News and Highlights
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The UB CBE 4th Annual Ruckenstein Leccture featuring Dr. Nicholas Peppas
View photos from April's lecture from Dr. Peppas here:
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Keep in touch with UB CBE:
•Join UB CBE on LinkedIn
•Sign up for our monthly CBE-Bulletin.
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Congratulations to all our 2013 graduates!
Special ackowledgement to our new PhDs:
Dr. Yukun Li
Dr. Biswa Das
Dr. Chi LoAnd M.S. degree recipients:
Vikram Reddy Ardham
Prathiba Sampath
Sanddep Mouli NalluriView photos from the commencement celebration:
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Nicholas A. Peppas scheduled as 5th annual Ruckenstein Lecturer on April 23
UB CBE welcomes Nicholas Peppas,
Fletcher S. Pratt Chaired Professor in the Departments of Chemical, Biomedical Engineering and Pharmacy, and Chairman of the Department of Biomedical Engineering of the University of Texas at Austin as he presents "Intelligent and Diagnostic Therapeutic Systems: Advanced Biomaterials and Improved HealthCare" at the Center for the Arts Screening room at 1:30pm. This lecture is free and open to the public. A reception will follow. -
UB CBE Students selected for prestigious Goldwater Scholarship
UB CBE sophomore Christopher Dundas and junior Phillip Tucciaroni were selected as recipients of the prestigous Goldwater Scholarship. The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was founded in 1986 to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who plan to pursue careers in those fields. It honors the late Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, a U.S. senator for 30 years from Arizona and the Republican presidential candidate in 1964.
Read Christopher's Profile on Faces of CBE
Read Phillip's profile on Faces of CBE -
Congratulations to UB CBE Student Award Winners
UB CBE outstanding students were honored at the 28th Annual UB Engineering Scholarship Reception on Friday, March 22 at at the Holiday Inn. This reception has grown through the years and today it is the premier event where we recognize our students' achievements.
Mohammad Atif Faiz Afzal Graduate Dean’s Scholars Christina Bieber Felix Smist Scholarship William Bieler Felix Smist Scholarship John Billingsley Niacet Corporation Niagara Scholar Book Award Steven Michael Brown AIChE Outstanding Senior Award Senior Scholar Award Brian Chen Dean’s Scholar Charles Debrah James W. and Nancy A. McLernon Engineering Scholarship Eric R. Dudek Robert H. and Catherine H. Goldsmith Fellowship Mark M. Falinski Dean’s Scholar Michele M. Ford Robert H. and Catherine H. Goldsmith Fellowship Marina Gadkary Matthew Szkotak Book Award Chad M. Gray CBE Academic Excellence Award Matthew James Hill Matthew R. Grappone Book Award Matthew Martin Huie CBE Academic Excellence Award Lindsey A. Kehl Dean’s Scholar Ashhad A. Khan Senior Scholar Awards Kristina Kolp Felix Smist Scholarship Charles Kwame James W. and Nancy A. McLernon Engineering Scholarship Emmanuel Macklin Lollis CBE Academic Excellence Award Julia P. Morrissey Dean’s Scholar Emily A Patt James W. and Nancy A. McLernon Engineering Scholarship Julia Petrullo AIChE Outstanding Junior Award Michelle A. Reele Schomburg Fellowship Darcy Marie Regan CBE Academic Excellence Award Rainie Sachdev David M. Benenson Memorial Scholarship Daniel P. Salem CBE Academic Excellence Award John Schneible Xerox/SHPE Scholarship Award Vijay Singh Senior Scholar Award Lauren Bethany Stutzman Senior Scholar Award ACS Outstanding Senior Award Alex Anthony Tomasik CBE Academic Excellence Award Phillip Michael Tucciarone Matthew Szkotak Book Award Kun Yu Graduate Dean’s Scholar Ryan Scott Zeiger CBE Academic Excellence Award -
Dr. John Magnani, Glycomimetics, Inc., joins UB CBE Advisory Board
Dr. John Magnani, Chief Science Officer and Vice President of Glycomimetics Inc. has jointed the UB CBE Advisory Board. John Magnani received his Ph.D. from Princeton University and then joined the Laboratory of Biological Pharmacology under Dr Victor Ginsburg at the National Institutes of Health. He remained at the NIH for ten years, finally serving as a tenured Research Chemist. Dr. Magnani left the NIH in 1988 and helped co-found the U.S. subsidiary of BioCarb and became its Vice President of Research. In 1992, he founded and managed GlycoTech Corp. as its President and CEO. In 2003, he co-founded GlycoMimetics, Inc based on technology acquired from GlycoTech and currently serves as the company’s Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President. Dr. Magnani was the discoverer of Sialyl Lewisa and its functions. He was the first to identify the binding domain to the selectins common to both Sialyl Lewisa and Sialyl Lewisx and used this information to develop potent selectin inhibitors that are being developed as a novel class of glycomimetic drugs. During his career, he also identified and characterized many carbohydrate tumor antigens and developed fundamental technology for the identification of functional carbohydrate epitopes.
Dr. Magnani was most recently featured as the UB CBE 2013 Graduate Student Research Symposium speaker.
