FALL 2015
CHEMICAL & BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
BREAKTHROUGH COLLABORATIONSIN HEALTH, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Multidisciplinary research creates lasting impact for science, business and people’s lives.
A YEAR OF GROWTH AND BREAKTHROUGH COLLABORATIONS
Dear friends,
On behalf of the students and faculty at UB Chemical
and Biological Engineering, it is a great pleasure to share
our news and accomplishments through the 2015 Catalyst.
There have been many exciting developments this year,
placing UB CBE in a position to play a leadership role in
advancing our discipline by addressing big challenges
in health, energy, and the environment in the years ahead.
As you will see, we have added three more outstanding
new faculty members to our ranks. They are Professors Goyal
and Dupuis (two very accomplished senior investigators),
and Professor Parashurama (a very talented junior faculty).
Collectively, their research addresses important problems
in the emerging areas of materials informatics, nanomaterials
for health, energy and the environment, and stem cell
bioengineering. In total, we have added six new faculty
members since 2013, a 30% increase in our faculty size in
only two years. This remarkable growth will continue
as we look to add strength in areas that complement broad
university initiatives, all of which are led by CBE faculty.
As you read the pages in this newsletter you will first notice the
leadership efforts undertaken by CBE in addressing complex
scientific, technological and societal challenges through broad
collaborative initiatives. Here at the University at Buffalo,
we are uniquely positioned to leverage expertise from a variety
of colleagues and resources. Between the RENEW university-
wide interdisciplinary effort led by Amit Goyal, the New York
State Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics (CMI) directed
by Mark Swihart, and our new NYSTEM funded
Stem Cell Training Program led by myself
and Sriram Neelamegham, UB CBE
will call on over 100 investigators
within UB and the local scientific,
health and entrepreneurial
communities to work with us
to forge breakthrough,
collaborative initiatives.
The enrollment and qualifications of our graduate and
undergraduate students increased significantly this past year,
as did our students’ accomplishments! Two of our students,
Stephanie Kong and Sharon Lin, made us particularly proud
when they received the highly competitive Barry Goldwater
Scholarship, established by Congress in 1986 in honor
of Senator Barry Goldwater. It is a point of pride for us that
five CBE undergraduate students have won this prestigious
award in the past three years.
Among many of the accolades that our alumni received this
year, we are proud of the accomplishments of our distinguished
alumnus Dr. Ashutosh Sharma. On January 9, 2015, Dr. Sharma
became the Secretary, Department of Science and Technology,
Government of India. You can read more about Ashu and other
distinguished alumni in this newsletter, and participate by going
online at www.cbe.buffalo.edu/alumni.
Thank you for your continued support and financial
contributions. I hope to see you on campus soon at one
of our future events.
Please stay in touch,
Stelios T. Andreadis
STELIOS T. ANDREADIS
Chair, Department of Chemical
and Biological Engineering,
University at Buffalo
THE UNDENIABLE RESULTS OF MULTI DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
GRADUATE ENROLLMENT 47%
RENEW GRAND INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS GLOBAL CHALLENGESPAGES 6–7
CMI LEADING IN MATERIALS INFORMATICS BY INTEGRATING RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTPAGES 12–13
SCiRM TRAINING PROGRAM ADVANCING STEM CELL SCIENCE; ACCELERATING DRUG DISCOVERY AND CELL-BASED THERAPIESPAGES 8–9
DR. HAIQING LINDR. JOHANNES HACHMANNDR. GANG WU
DR. AMIT GOYALDR. NATESH PARASHURAMADR. MICHAEL DUPUIS20
14
2015
RESEARCH EXPENDITURES
UP 20%
FACULTY INCREASED BY A THIRDOVER
100FACULTY PUBLICATIONS
ADDING MORE GREAT MINDS TO OUR WORLD-RENOWNED FACULTY
DR. AMIT GOYAL
Dr. Amit Goyal joined UB in January 2015
as Director of RENEW (see pg 6–7).
Goyal has developed clean energy
technologies for over two decades,
authored more than 350 publications
and has more than 80 issued patents,
with 20+ pending. He was the most
cited author worldwide in the field
of high-temperature superconductivity
from 1999–2009, and has received
numerous accolades including the
presidential level DOE’s E.O. Lawrence
Award in the inaugural category of
Energy Science & Innovation. The award
is bestowed by the Energy Secretary
on behalf of the United States President.
He has been elected fellow of nine
professional societies, and he
concurrently holds the title of Empire
Innovation Professor at UB in four
departments while remaining as
Emeritus Corporate Fellow and
Distinguished Scientist at Oak Ridge
National Laboratory. In addition, he is the
Founder, President & CEO of TapeSolar
Inc., a private-equity funded company
and also the Founder, President & CEO
of TexMat LLC, an IP holding and
consulting company.
DR. MICHEL DUPUIS
Dr. Michel Dupuis joined our
department in January 2015. His
research is in the area of computation-
enabled chemical and materials
science and engineering, in particular
for new energy technologies
relevant to sun-to-fuels and fuels-to-
electricity conversions.
