The Department of Chemistry at Villanova University

10/22/2026

Congratulations to the Minbiole lab, including undergraduate Biochemistry & Chemistry double major Annie Westrate and graduate student Ewelina Fiejtek, and collaborators on their latest publication:
https://pubs.acs.org/aidcbc/article/doi/10.1021/acsinfecdis.6c00472/5454161/An-AI-Modeling-and-Structural-Clustering-Approach
The work is entitled, “An AI Modeling and Structural Clustering Approach to QAC Disinfectant Development” and is published as part of ACS Infectious Diseases special issue “Artificial Intelligence for Next-Generation Anti-infective Discovery”.
Kudos to the Minbiole lab!

Abstract. Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) have been used as disinfectants for nearly a century due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and

10/11/2026

These two members of the Eigenbrodt lab are headed to Rome! Congrats Finley and Vincent!!

10/09/2026

Check out the latest publication from the Kraut Research Lab that was published in Protein Science !The title of the work is "Pulling and gripping: Proteasomal translocation pathway elements differentially contribute to substrate unfolding" https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pro.70814 . Arushi Palta is an undergradaute in the Kraut lab and one of the authors on this paper, as highlighted in the photo!

10/06/2026

Villanova Chem and BioChem had a great showing at a local ACS meeting that took place at UPenn! Junior Vincent Arcati from the Eigenbrodt Research Group won "Outstanding Poster" of the night, for his work his work on "Investigating the Effects that Media pH has on the Lipid Production of Algae for Biofuel Generation". Our own Dr. Jess Myers was a judge and the event was also organized with help from our staff scientist Andrew Devany who is the Chair of the local ACS chapter!!

09/14/2026

We are proud to announce that our very own Dr. Tom Umile will be a featured guest speaker at the season premiere of the Green Chemistry Connections webinar series this week hosted by Beyond Benign—Green Chemistry for a Sustainable Future!

Join the global green chemistry community this Wednesday, September 16th, from 12:00pm - 2:00pm EDT for the interactive session, "Green Chemistry in the Classroom: Beyond Benign Resources for Educators." Participants will gain practical guidance on adapting resources, case studies, and open-access classroom activities to introduce green chemistry principles into existing chemistry curricula.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-benign-inc/home/

09/14/2026

Join us this Wednesday for a pizza party! 5pm, 211 Lounge in Mendel

08/29/2026

We have a great lineup of guest speakers for our Professional Development Seminar series this fall! Please join us. The talks below are open to the public and everyone is welcome to attend! For more info, please reach out to cheminfo at villanova dot edu

08/17/2026

We are thrilled to welcome our newest faculty member to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Villanova University!

Joining us after completing a postdoctoral fellowship with Prof. Jessica Swanson at the University of Utah, Dr. Gabriel Costa Alverni da Hora brings deep expertise in computational and biophysical chemistry. Their research highlights an impressive focus on machine learning, molecular simulations, and investigating disease-related biological systems.

At Villanova, Dr. de Hora's new research lab will leverage molecular dynamics to solve complex biological and chemical problems while offering students valuable hands-on experience. This fall, he is excited to teach Biophysical Chemistry, utilizing advanced modeling tools to make abstract atomic structures highly visual. Dr. de Hora is dedicated to building student confidence and helping undergraduates see themselves as future scientists.

When he is not in the classroom or lab, you might find him playing soccer, reading, or catching up on video games. Dr. de Hora also love spending time with their bold chihuahua, who refuses to be intimidated by anyone or anything.

Welcome to the team, Gabe! We are so excited to have you with us.

08/13/2026

We are so very pleased to welcome another one of our newest faculty members to the Villanova University community and our Department!

Joining us most recently from Amherst College, Dr. Dorothy Huang brings an exciting passion for both fundamental chemistry and innovative teaching. This year, she is especially looking forward to teaching General Chemistry while diving deep into Villanova's student culture.

Her research bridges the gap between complex theory and classroom innovations. On the theoretical side, Dr. Huang studies the "Atomic Ballet" of chemical reactions to determine if bond changes are driven by enthalpy or entropy. In chemical education, she explores using IR thermography in labs and integrating Green Chemistry into the curriculum.

In the classroom, Dr. Huang thrives on true student engagement. She loves when students ask intriguing questions about the basics, forcing a deeper look at fundamental concpets. Dr. Huang is highly enthusiastic about launching these computational and educational research projects alongside Villanova undergraduates.

When not in the office, you might find Dorothy sharing stories about her home country. Fun fact: she is from a nation so tiny that you can drive from one end to the other in just a single hour!

Please join us in giving Dr. Dorothy Huang a warm Villanova welcome!

08/11/2026

We are thrilled to welcome a new faculty member to the Villanova University community!

Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Dr. Matthew Sanders, who joins our department after completing a Ph.D. at UNC-Chapel Hill and a postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Sanders' research focuses on a fascinating frontier in material science: incorporating silicon into synthetic polymers to overcome current synthetic challenges and unlock new possibilities for conductive polymers and advanced coatings.

Inside the classroom, Dr. Sanders is eager to teach organic chemistry, a subject he fell in love with after finding it challenging as an undergrad, as well as specialized courses in polymer chemistry. He is looking forward to getting to know Villanova's driven students both in lectures and during office hours.

Outside of the lab and classroom, you can find Dr. Sanders running, hiking, cheering on our basketball team, and putting his undergraduate German major to use. (If you have any old German research papers that need translating, you know who to ask!)

Welcome to the team! We are so excited to have you with us.