotechnology for regenerative medicine, drug delivery, electronics and coatings, among others. The Rubert lab will specialize in designing unique peptide sequences and small molecules as monomer units to promote the formation of functional supramolecular polymers for applications in cell culture, anti-bacterial properties and catalysis using aromatic (π-π and π-cation interactions), salt-bridges and metal-ligand interactions as the main driving force for self-assembly. If you are interested in discussing research with Dr. Perez, email him at (insert email) to set up an appointment.

Two visiting assistant professors also joined us this year, and will be teaching a variety of courses:

DePaul Chemistry MS programs

In addition to our undergraduate degrees in chemistry (BS, BA, and Chemistry Minors are available), we have several options for students interested in a Masters in Chemistry:

• Standard MS – Thesis and non-thesis tracks
• MS in Polymer and Coating Science – Thesis and non-thesis tracks
• Combined BS/MS for DePaul Undergraduate Students.

Our MS courses are offered at night because we recognized that MS students may be working during the day as their take their courses. Many MS students also TA labs or tutor students at DePaul. Several of our MS students do research in various research groups in the department. If they are on the thesis track, they write a thesis and give a thesis defense at the end of their time here.

Our MS students come from a variety of locations and backgrounds, and go on to get PhDs in chemistry, go into chemical industry, or go into a variety of other jobs such as teaching at local community colleges.

Applications to our program are accepted three times a year: August 1st for Autumn Quarter, December 1st for Winter Quarter, and March 1st for Spring Quarter.

For more information, check out the graduate program page on the Department of Chemistry Website. 

You can also come and ask questions at the quarterly DePaul Graduate Program Open House events. The next one is this Thursday, October 13th, from 5-7 pm in room 120 in the Student Center on the Lincoln Park Campus at 2250 N Sheffield Ave.

We have highlighted a few of our current and former our MS students in the past, to learn more check out the following posts:

• Aeshah Niyazi: MS Student of DePaul Chemistry
• Edgar Crespo: MS Student of DePaul Chemistry
• JoAnn Girel: MS Student of Chemistry
• Myles Edwards: MS Student of DePaul Chemistry
• Teresa Spann: MS Student of DePaul Chemistry
• Casey Murphy: MS Student of DePaul Chemistry
• An Introduction to our MS Student Profile Series

Review: DePaul – Rosalind Franklin Research Retreat

DePaul University and Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS) have an agreement that incorporates many different aspects, including supporting collaborative research. We recently had a joint research retreat (Sept 16th) at which several research groups presented on their collaborative work between DePaul and Rosalind Franklin. There were many great talks and posters covering a wide variety of fields.

From our own department, Dr. Jin is collaborating with faculty at RFUMS researchers on studying interactions of small molecules with proteins towards understanding mitochondrial behavior. Dr. Karver is collaborating with RFUMS to examine the biological activity of several of the compounds she works with. Dr. Grice is working with groups at RFUMS to develop novel metal-based drugs. The hope is that these new collaborations will help enrich our students’ experiences and lead to longer, ongoing collaborative projects.

For more information on the DePaul-RFUMS Alliance, check out this page!

You can also ask Dr. Jin, Dr. Karver, and Dr. Grice about their RFUMS collaborations at the Department of Chemistry Meet and Greet tomorrow, Tuesday Oct 4th, in McGowan South 107 from 11:30am to 1:00pm.r