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UB CBE Professor Mark Swihart: Using Silicon to Produce Hydrogen on Demand
New technology could help power portable devicews like satellite phones and radios. Super-small particles of silicon react with water to produce hydrogen almost instantaneously, according to University at Buffalo researchers.
IIn a series of experiments, the scientists created spherical silicon particles about 10 nanometers in diameter. When combined with water, these particles reacted to form silicic acid (a nontoxic byproduct) and hydrogen — a potential source of energy for fuel cells.
The reaction didn’t require any light, heat or electricity, and also created hydrogen about 150 times faster than similar reactions using silicon particles 100 nanometers wide, and 1,000 times faster than bulk silicon, according to the study.
The findings appeared online in Nano Letters on Jan. 14. The scientists were able to verify that the hydrogen they made was relatively pure by testing it successfully in a small fuel cell that powered a fan.
“When it comes to splitting water to produce hydrogen, nanosized silicon may be better than more obvious choices that people have studied for a while, such as aluminum,” said researcher Mark T. Swihart, UB professor of chemical and biological engineering and director of the university’s Strategic Strength in Integrated Nanostructured Systems.
“With further development, this technology could form the basis of a ‘just add water’ approach to generating hydrogen on demand,” said researcher Paras Prasad, executive director of UB’s Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics (ILPB) and a SUNY Distinguished Professor in UB’s Departments of Chemistry, Physics, Electrical Engineering and Medicine. “The most practical application would be for portable energy sources.” [read more]
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UB CBE's David A. Kofke named SUNY Distinguished Professor
David A. Kofke, UB Distinguished Professor in the department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has been appointed as a SUNY Distinguished Professor by the SUNY Board of Trustees at its
Dec. 17, 2012 meeting. SUNY
Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher announced Dr. Kofke's promotion in recognition of his national
and international prominence in his field, stating “In bestowing its highest faculty honor, SUNY proudly
recognizes the extraordinary achievements of [Dr. Kofke] and the
positive impacts [he] has had on our great system of higher
education, as well as [his] colleagues and students".Internationally recognized in the field of molecular simulation, David Kofke invented the Gibbs-Duhem integration technique that is now pervasive in the field and in molecular simulation textbooks.
He has developed intermolecular potentials that permit prediction of the properties of toxic chemicals like HF, reducing the need for dangerous experiments. He systematically has examined biases in molecular simulation methodologies and developed a simple heuristic that can be applied to detect bias in simulation results.
He continues to develop methods of calculating virial coefficients and cluster integrals that previously could not be computed – an important step toward the goal of first-principles calculation of fluid-phase properties.
He is one of only five recipients of the John M. Prausnitz Award for Outstanding Achievement in Applied Chemical Thermodynamics. Among his other awards are the Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal, the SUNY Chancellor’s awards for Excellence in Teaching and in Research and Creative Activity, and the David Himmelblau Award for Innovations in Computer-Based Chemical Engineering.
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UB CBE 15th Annual Graduate Student Research Symposium Photos
View photos of CBE's recent poster competition and presentations by students and our keynote speaker, Dr. John Magnani of GlycoMimetics Inc.:
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UB CBE e-News
Keep up to date on CBE-our October 2012 e-News is now online, or sign up here to receive your own copy -
The department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) at the University at Buffalo (UB), State University of New York invites applications for three (3) faculty positions at any rank in the broad areas of experimental and/or computational materials science and engineering. One of the three positions is in conjunction with the newly established Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) multidisciplinary program between the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the School of Arts and Sciences at UB.Chemical and Biological Engineering Faculty Opening
Chemical and Biological Engineering Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Opening
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CBE Graduate Student Presenters Jasdeep Mann and Mitali China will speak at 1 pm at Research Symposium
As part of the 15th annual Symposium, CBE Graduate Students will present posters that highlight their current research projects and compete for recognition. Winners will go on to present at the upcoming SEAS dean's poster competition, and many will take their presentations to the upcoming national AIChE conference later in October. Read Jasdeep Mann's abstract-Selective Inhibition of Erk-2 Signaling by Engineered Monobody
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CBE Graduate Research Symposium winnersCongratulations to our 2012 Poster Contest Winners:
Yongjia Fan (Tzanakakis group) 
Xin Liu (Swihart group) 
Xiaozheng Xue (Furlani group)
CBE student’s choice awardee-
Mohammad Ghasemi (Alexandridis group) Abstract Poster
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John Magnani, GlycoMimetics Inc., will deliver 15th Annual Graduate Research Symposium keynote address
Thursday, October 18, 2p.m.
UB Center for the Arts Screening Room
(student lectures start at 1p.m.)From Functional Carbohydrates to Novel Glycomimetic Drugs
Reception and poster judging immediately following lecture
John Magnani currently serves as GlycoMimetics, Inc. Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President. Dr. Magnani was the discoverer of Sialyl Lewisa and its functions, and was the first to identify the binding domain to the selectins common to both Sialyl Lewisa and Sialyl Lewisx and used this information to develop potent selectin inhibitors that are being developed as a novel class of glycomimetic drugs. During his career, he also identified and characterized many carbohydrate tumor antigens and developed fundamental technology for the identification of functional arbohydrate epitopes.
