CV

BENJAMIN JOSEPH ALPER

Associate Professor of Chemistry

Department of Chemistry and Physics, Sacred Heart University

5151 Park Ave. SC105G

Fairfield, CT 06825

203-396-8105

alperb@sacredheart.edu

RESEARCH AND TEACHING STATEMENT

I study molecular causes of amyloid and metabolic disease, prioritizing mentorship of undergraduate and graduate student researchers. Ongoing projects in my lab seek to: 1. Evaluate the mechanism of substrate recognition by human insulin-degrading enzyme and related metallopeptidases in clearance of amyloid peptides and metabolic hormones, and 2. Identify and characterize small molecule modulators of human insulin-degrading enzyme and other chemotherapeutic targets through rational drug design.

I teach and coordinate a multi-section biochemistry lab and lecture curriculum serving about 100 undergraduate and up to 20 graduate students per year. I am the program director for the Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a member of Sacred Heart University’s pre-health advising committee.

EXPERIENCE

▪ PRESENT – 2019 Associate Professor of Chemistry, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield CT

Administered and coordinated undergraduate and graduate biochemistry lab and lecture curriculum

▪ 2019 – 2013 Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield CT

Established rigorous undergraduate and graduate training programs in experimental biochemistry

▪ 2013 – 2009 Postdoctoral Fellow in Biochemistry, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis TN

Janet F. Partridge, Ph.D., postdoctoral advisor

Identified novel roles for the NAD⁺-dependent histone deacetylase Sir2 in promoting RNAi-independent

targeted gene silencing, heterochromatin nucleation, and centromere function in fission yeast

EDUCATION

▪ 2009 – 2004 Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens GA

Walter K. Schmidt Jr., Ph.D., principal doctoral advisor

Doctoral dissertation: Genetic and biochemical characterization of M16A Peptidases

Identified novel proteolytic activities and essential residues of human Insulin-Degrading Enzyme and its

homologs, with relevance towards Alzheimer’s disease. Developed methods for kinetic assay of amyloid-beta

peptide hydrolysis and real-time monitoring of Insulin-Degrading Enzyme activity.

▪ 2004 – 2000 B.S. in Chemistry (cum laude), Clemson University, Clemson SC

William T. Pennington Jr., Ph.D. undergraduate research advisor

Undergraduate research on crystal structure manipulation via halogen bonding.

▪ 2004 – 2000 B.A. in Economics (cum laude), Clemson University

PUBLICATIONS

▪ 2022 Molecular structure from models to mastery: an inquiry-based study of human insulin-degrading enzyme.

Araujo MA, Barrere AA, Tirado S-R, Williams CE, Strada MI, Alper BJ. Journal of Chemical Education.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c01285

▪ 2021 (pre-print) Ghrelin proteolysis by insulin-degrading enzyme.

Bocach DD, Jones KL, Bell JM, Zheng Q, Lazo ND, Smith-Carpenter JE, Alper BJ. BioRxiv.

DOI: 10.1101/2021.06.10.447714

▪ 2018 Molecular determinants of substrate specificity in human insulin-degrading enzyme. Stefanidis L, Fusco

ND, Cooper SE, Smith-Carpenter JE, Alper BJ. Biochemistry. 57(32): 4903-4914

DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00474

▪ 2018 Functional requirement for human pitrilysin metallopeptidase 1 arginine 183, mutated in amyloidogenic

neuropathy. Smith-Carpenter JE, Alper BJ. Protein Science. 27(4):861-873

▪ 2018 Bisubstrate kinetics of glutathione S-transferase: a colorimetric experiment for the introductory

biochemistry laboratory. Stefanidis L, Scinto K, Strada MI, Alper BJ. Journal of Chemical Education.

95(1):146-151

▪ 2017 Efficient synthesis of α-fluoromethylhistidine di-hydrochloride and demonstration of its efficacy as a

glutathione S-transferase inhibitor. Considine KL, Stefanidis L, Grozinger KG, Audie J*, Alper BJ*.

*Co-corresponding. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 27(6):1335-1340

▪ 2013 Sir2 is required for establishment of centromeric heterochromatin in fission yeast. Alper BJ, Job G,

Yadav RK, Shankar S, Lowe BR, Partridge JF. EMBO J. 32(17):2321-35

▪ 2013 Evaluating amyloid beta 1-40 degradation by capillary electrophoresis. Alper BJ, Schmidt WK.

