BENJAMIN ALPER
Associate Professor - Department of Chemistry and Physics, Sacred Heart University
Ph.D.: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens GA (Walter K. Schmidt Jr., advisor) Post-doctoral: Biochemistry, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis TN (Janet Partridge, advisor)
5151 Park Ave. SC105G
Fairfield, CT 06825
alperb@sacredheart.edu
203-396-8105
JACOB SARNO M.S. Chemistry 2023 (expected)
Jake is working to further characterize antibiotic inhibitors of insulin-degrading enzyme first identified by Walter Schmidt's lab, University of Georgia and validated by Michael Araujo.
MICHAEL ARAUJO B.S. Biochemistry 2020
Michael characterized novel inhibitors of human insulin-degrading enzyme and identified a region of IDE critical to enzyme function. After graduating Michael worked in the lab of Dr. Nikhat Parveen at Rutgers University and later as a Manufacturing Associate at Bristol Myers Squibb.
ALEXANDRA BARRERE B.S. Biochemistry 2020
Alexandra characterized a mutants of human insulin degrading enzyme. Her work is published in 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
NICHOLAS FUSCO B.S. Biochemistry 2019
Nick explored the use of magnetically active nanoparticles for the targeted manipulation of amyloidogenic peptides, in collaboration with researchers from the labs of Jill Smith- Carpenter (Fairfield University) and Thompson Mefford (Clemson University). Nick's work supported was by the SHU College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Initiative, which provided funding for his research and travel to present at the 255th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans LA (March 2018). Nick presented his work at the Sacred Heart University Academic Festival. Nick is a coauothor on a manuscript published in Biochemistry. Nick went on to study medicine at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University.
BLAIR YESKO B.S. Biochemistry 2019
Blair worked to clone, purify and characterize engineered mutant alleles of the insulin-degrading enzyme that she designed as part of the second semester CH344 (Biochemistry II Lab) curriculum. After graduation she enrolled in the University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Pharmacy.
DAVID BOCACH M.S., Chemistry 2019
Thesis: Characterization of ghrelin as a novel insulin-degrading enzyme substrate.
David went on to serve as a Clinical Research Scientist at ICON Corporation and was a hero to the people of New York during the COVID-19 epidemic as a clinical diagnostician.
MARYAM KHALHAMDI M.S., Chemistry 2019
Thesis: Identification of malonic acid as an inhibitor of mammalian arginase 1
Maryam worked in collaboration with researchers from the labs of departmental colleagues Dr. Joe Audie and Dr. Todd Sullivan to identify and characterize novel inhibitors of human arginase 1, a potential anticancer target.
BRETT MAGNUS, B.S. Chemistry 2018
Undergraduate Student Researcher
Brett studied mechanistic implications of targeted insulin- degrading enzyme mutants that he cloned and purified as part of the second semester biochemistry lab.
ANDREA SIDOR BS Chemistry 2018
Andrea studied structure function relationships of the human insulin degrading enzyme, emphasizing characterization of charge sharing interactions between enzymatic domains. Andrea was involved in the development of enzyme kinetic assays for analysis of mammalian arginase function, and conducted pilot screens for identification of putative arginase inhibitors.
PHIL GELINEAU M.S. Chemistry, 2017
Thesis: Quantitative detection of free proline as a marker for haze stability in beer
Liquid manager, innovation R&D at Diageo Inc., Norwalk CT
LAZAROS STEFANIDIS M.S. Chemistry, 2017
Thesis: Kinetic studies of glutathione S-transferase
Related publications:
Bisubstrate kinetics of glutathione S-transferase: a colorimetric experiment for the introductory biochemistry laboratory. Stefanidis L, Scinto K, Strada MI, Alper BJ. 2018. Journal of Chemical Education. 95(1):146-151
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. 2017. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 27(6):1335-1340
After graduating, Lazaros served as a research assistant in Barbara Ehrlich's lab at Yale University
NOELLE BIANCULLI B.S. Chemistry, 2016
Noelle adapted a colorimetric assay for human arginase activity for use in the lab and served as Captain of the Sacred Heart University equestrian team
Noelle presented her research at the 2016 Sacred Heart University Academic Festival.
After graduating, Noelle began her studies of pharmacy at the University of St. Joseph, in West Hartford, CT
KRYSTAL SCINTO B.S. Chemistry, 2015
Krystal developed and implemented of a colorimetric method for evaluating function of glutathione S transferases for use in the biochemistry lab. Krystal presented her work at the 249th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, and along with her colleague Khristopher White also presented this work at the 2015 Sacred Heart University Academic Festival. Krystal continued to develop this research, which was later reported in the Journal of Chemical Education.
After graduating, Krystal studied pharmacy at the University of Connecticut. Krystal earned her Pharm. D and accepted a position at the Hospital of Central Connecticut (New Britain) as a Medication History Technician.
KHRISTOPHER WHITE B.S. Chemistry 2015
Khristopher co-developed and co-implemented a colorimetric method for evaluating function of glutathione S- transferase function in the biochemistry lab. Khristopher presented this work with Krystal Scinto at the 2015 Sacred Heart University Academic Festival. Khristopher worked as a Science World Reporting intern at Scholastic Corporation.
JOSEPH WETHERELL B.S. Chemistry, B.S. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 2015
Joe worked to establish the yeast two-hybrid system for use in the lab for identification of conserved interactions of fission yeast Sir2. He received travel funding from the College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Initiative to present this work as a poster at the 2014 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Dallas TX. Joe also presented his work at the 2014 Sacred Heart University Academic Festival. After graduating, Joe enrolled in Quinnipiac University Medical School (Hamden CT).
NAJWA ALJEHANI M.S. Chemistry 2014
Thesis: Targeted control of gene expression by the Sir2 histone deacetylase. After graduating, Najwa served as a lecturer at Qassim University in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia.
MODI ALMUTAIRI M.S. Chemistry 2014
Thesis: Sir2 function in genome integrity. After graduating, Modi accepted a position as a high school science teacher in Jedda, Saudi Arabia.