[view lecture brochure]Read about GlycoMimetics’ investigation compound GMI-1070, a pan-selectin antagonist that is currently in Phase II development as a treatment for vaso-occlusive crisis associated with sickle cell disease.
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UB CBE Bids Farewell to Dawn Townsend
CBE bids a fond farewell to our very own Dawn Townsend, who has served as our
Graduate Student Secretary from 2003 until retiring just recently. Dawn was a
wealth of information to our student population, and she was a very important
member of the CBE support staff, handling everything from appointments and
purchasing to managing the graduate student service area. CBE held a party in
her honor in August, and everyone turned out to see her off. She goes with our
best wishes for a happy and healthy retirement. Although Dawn is going to be a
tough act to follow, CBE welcomes Lori DuVall, our Academic Secretary, who is
already busy working with fall semester students to ensure that our transition
is a smooth one.
You can view photos from Dawn's party on CBE's Flikr page
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Schumer supports funding for UB's Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics
Mark Swihart joined Sen. Charles E. Schumer as he visited UB to reinforce his support
for the university's application for a $120 million federal grant to
pursue materials research within the university's Center of Excellence
in Materials Informatics. The Center will focus on a number of critical research areas that are in line with both national priorities and Western New York's regional strengths. President Obama highlighted research in materials science as a major national research effort and UB is well-positioned to capitalize on this new federal priority.
UB's Center of Excellence could help lead in the development of synthetic substitutes for critical rare earth elements that are critical to the growth of high-tech businesses and manufacturers, and help industry avoid the volatile pricing of these important resources from countries like China'a major national security imperative. [read more]
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Shape-Shifting Materials are Goal of New Nanotechnology Project
Mark T. Swihart, professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at UB
and director of the UB 2020 Integrated Nanostructured Systems Strategic
Strength, is working with Dr. Paras Prasad to use high-throughput techniques to identify materials whose internal structure changes shpae in response to external stimuli such as heat or light. The international research team has received a $2.9 million grant from the
Air Force Office of Scientific Research to design nanomaterials whose
internal structure changes shape in response to stimuli such as heat or
light. [read more] -
CBE UG Matthew Schwippert scheduled for Olympic Trials June 25-July 2
Congratulations to Matt Schwippert who, along with 7 UB Bulls teammates, will travel to Omaha to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials against approximately 1800 swimmers. Schwippert is a native of East Aurora, NY, and will race in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke events. Right now he's performing undergraduate research with Dr. Carl Lund, and his long term career goal is to own and run his own brewery and restaurant. Matt holds 4 varsity records at UB, and he's a 6 time MAC champion. He competed at the US senior nationals during the two previous summers, and in 2010 qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 100 and 200 meter backstroke. David Kofke and Andrew Schultz awarded the 2012 David Himmelblau Award for Innovations in Computer-Based Chemical Engineering Education
Congratulations to David Kofke and Andrew Schultz. They have been selected to receive the 2012 David Himmelblau Award for Innovations in Computer-Based Chemical Engineering Education "for the development of the etomica modules, a community-developed suite of interactive simulations to help students understand the molecular origins of macroscopic behaviors." The award is given by the Computing and Systems Technology Division of the AIChE and recognizes an individual or group making new and novel contributions to computer aids for chemical engineering education.Ruckenstein Lecture and retirement reception photos
Thanks again to Dennis Prieve, who visited UB CBE recently as our 2012 Ruckenstein Lecturer, and congratulations to Eli Ruckenstein on his retirement. Dr. Ruckenstein remains at UB CBE as an Emeritus Distinguished Professor.
View a slide show of event photos:Mark Swihart co-authors toxicity study, A Step Forward for Quantum Dots
Mark Swihart is co-author of a pioneering study to gauge the toxicity of quantum dots in primates has
found the tiny crystals to be safe over a one-year period, a hopeful outcome for
doctors and scientists seeking new ways to battle diseases like cancer through
nanomedicine. [read more on UB Reporter]
This research is also featured in Chemical and Engineering News and nature nanotechnologyCongratulations 2012 Graduates!
Best wishes to all CBE graduates--Kate Shaul, CE PhD graduate, delivers the engineering commencement farewell:
View photos from the UB CBE Commencement Reception, held in the UB Student Union Flag Room on Saturday, May 12:
UB to hire professors for new Materials Science and Engineering Program
Offering a master's degree and a doctoral degree, the program will rely on
existing faculty members' expertise and new forward-leaning researchers. Its
pending creation coincides with surging interest in the field, due largely to
advances in nanotechnology and a renewed attention to manufacturing. [read more]
Karl Barber wins prestigious Fulbright Scholarship Award
Karl Barber, an Albany native, graduated from UB CBE with a
degree in chemical engineering and French. Barber was a Presidential
Scholar at UB and chairman of the Society for Biological Engineers for
UB’s chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). Barber has performed research in protein engineering since 2010 and currently is investigating the development of temperature sensitivity in a split mini intein. Last summer, he pursued an internship in neurobiology at University Laval in Quebec City, making use of a light-sensitive protein to study interneurons in the hippocampus of mice.