Methods in Molecular Biology. 984:263-73

▪ 2012 Centromeric heterochromatin assembly in fission yeast – balancing transcription, RNA interference

and chromatin modification. Alper BJ*, Lowe BR*, Partridge JF. * Equal contribution. (Review.)

Chromosome Research. 20(5)521-34

▪ 2012 Cell-permeable, small molecule activators of the insulin-degrading enzyme. Kukday SS, Manandhar SP,

Ludley MC, Burris ME, Alper BJ, Schmidt WK. Journal of Biomolecular Screening. 17(10):1348-1361

▪ 2012 The anion activation site of insulin degrading enzyme. Noinaj N, Song ES, Bhasin S, Alper BJ,

Schmidt WK, Hersh LB, Rodgers DW. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 287(1):48-57

▪ 2009 Yeast Ste23p shares functional similarities with mammalian insulin-degrading enzymes. Alper BJ,

Rowse JW, Schmidt WK. Yeast. 26(11):595-610

▪ 2009 A capillary electrophoresis method for evaluation of Abeta proteolysis in vitro. Alper BJ, Schmidt WK.

Journal Neuroscience Methods. 178(1):40-45

▪ 2006 A common genetic system for functional studies of pitrilysin and related M16A proteases. Alper BJ,

Nienow TE, Schmidt WK. Biochemical Journal. 398(1):145-52

MASTER’S THESES BY ADVISEES

▪ 2019 Characterization of ghrelin as a novel insulin-degrading enzyme substrate. David Daniel Bocach.

Master’s thesis approved by the Faculty of the Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart University,

Fairfield CT

▪ 2019 Identification of malonic acid as an inhibitor of mammalian arginase 1. Maryam Ahmad Khalhamdi.

Master’s thesis approved by the Faculty of the Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart University,

Fairfield CT

▪ 2017 Kinetic studies of glutathione S-transferase. Lazaros Stefanidis. Master’s thesis approved by the

Faculty of the Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield CT

▪ 2017 Quantitative detection of free proline as a marker for haze stability in beer. Philip Marco Gelineau.

Master’s thesis approved by the Faculty of the Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart University,

Fairfield CT

▪ 2014 Sir2 function in genome integrity. Modi Fiyah Almutairi. Master’s thesis approved by the Faculty of the

Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield CT

▪ 2014 Targeted control of gene expression by the Sir2 histone deacetylase. Najwa Aljehani. Master’s thesis

approved by the Faculty of the Department of Chemistry, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield CT

POSTERS AND PRESENTATIONS

▪ 2018 Computational design of novel insulin-degrading enzyme inhibitors. Sullivan TJ, Bondela SS, Tamma N,

Cingolani B, O’Niel A, Finelli A, Alper BJ, Audie J. Alper BJ, Audie J. Poster, National Meeting of the

American Chemical Society, New Orleans LA

▪ 2018 Integrated screening for arginase inhibitors. Sullivan TJ, Bondela SS, Russo R, Jones E, Albilady H,

Alper BJ, Audie J. Poster, National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, New Orleans LA

▪ 2018 Peptide-functionalized magnetically-active nanoparticles for targeted manipulation of amyloid fibrils.

Fusco ND, Fellows BE, Smith-Carpenter JE, Mefford OT, Alper BJ. Poster, National Meeting of the

American Chemical Society, New Orleans LA

▪ 2016 Specificity determinants of insulin-degrading enzyme. Stefanidis L., Carpenter-Smith J., Alper BJ.

Poster, Northeastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Binghamton NY

▪ 2016 Colorimetric measurement of human arginase activity. Bianculli, NM, Stefanidis L., Alper BJ.

Poster, Sacred Heart University Academic Festival, Fairfield CT

▪ 2015 Investigation of bi-substrate enzyme kinetics for the introductory biochemistry lab. Scinto, KV, White KE,

Alper BJ. Poster, National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Denver, Colorado; also presented

at Sacred Heart University Academic Festival, Fairfield CT

▪ 2015 Quantitative markers of traumatic brain injury: a review of contemporary methods of concussion

evaluation. Bergman S, Alper BJ. Poster, Sacred Heart University Academic Festival, Fairfield CT.

Writing Across the Curriculum Honorable Mention to Bergman S.