Dupuis obtained a Diplome d’Ingenieur
from the Ecole Polytechnique, Paris,
in 1972 and a PhD in Theoretical
Chemistry in 1976 in the Department
of Chemistry at UB under the
supervision of Professor H. F. King.
He worked at the Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory, at IBM, and
more recently at the Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory as a Laboratory
Fellow. He is a Fellow of the APS,
a Fellow of the AAAS, and a Member
of the International Academy of
Quantum Molecular Science IAQMS.
Over the years he has contributed
to the development and application
of quantum chemical methods
and codes (HONDO, GAMESS, and
NWChem) for electronic structure
studies of molecules and materials.
DR. NATESH PARASHURAMA
Dr. Natesh Parashurama will be
joining UB CBE in January 2016. His
research program will focus on using
principles of chemical engineering,
molecular imaging, and stem cell/
developmental biology to develop
functioning liver cells/ tissue,
and to develop new molecular
diagnostics and therapeutics for
liver diseases. Following training
in chemical engineering (MIT) and
Medicine (University at Buffalo,
Boston University), Dr. Parashurama
completed his doctoral research in
the area of liver stem cell and tissue
engineering (Rutgers University
and Harvard Medical School). Most
recently, Dr. Parashurama completed
postdoctoral training in the area
of molecular imaging, focusing on
noninvasive imaging of stem cells
(Stanford University), and a California
Institute of Regenerative Medicine
fellowship focusing on human stem
cells, human tissue biology and
human liver development (University
of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
FOCUS IN RENEW: RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ON ISSUES REGARDING ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND WATER
FOCUS IN DEVELOPING NEW MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS AND THERAPEUTICS FOR LIVER DISEASES
FOCUS IN CHEMICAL AND MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FOR NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES
4 | University at Buffalo Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
FACULTY AWARDS
DAVE KOFKE NAMED AN AAAS FELLOW
Congratulations to David Kofke for his recent election as a Fellow of the AAAS. The American
Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization dedicated
to advancing science for the benefit of all people. Dr. Kofke is well recognized in the field of
Statistical Thermodynamics and Molecular Simulation. His election as an AAAS fellow is another
testament to his academic achievements and the respect he has earned among our peers.
Learn more: www.cbe.buffalo.edu/kofke
SRIRAM NEELAMEGHAM RECEIVES CHANCELLOR’S AWARD
Sriram Neelamegham was recognized by SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher with the State University
of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. The award
recognizes his many significant contributions to the field of bioengineering, and in particular his
work in the area of Systems Glycobiology in the context of the interactions of white blood cells with
the vasculature. It also recognizes sustained contributions in integrating engineering and medicine
and his dedication to our profession. Learn more: www.cbe.buffalo.edu /neelamegham
AMIT GOYAL ELECTED FELLOW BY NATIONAL ACADEMY OF INVENTORS
The National Academy of Inventors elected Amit Goyal as a fellow, for “having demonstrated
a highly prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made
a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.”
Learn more: www.cbe.buffalo.edu/goyal
PASCHALIS ALEXANDRIDIS HONORED BY UB STOR
Paschalis Alexandridis, UB Distinguished Professor and CBE Director of Graduate Studies, was
honored in March at the Annual Inventors and Entrepreneurs Reception given by the University
at the Buffalo Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach (STOR) for his
U.S. Patent 8,859,000 “Synthesis of Nanoparticles by an Emulsion-Gas Contacting Process”.
These materials are primarily used in optical sensors, bio-tracers and markers and in semiconductor
electronics. The patent is licensed to Quantum Technology Group headquartered at Kennebunk,
Maine. Learn more: www.cbe.buffalo.edu /alexandridis
MARK SWIHART RECOGNIZED WITH MEYERSON AWARD FOR TEACHING AND MENTORING
Congratulations to Mark Swihart, recipient of The Meyerson Award, in recognition of his exceptional
teaching and mentoring at the University at Buffalo. The award also recognizes faculty who
provide guidance and support to undergraduate students to help them develop the skills necessary
for research, as well as creative thinking and innovative research activities. Mark has done an
exceptional job in this regard. In addition to maintaining an active and productive research group
with a large number of graduate students, Mark has trained 92 undergraduate students to date,
including Phil Tucciarone, who received the prestigious Marshall Scholarship. Learn more:
www.cbe.buffalo.edu/swihart
VIEW MORE OF THIS YEAR’S FACULTY AWARDS ON P. 15
Catalyst Fall 2015 | 5
UB RENEW
CREATING TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE THROUGH RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
RENEW’s research seed
projects will address
a variety of prominent
issues including energy
diversification (“Offshore
Wind Energy in the
Great Lakes”), freshwater
protection and
restoration (“Tracking
Emerging Contaminants in the Great Lakes”), environmental
management and governance (“Energy Efficient Seawater
Desalination and Food Processing”), societal adaptation
to changing environments and the green economy
(“the New Agriculture From Food Farms to Solar Farms”),
ecosystem science, engineering and policy, and public health.
UB has recently
launched the RENEW
Institute, which stands
for Research and
Education in eNergy,
Environment and
Water. Directed by UB
CBE faculty member
Dr. Amit Goyal, the
institute develops innovative research, education and outreach
programs. Societies across the world are grappling with urgent
challenges such as climate change, pollution, and pressing
needs for energy, fresh water and other resources. As a leading
public research university, UB is committed to addressing
regional and global energy and environmental challenges
through enduring scholarship and intellectual innovation.
photo by: Ken JP Stuczynski
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
6 | University at Buffalo Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
The institute’s interdisciplinary focus (involving several faculty
from UB CBE), will engage over 100 faculty from six UB schools
and colleges. Over 20 additional faculty will be added.
Among its several potential focus areas, one of the
first is Rational Design of Next-Generation,
Renewable Energy Materials. Six of UB CBE’s
faculty will participate, including Michel
Dupuis, Edward Furlani, Mark Swihart, David
Kofke, Gang Wu, and Johannes Hachmann.
The rational design focus area is aligned
with the White House’s Office of Science &
Technology Policy’s (OSTP) Materials Genome Initiative, whose
overall motivation is to enable discovery-to-market of materials
in half the time and at half the cost by leveraging advances
in computation and modeling. It does so by using theory,
rational design and modeling to guide experimental
and synthesis efforts. RENEW looks forward to very
significant participation by the CBE Department
in its other focus areas as they develop. n
Additional information about RENEW
can be found at www.cbe.buffalo.edu/goyal
or www.buffalo.edu/RENEW.
MULTI-SCALE
MODELING— GUIDING
THE DEVELOPMENT
OF ALTERNATIVE FUEL
TECHNOLOGIES
Michel Dupuis’ research
program deals with
fundamental scientific
problems which limit renewable energy technologies
such as solar energy conversion and electrical energy
storage technologies.
A current project in collaboration with UB CBE postdoctoral
research associate Nina Tyminska and CBE Professor
Gang Wu involves fundamental aspects of
photoelectrochemical cell chemistry to split water and
generate hydrogen as a fuel. The group is using large scale
first principles simulations to study the oxygen evolution
reaction (OER) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)
catalyzed by reducible oxide perovskites, in particular
the role of oxygen vacancy defects on these reactions.
Controlling synthesis design through theory-driven
understanding could lead to breakthroughs in the use of
alternate fuel sources. n www.cbe.buffalo.edu/dupuis
ADVANCED MATERIALS FOR ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY
Recently, a new type of high-performance, low-cost, and
robust graphene-tube (up to 500 nm) catalyst was developed
jointly by Professors Gang Wu and Mark Swihart, holding great
promise to replace expensive and scarce precious metals (e.g.,
Pt) for fuel cell oxygen cathodes. This work was highlighted by
Materials Views on Wiley websites: http://www.materialsviews.
com/graphene-tubes-electrocatalysis/. In addition, supported
by the U.S. Department of Energy, Wu’s group is dedicated to
developing a new type of oxygen-deficient perovskite oxide
catalyst for an innovative reversible alkaline fuel cell technology
that can convert renewable energy-generated electricity
into hydrogen as storable fuel via water splitting, and then
use the hydrogen in the fuel cell to provide electricity when
and where needed. Also, a new NSF project is underway to
develop a novel three-dimensional nanographene anode with
well controlled electronic and geometric structures for next
generation lithium-ion batteries with much improved capacity
and cycle stability. Wu’s group also has substantial expertise
in developing high-surface-area and highly graphitized carbon
materials for high-energy and high-power electrodes in
supercapacitors, which is supported by The New York State
Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics (CMI)
and SUNY Materials & Advanced Manufacturing (MAM)
Network Funding. n www.cbe.buffalo.edu/wu
Charge transfer
processes
in solar energy
conversion
Michel Dupuis and Nina Tyminska
Graphene Tubes
Catalyst Fall 2015 | 7
Successful translation of stem cell
breakthroughs into cell therapies
requires interdisciplinary approaches
that draw from biology, medicine
and bioengineering, but few
scientists or engineers are prepared
to meet this challenge. With
$1.85M in funding from NYSTEM
(New York State Stem Cell Science),
the University at Buffalo Schools
of Engineering and Medicine
and the Roswell Park Cancer
Institute (RPCI) Graduate Division
will join forces to do just that. >>
Project leaders Drs. Stelios Andreadis (UB CBE),
Sriram Neelamegham (UB CBE), and
Richard Gronostajski (UB Biochemistry) will
bring together 18 faculty from UB and RPCI
and support 8 graduate students per year
for five years to advance the basic science
of stem cells. Their collective goal: to develop
innovative technologies to accelerate clinical
translation of stem cell research.
NEW TRAINING PROGRAM WILL EDUCATE FUTURE LEADERS FOR STEM CELL RESEARCH AND THERAPY BREAKTHROUGHS
HEALTH
8 | University at Buffalo Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Each student will be co-mentored by two faculty to promote
interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations. Excellent
facilities are available for cutting-edge research including the
Western New
York Stem Cell
Culture and
Analysis Center
(also funded by
NYSTEM).
The new training
program will be
greatly facilitated
and enriched by numerous additional health care, life sciences
research, and medical education institutions in the newly built
Buffalo-Niagara Medical Campus. These include the new
Medical School scheduled to open in 2016, the new John R.