In 2011, he received the AIChE Outstanding Junior Award for the Western New York chapter. He also enjoys studying French-Canadian linguistics and culture.
Barber will use the Fulbright grant to study the molecular basis of the death of mutant photoreceptors in neurons at McGill University in Montreal. His work will have important implications in the study of inherited diseases related to retinal degeneration. Barber also plans to volunteer at a mental hospital to emphasize the human aspect of neuroscience.
Barber was a member of the Honors College at UB. He will study for his doctorate in molecular biology at Yale University after his Fulbright award in the fall of 2013.
Eli Ruckenstein elected to National Academy of Arts and Sciences
Eli Ruckenstein, SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus at UB and one of the
world's most influential chemical engineers, has been elected to the 2012 class
of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation's oldest and
most prestigious honorary societies. [read more]UB to receive state designation and funding to establish Center of Excellence
The Western New York legislative delegation informed President Satish K.
Tripathi on Tuesday that UB will receive a state designation for a Center of
Excellence in Materials Informatics and be awarded $200,000 in funding to
establish the center. [read more]Zukoski named UB Provost and Executive Vice President
Charles F. Zukoski has been named provost and executive vice president for
academic affairs at the University at Buffalo, following an international search
launched in September. [read more]Dennis Prieve delivers fourth annual Ruckenstein Lecture
Monday, April 23, 2012 11:45a.m.
UB Center for the Arts Screening Room
Reception immediately following lectureDr. Prieve is Gulf Professor of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and President of the International Association of Colloid and Interface Scientists.
The Effect of Severe Wall Hindrance on Brownian Motion and Mobility: Is the Ratio Still kT as Predicted by Einstein?
In his classic 1905 paper on Brownian motion, Einstein realized that by separately measuring mobility m and diffusion coefficient D of the same particle, one could obtain the value of Avogadro's number from RTm/D, where R is the universal gas constant and T is temperature. In 1920 Perrin performed such experiments and obtained a good value for Avogadro's number. This success laid to rest any remaining doubts about the molecular theory of matter. Today we write Einstein's relation as D = mkT (k is Boltzmann's constant) and substitute m obtained from Stokes equation. As a rigid sphere approaches a rigid wall, Brenner (1961) showed that wall hindrance causes m to approach zero. Does Einstein's equation still hold such that D approaches zero also? In this talk I will show direct measurements of D and m obtained using Total Internal Reflection Microscopy. Both quantities are found to be a few percent of their bulk values when the gap between the spherical particle and the wall is a few percent of its radius.
CBE Undergraduate Student Dan Salem wins Goldwater Scholarship
Congratulations to Dan Salem for winning the national Goldwater Scholarship award! The purpose of this foundation is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue careers in these fields. The award can offset tuition and other educational expenses, up to $7500.
Dennis Prieve set as 4th annual Ruckenstein Lecturer
The fourth annual Ruckenstein Lecture is scheduled for Monday, April 23rd in the UB Center for the Arts Screening Room at 11:45. Dr. Dennis Prieve will present his lecture "Effect of Severe Wall Hinderence on Brownian Motion and Mobility: is the Ratio Still kT as Predicted by Einstein?" A reception will follow the lecture in the Center for the Arts Atrium.
Paschalis Alexandridis receives mentoring award
Paschalis Alexandridisis one of UB's inaugural recipients of a new award administered by the Graduate School to recognize faculty for their support and development of graduate students through their mentoring activities.The Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award is being given annually to a member of the graduate faculty who has demonstrated “truly outstanding and sustained support and development of graduate students from course completion through research and subsequent career placement,” according to John T. Ho, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the graduate school.
CBE 2011 Graduate Student Research Symposium Winners
Congratulations to everyone who presented a research poster at the October 2011 Symposium. Special acknowledgements to our 4 winning posters:
- Sri Madabhushi -
Affinity and Kinetics of VWF propeptide binding to mature VWF
- Kaustubh Rane -
Using Monte Carlo Simulations to Study Wetting Behavior of Ionic Liquids
- Sushil Patil -
Improving the process of acid catalyzed hydrolysis of sugars by understanding the formation and growth of humins
- and Student Choice winner Munish Sharma -
Combustion-Driven Synthesis of Non-Oxide Nanoparticles in a High Temperature Reducing Jet
2011 Graduate Research Symposium Photo Gallery Online
CBE presents the 2011 Graduate Student Research Symposium (rsvp)
Keynote Speaker - Dr. Woodrow K. Shiflett, Chevron Products Company
Poster Contest, Free Reception
Friday, October 7, UB Center for the Arts
2011 CBE Graduate Student Symposium
Please join us for lectures, a poster session, and reception in the UB Center for the Arts:
-1-2pm Graduate Students Lecture-Screening Room, Biswajit Sarkar - Alexander Buffone
-2pm Keynote Lecture by Dr. Woodrow K. Shiflett, Chevron Products Company
-3-5:30pm Poster Session, Judging, and Reception in the Atrium
Dr. Shiflett will discuss, "Moving Innovation into the Marketplace: Harvesting R&D Value in the Global Hydroprocessing Catalyst Arena"
For more info. or to RSVP & obtain parking information:
call Joan Wilson at 645-1174 or send e-mailDistinguished Professor Paschalis Alexandridis and Graduate Secretary Dawn Townsend receive 2011 Chancellors' Awards for Excellence (read more)
Paschalis Alexandridis is a double Chancellor’s Award winner, having been the recipient of the award for excellence in teaching in 2006. He began his career at UB as an assistant professor in 1997 and was named a UB Distinguished Professor in 2009. He has served on the Faculty Senate and the University Faculty Senate Graduate and Research Committee.Alexandridis' research aims to create and manipulate molecular organization at the nano-scale and organization at the micron-scale of nano-objects. His expertise has a wide range of applications in pharmaceuticals, coatings, inks and thermoplastic elastomers.