▪ 2014 Identifying conserved protein interactors of fission yeast Sir2. Wetherell, JM, Alper BJ. Poster,

National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Dallas, Texas; also presented at Sacred Heart

University Academic Festival, Fairfield CT

▪ 2014 Yeast models for diseases of ageing. Alper BJ. Seminar. Sacred Heart University Faculty Seminar

Series, Fairfield CT

▪ 2014 A contemporary undergraduate biochemistry lab curriculum. Alper BJ. Poster, National Meeting of the

American Chemical Society, Dallas TX

▪ 2014 Identifying conserved protein interactors of fission yeast Sir2. Wetherell, JM, Alper BJ. Poster, National

Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Dallas TX

▪ 2011 Sir2 is required for establishment of centromeric heterochromatin in fission yeast. Alper BJ, Tolliver K,

Yadav R, Shanker S, Job G, Creamer K and Partridge J. Poster, St. Jude Children’s Hospital Scientific

Advisory Board, Memphis TN

▪ 2009 Centromeric heterochromatin establishment in fission yeast. Alper BJ, Partridge JF.

Platform presentation, EMBO workshop on molecular genetics with the fission yeast S. pombe,

University of Manchester, Manchester UK

▪ 2008 Characterizing M16A peptidases in yeast. Alper BJ, Schmidt WK.

Platform presentation, Southeastern Regional Yeast Meeting, Gatlinburg TN

▪ 2007 Introducing Ste23p: yeast model for the human Insulin-Degrading Enzyme. Alper BJ, Nienow TE, Kim S,

Friedman CG, Schmidt WK. Poster, Southeastern Regional Yeast Meeting, Hattiesburg MS

▪ 2005 Yeast as a genetic model for studies of the Insulin-Degrading Enzyme, Pitrilysin, and other

M16A-subfamily metalloproteases. Alper BJ, Nienow, TE, Schmidt, WK. Poster, Southeastern Regional

Yeast Meeting, Atlanta GA

▪ 2004 Crystal structure manipulation via halogen bonding. Alper BJ, Pennington WT. Poster,

Southeastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Atlanta GA

SERVICE, HONORS, PROFESSIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

▪ 2022 – 2014 Judge, CT Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (CT-STEM) Fair

▪ 2022 Reviewer, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (American Chemical Society)

▪ 2022 Reviewer, Bioscience Reports (Portland Press)

▪ 2021 Reviewer, Journal of Human Genetics (Springer Nature)

▪ 2021 Reviewer, Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology (Elsevier)

▪ 2021 Reviewer, Bioscience Reports (Portland Press)

▪ 2019 Reviewer, Journal of Chemical Education (American Chemical Society)

▪ 2019 Reviewer, Biochemical Journal (Portland Press)

▪ 2018 Reviewer, Biochemical Journal (Portland Press)

▪ 2018 Reviewer, Biochemistry (American Chemical Society)

▪ 2018 Reviewer, Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology (Elsevier)

▪ 2018 Board of Directors, CT-Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (CT-STEM) Foundation

▪ 2018 Biochemistry Board of Advisors, Oxford University Press, New York NY

▪ 2018 Student, Residential School of Medicinal Chemistry and Biology in Drug Development,

Drew University, Madison NJ

▪ 2018 Reviewer, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (American Chemical Society)

▪ 2018 Reviewer, Bioscience Reports (Portland Press)

▪ 2017 Reviewer, Bioscience Reports (Portland Press)

▪ 2016 Reviewer, Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry (Taylor and Francis)

▪ 2016 Reviewer, PLOS 1 (Public Library of Science 1)

▪ 2016 – 2014 Judge, 1^st Year Excellence in Chemistry Competition, Western Connecticut Chapter of the

American Chemical Society

▪ 2015 – 2014 Co-Organizer and Host, You Be the Chemist Challenge, Chemical Education Foundation

▪ 2015 Teaching Fellow, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

▪ 2013 – 2012 Biochemistry Department Representative, St. Jude Postdoctoral Advisory Council

▪ 2010 Undergraduate Student Mentor, St. Jude Pediatric Oncology Education Program

▪ 2009 Sponsored Scholar, EMBO workshop on molecular genetics with the fission yeast S. pombe

▪ 2008 President, Biochemistry Graduate Student Association, University of Georgia

▪ 2007 J. David Puett Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Service, University of Georgia

▪ 2006 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award, University of Georgia

▪ 2004 Merck Index Award for Outstanding Scholarship in Chemistry, Clemson University

▪ 2004 – 2001 Gold Key International Honors Society, Clemson University

▪ 2004 – 2000 Honors College, Clemson University

▪ 2004 – 2000 Dean's List, Clemson University

▪ 2004 – 2000 Lawrence M. Gressette Jr. Trustee Scholarship, Clemson University

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

▪ Present – 2015 Biochemical Analysis, CH563 Sacred Heart University Department of Chemistry