Oishei Children’s Hospital, the new Clinical and Translational
Research Center, the Center of Bioinformatics and Life Sciences,
and the new RPCI Clinical Research Center, among others.
This rich, interdisciplinary environment will foster development
of stem cell approaches for treatment of diseases including
cardiovascular, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer.
The combination of a highly-trained science and engineering
workforce, and the potential for clinical translation and
commercialization of research findings, are expected
to have significant economic impact in Western New York,
as well as throughout NY State. n
White filter disks holding antibiotics sit on petri dishes housing
erythromycin-resistant Bacillus subtilis. The filter disks circled in red
hold new forms of erythromycin created by University at Buffalo
researchers, and the dark halo around them indicates that the
drug has seeped out of the disk to kill the surrounding bacteria.
Credit: Guojian Zhang. Learn more: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/
releases/2015/05/049.html
BREAKTHROUGH IMPROVEMENTS FROM THE PFEIFER GROUP
STELIOS ANDREADIS DELIVERS KEYNOTE AT BIOENGINEERING AND STEM CELL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
Stelios Andreadis, Professor and CBE
Chair, delivered a keynote presentation
at the Bioengineering and Stem Cell
Research Symposium that was held
at the Center for Biotechnology and
Interdisciplinary Studies of Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute on June 8–9,
2015. The symposium focused on stem
cell science and the prospective use of stem cells in regenerative
medicine and clinical therapies, which have been enhanced
by the application of a wide range of bioengineering strategies
and materials. In his presentation, Dr. Andreadis discussed the
latest findings of his laboratory in the development of strategies
to reverse stem cell senescence and their implications for
cardiovascular tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. n
www.cbe.buffalo.edu/andreadis
Catalyst Fall 2015 | 9
Charles Jones and Blaine Pfeifer
The Pfeifer Group
has several recent
exciting developments.
Work led by Mahmoud
Kamal Ahmadi and
Samar Fawaz resulted
in a first place finish
at the New York State
Pollution Prevention 2015 Earth Day Competition (see
pg 17), and the work was recently published in Applied
and Environmental Microbiology. Research by Charles
Jones, Yi Li, Mingfu Chen, Akhila Golakota, and Tai Chun
Chung on non-viral gene delivery has been published
in several recent papers.
Mr. Kamal Ahmadi and Mr. Jones have also been active
in seeking commercial opportunities for their work
in wastewater remediation and genetic vaccine design,
respectively. Both have participated and advanced in local
(Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship) and
national (43North and NSF I-Corps) competitions focused
on start-up business opportunities.
Finally, Lei Fang and Guojian Zhang have been working
on discovery projects for new antibiotics with Dr. Zhang
using an engineering strategy to generate new
erythromycin analogs capable of overcoming antibiotic
resistance. His work was recently published in Science
Advances (see figure below) and received local and national
media attention. n www.cbe.buffalo.edu/pfeifer
The Neelamegham laboratory applies genome editing, a recently developed
method that allows both the functional ablation of genes at predefined sites
in the chromosome and also the specific insertion of novel DNA segments
at this site. In a recent publication in the journal Blood (the official journal of
the American Society of Hematology), the Neelamegham laboratory showed
that such ablation of a single enzyme called ST3Gal-4 in human white blood
cells (leukocytes) abolishes leukocyte adhesion to activated endothelial cells
under physiological fluid flow conditions1. These results show that while
there are several dozen enzymes that can participate in fine tuning the
leukocyte cell adhesion process during disease, one enzyme (ST3Gal-4) is
apparently more important than others and likely represents a novel target
for anti-inflammatory drug development. Blocking this enzyme activity could
potentially ameliorate a wide swath of inflammatory and thrombotic ailments
where white blood cells play a major role such as asthma, inflammatory
bowel disease, reperfusion injury, crisis during sickle cell anemia and deep vein
thrombosis. The enzyme is thus analogous to the ‘One Ring’ in J.R.R. Tolkien’s
Lord of the Rings that “rules the rest and in the darkness binds them.” n
www.cbe.buffalo.edu/neelamegham
1 Mondal et al. Blood: 125(4):687-96, 2015.
HELPING TO TREAT INFLAMMATORY AND THROMBOTIC AILMENTS— DISCOVERING ENZYMES REGULATING BLOOD CELL ADHESION
CBE researchers in the Jon Lovell Lab have discovered a way to easily and
effectively fasten proteins to nanoparticles—essentially an arranged marriage—
by simply mixing them together. The biotechnology is described in the journal
Nature Chemistry (doi:10.1038/nchem.2236).
To create the biotechnology, the researchers engineered nanoparticles made
of chlorophyll (a natural pigment), phospholipid (a fat similar to vegetable oil)
and cobalt (a metal often used to prepare magnetic, water-resistant
and high-strength alloys). The proteins, meanwhile, are modified with a chain
of amino acids called a polyhistidine-tag.
Polyhistidine-tags are used extensively
in protein research. Next, the researchers
mixed the modified proteins and nanoparticles
in water. There, one end of the protein
embeds into the nanoparticle’s outer layer.
Nanoparticles formed in this way using specific
peptides showed promise for targeting
cancer cells and for developing an HIV vaccine. n
www.cbe.buffalo.edu/lovell
Novel liposomes
that bind his-tagged polypeptides
‘VELCROED’ NANOPARTICLES TARGET HIV AND CANCER
10 | University at Buffalo Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Research in the Furlani group involves multiphysics modeling for the
development of innovative materials and devices with design features and
functionality that are engineered at the nanoscale. One thrust area involves
the study of plasmon-enhanced photothermal transduction using metallic
nanostructures for applications that range from nanofabrication to theranostics.
In such applications, a pulsed laser is used to excite the nanostructures at their
plasmon resonance frequency in order to optimize photon absorption. Professor
Ed Furlani and PhD candidate Ioannis Karampelas have studied fundamental
aspects of this phenomenon for select nanostructures (e.g. Au nanocages) using
a combination of computational electromagnetic and thermo-fluidic modeling.
This research enables the rational design of the photothermal process including
laser pulsing strategies and optimized particle geometries for controlled heat
transfer and nanobubble nucleation. Professor Furlani has collaborated with
Professors Mark Swihart (CBE) and Paras Prasad (Chemistry) for the synthesis
and characterization of plasmonic transducers for various bioapplications
including imaging, hyperthermia and nanobubble-based cancer therapy
[Lab Chip 12.19 (2012), J. Phy. Chem. C 117.39 (2013), Nanomed.-Nanotech.
Biol. Med. 9, (2013)]. n www.cbe.buffalo.edu/furlani
Professor Chong Cheng was awarded a collaborative grant from the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry (MSN)
program of the National Science Foundation for the development of a novel miniemulsion-based nanocage technology that can
be used for drug and gene delivery applications. Crosslinking of surfactant monolayer at the water-oil interface of miniemulsion
nanodroplets typically can only yield ill-defined products because of insufficient dynamic stability of surfactant molecules in
such systems. In collaboration with Professor Honggang Cui from John Hopkins University, Dr. Cheng’s research will focus on
precise template synthesis of nanocages by converting liquid cores of miniemulsion nanodroplets to crystallized solid cores, leading
to greater dynamic stability of the interfacial surfactant monolayer. Proof-of-concept studies using this innovative method have
already produced well-controlled nanocages, and systematic studies are currently under way to synthesize a broad variety of well-
defined structures and to develop molecular level understanding of the surfactant stabilization mechanism in these crystal-forming
miniemulsion systems. With their
inner core enabling encapsulation of
small molecules and their charged
shell promoting adsorption of genetic
material, these nanocages provide unique
advantages as therapeutic carriers for
simultaneous drug and gene delivery
(Chen et al., Nanoscale, 2014, 6, 1567-
1572). n www.cbe.buffalo.edu/cheng
NOVEL NANOCAGES ENGINEERED VIA CRYSTAL-FORMING TEMPLATES FOR SIMULTANEOUS DRUG AND GENE DELIVERY
3D simulation of laser-
induced heating
of a 50 nm gold
nanocage (cutaway
view) showing
nucleated nanobubble.
RATIONAL DESIGN OF PLASMONIC PHOTOTHERMAL NANOTRANSDUCERS FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS THROUGH MULTIPHYSICS MODELING
Schematic illustration of nanocage synthesis
Catalyst Fall 2015 | 11
In February 2015 Mark
Swihart, UB Distinguished
Professor of Chemical and
Biological Engineering, was
named executive director
of the University at Buffalo’s
New York State Center
of Excellence in Materials
Informatics (CMI). He succeeded Alexander N. Cartwright,
who had served as interim executive director since the launch
of CMI in 2012.
The central mission of CMI, funded by the state
through NYSTAR/Empire State Development,
is to leverage UB’s cutting edge materials science,
big data analytics, and advanced manufacturing
expertise to drive critical R&D activities that
directly impact private sector growth. State
funding for CMI has ramped up from a seed
grant of $200k in 2012–13 to $1M in state
funding for 2015-16, matched by $1M in UB
resources. University-wide, more than 70 faculty
are engaged in CMI-related research activities.
CMI research efforts are directed primarily at three high
growth industry sectors: Clean Energy, Life Sciences,
and Advanced Manufacturing. A key component of CMI
activities is matchmaking between regional companies and
UB expertise and resources, helping companies to navigate
the university to find the people and tools that can solve
their problems. In some cases, the CMI is able to directly
support UB research activities carried out in collaboration
with these companies.
CBE researchers have been among the most active
in engaging with local companies through the CMI,
in many cases solving energy related problems.
Professor Edward Furlani has
worked with Xerox,
S. Howes, and
Vader Systems to
develop new
process modeling
capabilities that
can generate
both cost- and
energy savings
as well as new
process capabilities.
RESEARCH & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
CBE PLAYS LEADING ROLE IN NYS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN MATERIALS INFORMATICS
12 | University at Buffalo Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Assistant Professor Haiqing Lin has worked with Perry’s
Ice Cream and Helios Technologies on membrane-based
technologies for energy-efficient wastewater recycling
and gas separations, respectively. Research Professor Keith
Kahen has received CMI support for research related to his
startup company, Lumisyn, LLC, which is developing novel
quantum dot phosphors for displays and solid-state lighting.
Widespread adoption of LED-based solid-state lighting
is poised to produce enormous energy savings worldwide.
Assistant Professor Gang Wu is advancing graphene-based
materials for supercapacitors, a key component of energy
systems from electric cars to large-scale transmission
networks, in collaboration with Graphenix Development.
Assistant Professor Johannes Hachmann is interacting
with Kitware, Inc. on creation of open source software for
materials informatics. Professor Swihart has worked with
Praxair, on nanomaterials synthesis; Avox Systems on sorbent
testing and gas purification; and New Era on testing
of solar-absorbing materials for cold-weather headgear.
CMI also operates a collection of shared facilities that includes
electron microscopy (SEM, TEM, FIB, and e-beam lithography)
and other materials synthesis and characterization equipment.
These facilities are accessible to both UB researchers
and external clients. n
For more information on the CMI, contact
Mark Swihart at [email protected] or visit
www.cbe.buffalo.edu/swihart.
To accelerate the
discovery process
and overcome
the limitations
of conventional
modeling efforts,
Professor Johannes
Hachmann and his
team have been
pioneering virtual high-throughput screening
techniques. Data-driven research of this nature
has gained considerable attention in recent years,
and so has the need to adequately analyze, mine,
and model the resulting large-scale data sets.
Hachmann’s group is developing a software suite
called CheML that stages cutting-edge techniques
from machine learning and informatics,
and adapts them to chemical and materials
questions. CheML can be employed to gain an
understanding of hidden structure-property
relationships from Big Data, which is a prerequisite
for the rational design and inverse engineering
capability advocated by the White House
Materials Genome Initiative. n www.cbe.buffalo.
edu/hachmann
DEVELOPING A MACHINE LEARNING AND INFORMATICS TOOLBOX FOR CHEMICAL AND MATERIALS RESEARCH
A rationally designed candidate compound for
optoelectronic applications
Catalyst Fall 2015 | 13
On April 23, 2015, UB CBE graduate students, faculty, and colleagues
were honored to host a lecture from Robert S. Langer, the David
H. Koch Institute Professor at MIT. His appearance was in conjunction
with CBE’s annual lecture honoring SUNY Distinguished Professor
Dr. Eli Ruckenstein, whose work has had profound impact on
the chemical engineering profession. Professor Ruckenstein received
the National Medal of Science from President Clinton and was
designated as one of 50 Eminent Chemical Engineers of the Foundation
Age. Professor Ruckenstein is also a member of the National Academy
of Engineers.
Dr. Langer has written over 1,280 articles. He also has nearly 1,050
patents worldwide. Dr. Langer’s patents have been licensed or
sublicensed to over 250 pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology and
medical device companies. He is the most cited engineer in history.
His presentation was titled “Biomaterials and biotechnology: From
the discovery of the first angiogenesis inhibitors to the development
of controlled drug delivery systems and the foundation of tissue
engineering.” The standing-room-only lecture drew over 250 attendees.
A reception was held immediately following the lecture. n
www.cbe.buffalo.edu/newsProfessors Langer and Ruckenstein
14 | University at Buffalo Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
ROBERT LANGER DELIVERS 7TH ANNUAL RUCKENSTEIN LECTURE
Here’s a puzzle: how can one help students remember
the concepts and skills they learn in one course for use
in future courses, appreciate the concrete usefulness
of what they learn, and see connections between
different topics? >>
INNOVATIVE METHODS FOR BREAKING THROUGH TO STUDENTS
Toward this end, since fall 2013 UB CBE has been implementing its
new Spiral Learning Initiative, which uses the project in CE 408 (senior
plant design, taught by Johannes Nitsche) as a pedagogical focal point
for each incoming class of students. “Spiral problems” are devised and
distributed over multiple courses they will take during their sophomore,
junior and senior years. Through these problems students revisit scientific
themes and knowledge areas underlying the design project they will
ultimately complete in CE 408. The project is decided (and waiting for
them) before they even take their first CE course. Thus, for example,
students who entered UB as freshmen in fall 2011 had homework,
exam and recitation problems on mechanics of falling lactic acid films in
Transport Phenomenon I CE 317 (fall 2013), and distillation of lactic acid
+ lactide mixtures in Separation Processes CE 407 (spring 2014), among
others. In this way, the students were prepared to design a plant this
past spring producing enough lactide to make 300 million lb/year of
polylactic acid, an environmentally friendly polymer finding increasing use
in water bottles, biomedical products and many other areas. A humorous
ceremony and giveaways for students accompany each instance
of a spiral problem. These ceremonial elements aim to make students
remember and mentally catalog the spiral moments (and content)
in their undergraduate education. n
JOHANNES NITSCHE NAMED SUNY DISTINGUISHED TEACHING PROFESSOR
Congratulations to Dr. Johannes
Nitsche, who was recently named
SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor.
He was cited by the University at Buffalo
as “A leading example to his students
as a superb scholar and dedicated
researcher.” Dr. Nitsche is internationally
renowned for his theoretical research
in biological transport processes and
dermal absorption. He is also a recipient
of the 1995 Chancellor’s Award for
Excellence in Teaching. He has recently
received a book contract from Springer
to write a problem-based textbook
on transport phenomena with
the potential to be used by a growing
number of bioengineering programs.