He holds six patents and has published two books, as well as dozens of articles in peer publications. Last fall, he was named the recipient of the Jacob F. Schoellkopf Award, given annually by the Western New York section of the American Chemical Society in recognition of outstanding work and service in the fields of chemistry or chemical engineering.
Dawn Townsend began working at UB in 2002 as the graduate admissions secretary in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. She became graduate secretary in 2006, assuming as duties appointment processing and helping students with their obligations outside the classroom, including ensuring they register for the right courses and complete the appropriate paperwork related to their degree.Pablo G. Debenedetti delivers third annual Ruckenstein Lecture
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Eli Ruckenstein Lecture Series continued this spring, bringing another distinguished Chemical Engineer to UB
Pablo G. Debenedetti, Vice Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton University, spoke with faculty, industry professionals, and students about research advances and ideas on the subject of hydrophobicity. Dr. Debenedetti's visit provided an opportunity for the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering to showcase its education and scholarship activities to one of the leaders in our field, while providing students here with exposure to state-of-the-art developments in chemical engineering research.
Alumni and industry support of the Eli Ruckenstein Fund and its Lecture Series has enabled further growth and advanced the stature of the UB CBE department, while also fostering dialog that will lead to new directions for advancing the field of chemical engineering. Our profession has proven its value to society many times over, and we hope to continue to do so through scholarship and innovation that are promoted by this and other activities.
Pablo Debenedetti's research interests include the thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of liquids and glasses; the structure and thermodynamics of water and aqueous solutions; protein thermodynamics; the theory of nucleation; and metastability. He is the author of one book, Metastable Liquids, and more than 200 scientific articles.
Among numerous professional honors, Debenedetti was named one of "100 Chemical Engineers of the Modern Era" by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and he is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.Photos:
UB Battery Researcher with More Patents than Any Other Woman is Inducted Into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
Future innovations depend on the drive for more patents and diversity in the lab, says Takeuchi
Release Date: March 3, 2011
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Esther Takeuchi, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor and Greatbatch Professor of Advanced Power Sources at the University at Buffalo, will be one of nine living inductees into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, according to an announcement today by the NIHF, which honors legendary inventors whose innovations have changed the world.
Takeuchi has earned more patents than any other woman in the U.S., 148 at last count and growing, most of them related to her pioneering development of sophisticated power sources for implantable devices, now a booming multibillion-dollar business.
"Professor Takeuchi's ingenuity and pursuit of what is truly innovative has made possible devices that are saving millions of lives," says Harvey G. Stenger, PhD, dean of the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. "As a visionary scientist and innovator at UB, and now as an inductee into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, she is taking her rightful place alongside the most famous inventors of our time." Read More
Hila Dvora wins Poster Award
Hila Dvora, a student of Dr. Mattheos Koffas, recieved one of three AIChE Food, Pharmaceuticals, and Bioengineering Division Graduate Student Poster Awards at the annual conference in Salt Lake City, Utah in November 2010. The poster was entitled "Strategies for Increasing Anthocyanin Production in Escherichia coli by Improving UDP-Glucose Bioavailability" and was presented in the Bioengineering poster session.Vladimir Hlavacek —
February 28, 1939 - November 4, 2010CBE Professor Emeritus Vladimir Hlavacek passed away on November 4, 2010 after a short illness.
Dr. Hlavacek was born in Prague, Czech Republic where he received his education from the Prague Institute of Chemical Technology and from Charles University in Prague. He had three doctorate degrees in science and engineering and taught in Prague for a short period before emigrating to the US and settling in Buffalo in 1981 as a university professor. While at UB, Professor Hlavacek taught courses in air reactor engineering, green engineering, and in computer aided design of chemical operations. His research focused on solid fuel combustion processes, and he was published in numerous international journals. Dr. Hlavacek also worked on several projects for the US Navy. In his spare time, he was an avid fisherman and enjoyed travelling around the world. Following his retirement from UB in 2009, Vladimir and his wife moved to Naples, FL. He was 71.2010 NRC Report Shows Department Among Top 10 in US for Key Research Measures
The National Research Council has released its long-awaited assessment of doctoral programs in the US, and we are very pleased to report that the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University at Buffalo has placed in the top 10 nationally in several key research measures. The report is arguably the most comprehensive and objective analysis of quality of graduate programs ever produced. In 2006 the NRC conducted a systematic process of data collection of doctoral programs across many disciplines, gathering information from departments, individual faculty, students, administrators, and public sources. The data included information on faculty research productivity, institutional support for students, diversity of faculty and students, and more. Twenty specific characteristics were identified, and a rating for each was reported for every program. The NRC also offered composite measures, reported only as ranges and not individual vales, based on subjective surveys of importance of each measure in determining overall quality. The NRC however is rather emphatic in suggesting that no single measure could meaningfully rank program quality.
In the important objective statistics of publications per faculty, and awards per faculty, our program ranked 8th and 9th, respectively, out of a total of 106 measured programs. Moreover, in the four years since these data were collected, one might argue that we've only gotten better — adding two more members of the National Academy of Engineering to our faculty, while adding several junior faculty whose research programs are now coming up to speed.
More information about the NRC assessment can be found at National Academies Press, or at PhDs.org, which has compiled the data in a form for easy review.
Paschalis Alexandridis Selected for 2010 Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal
Dr. Paschalis Alexandridis, UB Distinguished Professor in the Chemical & Biological Engineering Department, has been selected as the 2010 recipient of the Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal, awarded by the Western NY section of the American Chemical Society. The award recognizes his fundamental discoveries on block copolymer thermodynamics, structure, and dynamics, and for his development of functional products utilizing self-assembly methodologies.
A reception and award ceremony honoring Dr. Alexandridis will be hosted by the ACS section later this Fall.
MorePhotos from Schoellkopf award ceremony
Esther Takeuchi Bringing Fresh Approach to Nation's Electrical Grid
Chi Lo & Sri Madabhushi Receive American Heart Association Pre-doctoral Fellowships
CBE graduate students, Chi Lo and Sri Madabhushi, were awarded pre-doctoral fellowships from the American Heart Association (AHA) starting this summer (2010). This is a competitive and prestigious award mechanism that provides support for research and training as students initiate careers in cardiovascular disease and stroke. Both students are mentored by CBE Professor Sriram Neelamegham.
Chi Lo works on the mechanism by which white blood cells bind to blood vessel walls in the human body. Her goal is to identify important reaction pathways that lead to the formation of specific sugar structures on the surface of white blood cells. These carbohydrates regulate critical molecular interactions that contribute to human inflammatory diseases.
Sri Madabhushi's research examines the largest protein in blood called van Willebrand Factor (VWF). Sri is interested in identifying structural changes in VWF that are regulated by fluid shear forces. Such changes aid the binding of human blood platelets to blood vessel walls. Platelet cell adhesion contributes to both the stoppage of bleeding following injury, and cardiovascular diseases like myocardial infarction and stroke.Biswa Das - UB Intramural Badminton Champ
CBE graduate student, Biswa Das has won the Men's Advanced Division of UB's Badminton Intramural League for Fall 2009. The match was played in a round-robin format, with the top two players (based on wins) competing in the finals.
Das is a current member of the Amherst Recreational Badminton club and has participated in various tournaments in and around the Western New York area.
Das and former CBE graduate student, Venkatramanan Ravi, were also finalists in the Fall 2008 Badminton Men's Doubles Division.
Biswa Das - Fall 2009 Men's Advanced Division Badminton Champ
Biswa Das & Venkatramanan Ravi
Finalists, Fall 2008 Men's Doubles Badminton
Koffas Group - New System Boosts Yield of Isoflavonoids That Bind Estrogen Receptors
Robert J. Good -- August 13, 1920 - April 29, 2010
Retired Professor Robert J. Good passed away on Thursday, April 29, 2010 at the Northgate Manor Healthcare Facility in Wheatfield, NY. He was 89 years old.
Good was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, he earned a bachelor's degree at Amherst College in Massachusetts, a master's degree at the University of California at Berkeley, and a doctorate degree at the University of Michigan. He was a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UB from 1964 until 1990, and taught courses in materials science and corrosion. Following his retirement, he became a professor emeritus and university scholar.
In addition to his many years as a professor and scientist at UB, Dr. Good was a visiting professor at several universities, including the University of Bristol, City University and Imperial College, all in London. He also worked as a chemist for Dow Chemical Do., Pittsburg, CA, American Cyanamide and Chemical Co., Azusa, CA, and Monsanto Chemical Co., Anniston, AL.
He was a consultant for several other companies and organizations, including Allied Chemical Corp., Ashland Chemical Co., British Petroleum and DuPont. He received several awards for his work in surface and colloid chemistry, including the Jacob R. Schoellkopf Award in 1979, and the Kendall Award from the American Chemical Society in 1976. He was a member of the American Chemical Society, the National Association of Corrosion Engineers, and the Adhesion Society.
His wife of 45 years, the former Maud Hopkins, died in February. Survivors include three daughters.Marina Tsianou & Nikita Petrosyan Honored by Student Chapter of AIChE
The student chapter of the AIChE held their end of the year banquet at the Pearl Street Grill and Brewery on Friday, April 23, 2010. One of the highlights of the banquet was the presentation of the Professor of the Year and Student of the Year. This year's winners were Dr. Marina Tsianou as Professor of the Year, and senior Nikita Petrosyan as 2010 Student of the Year. Winners were presented with plaques and gift cards.