▪ Present – 2015 Drugs and Implications for Society, CH120 Sacred Heart University

▪ Present – 2014 General Chemistry II Laboratory, CH154 Sacred Heart University Department of Chemistry

▪ Present – 2014 Biochemistry II, CH342 Sacred Heart University Department of Chemistry

▪ Present – 2014 Biochemistry II Laboratory, CH344 Sacred Heart University Department of Chemistry

▪ Present – 2013 Biochemistry I, CH341 Sacred Heart University

▪ Present – 2013 Biochemistry I Laboratory, CH343 Sacred Heart University

▪ 2010 Pediatric Oncology Education Program Mentor, St. Jude Children’s Hospital

▪ 2009 – 2004 Undergraduate Research Mentor, University of Georgia

▪ 2007 – 2005 Introductory Biochemistry Teaching Assistant, University of Georgia

▪ 2006 – 2004 Introductory Biology Laboratory Instructor, University of Georgia

▪ 2004 – 2003 Chemistry Tutor, Student-Athlete Enrichment Program, Clemson University

GRANTS AND PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

▪ Present – 2017 Program Director, Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry,

Sacred Heart University

▪ 2017 – University Research/Creativity Grant, Sacred Heart University ($4,000.00). Funded project:

Shake It and Break It: Biochemical Strategies for Amyloid Plaque Disruption and Proteolysis

▪ 2016 Collaborator, NSF Division of Chemistry CHE-1624774, MRI: Acquisition of a MALDI-TOF Mass

Spectrometer at Fairfield University ($301,197.00), PI: Jillian E. Smith-Carpenter, Fairfield University.

Coauthors and collaborators: Soyong Byun, Dianne J Brousseau, James E. Biardi, Phyllis C. Braun, Soyong

Byun and Sriharsha, Srinivas Sundarram (Fairfield University); Amanda Petrus, Sriharsha Srinivas Sundarram,

and Kristin Swithers (Bridgeport University)

▪ 2016 Author, New Program Application for Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, Department of

Chemistry, Sacred Heart University

COMMITTEES AND SERVICE (SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY)

▪ Present – 2017 Pre-Health Committee, Member and Advisor

▪ Present – 2017 College of Arts and Sciences Conference (CASCon) Committee, Member, Event Co-

Host and Co-Organizer

▪ Present – 2017 Writing Across the Curriculum Committee, Member

▪ Present – 2017 Core Assessment Committee, Member

▪ 2016 Thematic Liberal Arts Revision Committee, Member

▪ 2015 Academic Excellence Committee, Member

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND INTERESTS

▪ Interdisciplinary research program development

Dedicated collaborator with primary capabilities in the areas of gene cloning and mutagenesis,

protein expression and purification, and assay development.

▪ Lab infrastructure development, implementation and oversight

I have overseen development of the biochemistry teaching and research laboratory at Sacred Heart

University, including acquisition of resources for sterile cell culture, molecular cloning, protein expression and

purification and enzyme kinetic assays.

▪ Undergraduate and graduate student teaching, advising and mentorship

Developed new undergraduate and graduate biochemistry lab and lecture curriculum, implemented and

coordinated introduction of a new major (B.S. in Biochemistry), supporting multiple undergraduate and

graduate research projects.

▪ Enzyme kinetic assay design and development

Developed multiple new assays for the analysis of amyloidogenic peptide clearance, including high

throughput FRET enzyme kinetic assays for clearance of peptide substrates. Expertise in enzyme

kinetic models and methods of analysis.

▪ Molecular cloning, DNA and RNA sample preparation and analysis

Well-practiced in molecular techniques and methods including PCR, gene cloning and validation,

genomic and extrachromosomal DNA purification, RNA extraction, cDNA preparation and quantification

by reverse transcriptase real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP),

Southern and northern blotting, snoRNA and siRNA manipulation and characterization.

▪ Microbial cell culture and genetics

Experience with sterile cell culture including preparative microbial culture volumes up to 20 L.

Working knowledge of yeast and bacterial genetics including formal conventions of gene annotation.

▪ Protein purification and chromatography (HPLC, FPLC, CE, SDS-PAGE)

Familiarity with GE/AKTA prime and related systems and experience purifying proteins from native and

heterologous expression hosts through affinity and size exclusion chromatography.

I have achieved analytical separation of amyloidogenic peptides using reversed-phase HPLC, and

developed novel analytical methods for kinetic analysis of amyloid beta peptide degradation by capillary

electrophoresis (CE). Extensive experience with SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, antibody validation

and protein characterization.

www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminalper