News
NYIT Opens New Chemical Laboratory
January 23, 2019
Pictured from left: NYIT President Hank Foley with Assistant Professors Americo Fraboni and Jole Fiorito in the newly redesigned chemical lab in Theobald Science Center.
On January 22, members of the NYIT community gathered for the ribbon cutting of the newly redesigned chemical laboratory in Theobald Science Center at NYIT-Long Island. The lab features state-of-the-art equipment that will be used for cutting-edge research by faculty and students in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences, and the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The project was spearheaded by Daniel Quigley, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Jole Fiorito, Ph.D., and Americo Fraboni, Ph.D., assistant professors of life sciences; Niharika Nath, Ph.D., professor of life sciences; and Spencer Turkell, Ph.D., professor and interim chair of life sciences.
“This was a twinkle in our eye last year and here it is,” said NYIT President Hank Foley, Ph.D. “We’re excited that this will be a facility for future [NYIT teacher-scholars].”
From left: Jole Fiorito, Spencer Turkell, Americo Fraboni, Daniel Quigley, and President Hank Foley at the ribbon cutting of the new chemical laboratory.
“This is a very exciting development for the College of Arts and Sciences and for NYIT as a whole,” added Quigley. “This is a great first step to building a robust research program for NYIT. What is really exciting about this lab is that it was designed specifically to allow for faculty to include students in hands-on faculty research.”
Faculty members are anxious to begin their groundbreaking research in the new space. Fraboni will be synthesizing medicinal target molecules. “Particularly novel anticancer therapeutics and new antimicrobial agents to tackle the antibiotic resistance crisis,” he said.
Fiorito is looking for ways to treat Alzheimer’s disease. “I will be synthesizing small molecules that inhibit the PDE5 enzyme with the aim to treat the disease and other neurodegenerative disorders,” she said.
The opening of the new facility will augment NYIT’s existing research capabilities. “That’s our future—teacher scholars. So we’re excited that this will be a facility for them,” said Foley.