Esther Takeuchi to Receive Norton Medal at Commencement, May 2010
Dr. Esther Takeuchi will be one of three recipients of the Chancellor Charles P. Norton Medal, UB's highest award, during the university's 164th general commencement on May 9, 2010. This medal is presented annually in public recognition of a person who has, in Norton's words, "performed some great thing which is identified with Buffalo...a great civic or political act, a great book, a great work of art, a great scientific achievement or any other thing which, in itself, is truly great and ennobling, and which dignifies the performer and Buffalo in the eyes of the world."
Takeuchi's development of the lithium/silver vanadium oxide battery while a scientist at Greatbatch, Inc. was a major factor in bringing implantable cardiac defbrillators (ICDs) into production in the late 1980s. ICSs shock the heart into a normal rhythm when it goes into fibrillation. She is often cited as the woman awarded the most patents in the U.S. - more than 140 at last count - most of them related to her pioneering development of sophisticated power sources for implantable devices, now a booming multibillion-dollar business. Named to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering in 2004, she is one of just 104 women elected to the organization, considered the highest distinction that an engineering professional can achieve. Less than 5 percent of the academy's 2,400 active members are women.
Dr. Takeuchi is the first UB faculty member to receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, which is administered for the White House by the U.S. Department of Commerce's U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It recognizes individuals or companies for outstanding contributions to the promotion of technology for the improvement of the economic, environmental or social well being of the United States.CBE Students are Multi-Talented - Lye Lin Lock & Namita Bhan Winners in Photo Contest
Two CBE students recently won awards at the "Welcome To My World" Photo Exhibition. Lye Lin Lock, a CBE undergraduate took 3rd Place in the Judges Winners category. Graduate student, Namita Bhan tied for 1st Place in the People's Choice category. Congratulations to them both.
Professor Esther Takeuchi Named Recipient of National Medal of Technology, Most Coveted Technology Award in U.S.
President Barack Obama announced that Dr. Esther S. Takeuchi has been awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, the highest honor awarded in the U.S. for technological achievement. Dr. Takeuchi is the first UB professor to receive this honor. She will receive her medal at a White House ceremony to be held October 7.
Takeuchi is often cited as the woman awarded the most patents in the U.S. -- more than 140 at last count, most of them related to her pioneering development of sophisticated power sources for implantable devices, now a booming multibillion-dollar business.
For more information, please go to: http://www.buffalo.edu/ubreporter/2009_09_16/takeuchi_medal
"Best Paper" Recognition Goes to Grad Student Biswajit Sarkar
A research article published in the International Journal of Mineral Processing with the first author, Mr. Biswajit Sarkar, has been recognized by the Indian Institute of Mineral Engineers (IIME) as the "Best Paper Published on Beneficiation." The article, "Study of Separation Features in Floatex Density Separator for Cleaning Fine Coal," is co-authored by A. Das and S.P. Mehrotra and was published in 2008. Sarkar is currently a CBE graduate student working towards his PhD under the direction of Dr. Paschalis Alexandridis.
Alexandridis Named UB Distinguished Professor
Dr. Paschalis Alexandridis has been named UB Distinguished Professor. The title UB Distinguished Professor is a rank above that of full professor and was created by the Office of the Provost to recognize full professors who have achieved true distinction and who are leaders in their field.
Alexandridis' research includes self-assembly and directed assembly of polymers, supramolecules and nanoparticles. Some of his awards include the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development Award, The SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the UB Exceptional Scholar Award for Sustained Achievement, among others. Alexandridis joined the CBE Department at UB in 1997.
For more information, please go to: http://www.buffalo.edu/ubreporter/2009_0_11/ubdisting_profsStudent Chapter of AIChE Among March Madness Winners
March Madness, a membership contest, was initiated by the national chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers to encourage a final round of new student outreach before the end of the academic year. The challenge was set forth for each school to achieve at least 50% national AIChE enrollment (the percentage is calculated by taking the total number of chemical engineers on record for each school and comparing it with the membership numbers at the end of the contest). With a lot of hard work from the Student Chapter leaders, UB was among the 59 March Madness winners! A special note of thanks went to Student Chapter President Jacob Weiner and Faculty Advisor Marina Tsianou.
Andreadis Receives UB's Exceptional Scholar: Sustained Achievement Award, 2009
Dr. Stelios Andreadis has been selected to receive UB's Exceptional Scholar: Sustained Achievement Award for 2009. This award was established in 2001 to recognize tenured faculty whose body of work over a number of years has garnered professional or public accolades beyond the norm for the discipline.
Stelios received the award at the UB Exceptional Scholar and Teaching Innovation Awards Reception held in the Kaveeshwar Gallery in Capen Hall on May 18, 2009.CBE Graduate Student, Indrajeet Singh, Receives Perkin Scholarship
Each year, the Society of Chemical Industry America International Group gives a $5,000 Perkin Scholarship to a student from a university selected by the Perkin Award winner of that year. Dr. Ian Shankland has been chosen as the Perkin Medal winner for 2008, and has chosen the University at Buffalo as the university and the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering to be the department that the student is chosen from. The Perkin Medal Scholarship program has been established to recognize and reward outstanding performance and potential in the advanced study of applied chemistry or related sciences, and to broaden awareness of the Perkin Medal and contributions to society that this prestigious award represents. The student selected as the recipient of the 2008 Perkin Scholarship is Indrajeet Singh.