Read more about the spiral learning
initiative at www.cbe.buffalo.edu/
spirallearning.
EDUCATION & OUR STUDENTS
14 | University at Buffalo Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Catalyst Fall 2015 | 15
TWO UB CBE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WIN THE PRESTIGIOUS GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP
Congratulations to UB CBE undergraduate students
Stephanie Kong and Sharon Lin, who have both won the
highly competitive Barry Goldwater Scholarship, established
by Congress in 1986 in honor of Senator Barry Goldwater.
The scholarship provides up to $7,500 per year to cover the
educational expenses of outstanding students pursuing careers
in math, the natural sciences, and engineering. This year’s
award winners are a point of pride for UB’s engineering school.
Since 2012, six undergraduate engineering students—
including five from the Department of Chemical and
Biological Engineering—have won this prestigious award. n
Read more about the Goldwater Scholarship winners
at www.cbe.buffalo.edu/goldwater
Stephanie Kong (L), Sharon Lin (R)
CELEBRATING STUDENT BREAKTHROUGHS
AICHE STUDENT CLUB SEEKS TO CREATE REAL WORLD CONTEXT FOR FUTURE ENGINEERS
The student chapter of UB CBE’s AIChE has a mission to assist
undergraduate students in preparing for the real world by
fostering connections with future employers. They do so
by presenting a speaker series where students can visit with
and learn from UB CBE alums. Each month they can attend
tours of local plants. The AIChE student chapter also attends
national and regional AIChE conferences, competes in the
Cheme-E car competition, and hosts social events to connect
students and colleagues. n
CONGRATULATIONS TO PROFESSORS TAMARA KOFKE AND CARL LUND
Each were honored recently with
Professor of the Year awards
at this year’s AIChE student
banquet. The student AIChE
Club is committed to encouraging academic and professional
progress for undergraduate students through a speaker series,
plant tours, national and regional conference attendance,
competitions, and outreach programs. n Learn more about the
AIChE Club at www.cbe.buffalo.edu/aichestudents
Cheme Car competition, photo courtesy of AIChE
16 | University at Buffalo Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
UB CBE GRADUATE STUDENTS SAMAR FAWAZ AND MAHMOUD AHMADI WIN RIT EARTH DAY COMPETITION
Mahmoud Kamal Ahmadi (related story on p.9) and Samar
Fawaz won first place at the Earth Day NYWP2I research
conference 2015. The New York State Pollution Prevention
Institute at Rochester Institute of Technology presented
the annual Research and Development student competition,
open to colleges and universities throughout the state,
to recognize both graduate and undergraduate level
sustainability projects. UB CBE’s team captured first place
for retrieving precious metals from waste effluent at Precious
Plate Inc. in Niagara Falls. Samar Fawaz, UB CBE graduate
student in the Blaine Pfeifer lab, was interviewed by
the local news station. The work was also recently published
in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Mahmoud Kamal Ahmadi was also awarded seed funding from
UB’s Entrepreneurship Lab (eLab). “The eLab encouraged me
to dream big and taught me what it takes to start a company”.
Ahmadi was one of four students who received funding.
His startup is PreMeR X, a company developing a precious
metal retrieval process. n www.cbe.buffalo.edu/news
Mohsen Ghafari (CSEE), Mahmoud Kamal Ahmadi (CBE),
Samar Fawaz (CBE), Alanna Olear (CSEE)
GRADUATE SYMPOSIUM
Over the years the UB
CBE Graduate Student
Research Symposium
has evolved into an
exciting, comprehensive
event that showcases
the high quality,
multidisciplinary
research that
is conducted
in our department, and spans such diverse areas as
molecular engineering of novel materials, nanotechnology,
bioengineering, and molecular modeling. Every year our faculty
and graduate students welcome the opportunity to present
their work to their peers from CBE, other UB departments,
our alumni, and representatives from local business. The
Symposium has grown in ambition and scale, featuring over
60 posters, two lectures from senior graduate students, and
a keynote lecture from an accomplished colleague. Last fall,
CBE welcomed Dr. Daniel K. Schwartz, University of Colorado
Boulder, whose presentation Single Molecule Tracking at
Wet Interfaces, was attended by over 200 faculty, students,
and alumni. A reception featuring a poster judging contest
immediately followed the symposium. n
ANDREADIS LAB PHD STUDENT SINDHU ROW WINS AICHE BEST PAPER AWARD
Congratulations to UB CBE PhD
candidate Sindhu Row, whose
presentation at the Annual AIChE
Meeting in November 2014 garnered her the Best Paper award.
Row received two Best Paper awards last year from AIChE
and BMES as well, a new record. Hard work pays off! n
Catalyst Fall 2015 | 17
CELEBRATING STUDENT BREAKTHROUGHS
YUMIAO ZHANG WINS FIRST PLACE IN N.E.
BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE POSTER COMPETITION
Yumiao Zhang, a PhD student in the UB CBE and Biomedical
Engineering programs won the first place prize from a field
of 150 entrants for his poster presentation at the 41st Northeast
Bioengineering Conference (NEBEC 2015). His poster, entitled
“Frozen Naphthalocyanine Micelles for Intestinal Imaging”
presents a new non-invasive method to image intestine
function. By engineering nanoparticles with extremely high
color content, their motion could be traced non-invasively
in the intestine using an imaging technique called
photoacoustic tomography. Eventually, this could lead to
better diagnosis of conditions like Crohn’s disease, or used
for colonoscopy screening procedures. Yumiao led the research
in the Jon Lovell laboratory and involved a multidisciplinary
team with collaborating researchers including Dr. Paschalis
Alexandridis, and groups from University of Madison-
Wisconsin, POSTECH University in Korea and McMaster
University in Canada. n www.cbe.buffalo.edu/news
CBE PHD STUDENT IOANNIS KARAMPELAS
WINS SEAS POSTER COMPETITION
Congratulations to CBE PhD student Ioannis Karampelas
from the Ed Furlani research group, who won first place
in the University at Buffalo School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences poster competition held in May
in Davis Hall. Ioannis’ project, “Numerical Analysis
of Laser Induced Photothermal Effects using Colloidal
Plasmonic Nanostructures”, was the top pick among
fourteen entrants. n
SUPPORT EXCELLENCEWhen you make a financial contribution to UB CBE,
you allow bright, hard-working students to fulfill
their dreams and complete their degrees through
scholarships, special lectures, and learning environment
improvements. You also enable groundbreaking
research at all levels of the department. To make a
gift, simply send your donation in the return envelope
enclosed, or go online to www.cbe.buffalo.edu/
donate. Thank you!
18 | University at Buffalo Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
STEPHANIE LAM, BS 2009 Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institute of Standards and Technology
“My favorite in-class memory was
Prof. David Kofke telling the class
during recitation for Fluid Mechanics
that he figured out how the flushing
mechanism for a toilet worked in
a dream. My favorite out of class
memory was how there was so much
snow in Buffalo during the winter,
one year my friends and I decided
to build an igloo. We did and it was
super warm inside!”
VASSILIOS SIKAVITSAS, MS 1995, PHD 2000 Professor, School of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering at the University of Oklahoma
“The exciting collaborative environment
between faculty and students formed
the foundation of my success. I still
remember the intense discussions
between students from different bio
groups on the ninth floor of Furnas Hall
extending way beyond midnight.
Life at CBE at UB was full of amazing
classes from outstanding teachers
and stimulating research interactions
with top notch scientists (faculty and
students). It was during this time that
I made the transition from student
to researcher, and I’ll always keep UB
as a special place in my memories.”
ABDULLAH BALKHYOOR, BS 2001 Deputy Project Manager, Hidada Contracting
“While at UB, I had the most wonderful
time of my life, and learned lots of new
things from living in a different culture.
The U.S.A. and Buffalo especially, are
my second home. I will never, ever
forget the wonderful people of Buffalo,
the delicious BUFFALO WINGS and the
greatest Buffalo Bills football team!”
RECONNECT WITH UB CBE
AND INNOVATIVE ALUMNI
COME TO AN EVENT: Join us for the Fall UB CBE
Graduate Research Symposium or the Spring annual
Ruckenstein lecture. We would love to see you!
GIVE A LECTURE TO CBE STUDENT CLUBS: Students
are always interested in the potential careers that await
them after graduation. See more information on our
AIChE Student Club on page 16.
PARTICIPATE IN OUR STUDENT INTERN PROGRAM:
Each year, the majority of UB CBE undergraduate students
engage in internship experiences in Western New York and across
the United States. There’s a bright and eager student ready
to work on real-world engineering problems at your firm too.
For more information on the UB CBE alumni program and
to reconnect, like us on Facebook and LinkedIn, and sign up
for the CBE e-bulletin at www.cbe.buffalo.edu/connect. You can
also write us at [email protected], or call 716.645.1174.
Catalyst Fall 2015 | 19
1988 PhD graduate Dr. Ashutosh Sharma was named Secretary, Department
of Science and Technology, Government of India. Dr. Sharma credits, in large part,
his time at UB and his mentor (Dr. Eli Ruckenstein), for his post-UB success. “I certainly owe
UB and Eli a great deal in shaping my story. The strong research ethos there encouraged
me to think independently and take multidisciplinary approaches. His advocacy and
personal example of hard work, creativity and overall excitement about the research were
my inspiration. UB CBE also offered me strong graduate courses and splendid learning
opportunities in the form of weekly seminars presented by outstanding researchers.”
Dr. Sharma was an Institute Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Chemical
Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, where he also established
a Nanoscience Center. He is best known for his pioneering research in the areas of colloids,
soft thin films, interfaces, adhesion, patterning, and in the fabrication and application
of self-assembled nano-structures. His current interests are in nanofabrication and
nanomaterials for energy, environment and health.
UB CBE is proud to announce that Dr. Sharma will be joining us in Buffalo on Friday,
April 15, as the eighth annual Ruckenstein Lecturer. For more information about Dr. Sharma
and UB CBE Seminars and Lectures, visit us online at www.cbe.buffalo.edu.
ASHUTOSH SHARMA,ENERGY MINISTER OF INDIA
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
303 Furnas Hall, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Buffalo, NY 14260-4200
UB CBE ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
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