Mr. Singh is working towards his PhD under the direction of Dr. Sriram Neelamegham. His PhD dissertation utilizes the knowledge of chemistry, biology and physics to add his own contribution to the advancement of science and technology. Singh has studied the effect of fluid or hydrodynamic forces on protein structure and function. During the course of these investigations, he has developed novel spectroscopy tools to determine the role of fluid flow in regulating protein structure and self-association/aggregation properties. Many of the studies are performed with a large polymeric protein isolated from human blood called Von Willebrand Factor (VWF). The study is important since it is established that the level and activity of VWF is associated with many vascular diseases including acute coronary syndromes. VWF also plays a key role during thrombosis that is associated with myocardial infarction and stroke. Further, strategies to control the interaction of VWF with its receptor on blood platelets (integrin GpIba) are of interest in the biotech community since this is a druggable target. Upon completion of his degree, Singh wishes to continue to add his contribution to human health care and science by continuing his research in the area of drug development and disease modeling where he will focus on specific drug molecules and their target specificity. Indrajeet is proud to be the first in his entire family (including all his ancestors) to receive a PhD. His wife, Anuroop, is also a student at UB, pursuing a Masters degree in Economics.
Dr. Ian Shankland is currently the Director of Technology for Honeywell's Fluorine Products business, a part of Specialty Materials. Since joining Honeywell 27 years ago, Shankland has held a number of positions in research and development and business development. He currently is responsible for new product and applications development, manufacturing process development and scale-up within Honeywell's Fluorine Products business, and has led technology programs for successful commercialization of a number of environmentally-improved fluorocarbon products.
Left to Right: Michael E. Campbell, Chairman, SCI America International Group, Anuroop Singh, Indrajeet Singh, Dr. Ian Shankland, 2008 Perkin Medal Recipient at the Award Presentation in Philadelphia, PA.
CBE Graduate Student, Lye Lock, Wins AIChE Poster Award
Lye Lock, a PhD student working under the direction of Dr. Manolis Tzanakakis, has won an award for a poster she presented on her work on the expansion and pancreatic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells in bioreactors
at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA. This highly competitive award is presented to only three graduate students per year.Schultz, Kofke & Company Develop a Fine-Grained Approach to "Cool" Simulations
Learn moreSol W. Weller - July 27, 1918-August 24, 2008
Retired Professor Sol W. Weller passed away on Sunday, August 24, 2008 at the Beechwood Continuing Care Facility in Getzville, NY. He was 90 years old.
Born in Detroit, Sol earned his PhD in chemistry from the University of Chicago. During World War II, he worked on the Manhattan Project.
Over the next two decades, he worked in chemical engineering, specializing in kinetics, coal liquefaction, the separation of gases by permeation, catalysts and standardization of catalyst-testing methods. He was responsible for several patents in his field.
In 1963, he became a professor of chemical engineering at UB, where he taught until 1988. While at UB, he held the C.C. Furnas Memorial Chair in Engineering in 1983. He also received two Fulbright Awards, the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1973, the Storch Award for coal research in 1981, Murphee Award for Industrial and Engineering Chemistry in 1982, and the Schoellkopf Medal in 1984.
Dr. Weller also taught and consulted in Madrid, Spain; Istanbul, Turkey; Oxford, England; and Haifa, Israel. He wrote many scientific papers, book chapters and encyclopedia entries during his career.
A talented amateur pianist, Dr. Weller and the former Miriam Damick, his wife of 62 years, hosted many musical events in their Williamsville home. Mrs. Weller passed away in 2006.
Dr. Weller is predeceased by a daughter and is survived by a daughter and two sons.
Neelamegham & Group Apply Systems Biology and Glycomics to Study Human Inflammatory Diseases
Learn moreStelios Andreadis Elected to College of Fellows of American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering
Stelios Andreadis, Professor of Chemical & Biological Engineering, has been elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering (AIMBE) as a result of his significant contributions to the field of Chemical & Biological Engineering. Stelios' areas of research include gene therapy, tissue engineering of skin and blood vessels, controlled protein and gene delivery.
Located in Washington, DC, AIMBE is the leading advocacy group for medical and biological engineering and is comprised of some of the most important leaders in science and engineering. Founded in 1991, AIMBE has earned a reputation as a prestigious public policy leader on issues impacting the medical and biological community. AIMBE is regarded by key legislators as the preeminent voice on the subject. Through the College of Fellows, the Academic Council, the Council of Societies and the Industry Council, AIMBE represents roughly 50,000 influential leaders.
Mark Swihart Invited to Participate in National Conference of "Rising Star Engineers"
Learn moreTakeuchi Wins ACS Astellas Award
Learn moreEsther Takeuchi Named Greatbatch Professor
Learn moreKoffas Receives SBIR Grant to Pursue Research in Industrial Microbiology
Learn moreAndreadis Research Shows Engineered Blood Vessels Function Like Native Tissue
Learn moreCarl Lund Named SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor
Learn moreAlexandridis' Work With Nanoparticles May Lead to "On-the-Spot" Virus Detector
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