The University of Notre Dame's has announced the creation of a new, strategic faculty position: professor for the public understanding of science. This role is designed to enhance the college’s visibility both nationally and internationally. Renowned chemist and science communicator Kate Biberdorf, popularly known as “,” will be the first to hold this prestigious position, starting Sept. 1, 2024.

“Dr. Biberdorf’s appointment reflects the College of Science’s commitment to fostering a deeper public appreciation of and engagement with science. Our goal is to bridge the gap between scientific communities and the general public, ensuring scientific knowledge is widely disseminated and valued by society at large,” said , the William K. Warren Foundation Dean of the College of Science.

The creation of the professor for the public understanding of science role aligns with Notre Dame’s strategic vision to elevate the University’s visibility as a respected research institution on the global stage. This position will foster meaningful engagement with the public, complementing the college’s efforts to facilitate effective collaborations to expand the reach and impact of Notre Dame’s research and scholarship.

The professor for the public understanding of science will work to make science accessible to all and to build public trust in science. This will be achieved through a comprehensive platform of activities that engage the local community and help coordinate and amplify these efforts through national and international platforms such as social media, public lectures, articles, books and appearances on television, radio and podcasts. In this role, and with a new, collaborative makerspace, Biberdorf will leverage these platforms to make science more accessible and engaging to diverse audiences.

“I am incredibly honored to join the faculty of Notre Dame this fall. My goal is to raise the public understanding of science, and I’m optimistic that the brand-new scientific engagement makerspace will help to highlight and amplify the groundbreaking research happening on campus. With a little help from fire and explosions, we will elevate Notre Dame’s standing in the worldwide scientific community,” Biberdorf said.

Biberdorf is a celebrated scientist known for her dynamic and entertaining approach to science communication. She holds a doctorate in chemistry and has gained widespread acclaim for her ability to make complex scientific concepts understandable and exciting. As “Kate the Chemist,” she has inspired millions through her books, live demonstrations and media appearances, promoting science literacy and enthusiasm among people of all ages. She has been featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Kelly Clarkson Show and The Today Show, and presented the .

Her appointment underscores Notre Dame’s commitment to science outreach and education. Biberdorf’s expertise and passion for science communication will be invaluable in achieving the college’s goals of enhancing scientific literacy and public engagement.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Kate Biberdorf as our first professor for the public understanding of science,” Schnell said. “Her expertise, passion and dynamic approach to science communication will foster a deeper appreciation of science while inspiring the next generation of scientists. We also believe that the professor for the public understanding of science can provide the training, tools and platform needed to help our faculty, postdoctoral fellows and students connect their work to society and make it relevant to people’s everyday lives. We look forward to seeing the positive impact Dr. Biberdorf will have on our community and beyond.”

The new position is part of a comprehensive plan to integrate public engagement into the fabric of Notre Dame’s scientific endeavors. As the inaugural professor for the public understanding of science, Biberdorf will assess the current state of public engagement in science within the college, identify key stakeholders and set clear and measurable goals for increasing public engagement in science. This college-wide strategy will coordinate, elevate and expand the reach of efforts across the faculty in the College of Science.

Biberdorf’s appointment is a significant milestone in Notre Dame’s journey to emerge as a leader in public science engagement. Her start date of Sept. 1 marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the College of Science as it continues its demonstrated track record of excellence in research, education and now public outreach.

Hear Kate Biberdorf speak about her passion for science education on , the official podcast of the University of Notre Dame.

Contact: Jessica Sieff, associate director of media relations, 574-631-3933, jsieff@nd.edu

The Notre Dame Patient Advocacy Initiative is centered on the interdisciplinary minor in science and patient advocacy and draws on the University’s research strength in rare and neglected diseases. It is estimated that 30 million people in the United States, or 1 in 10, are living with a rare medical condition. Although understanding the experience of a person with a rare disease can enable improved health, faster and more accurate diagnosis and better care for individuals and families living with rare diseases, medical professionals often do not receive training to recognize a patient with one of the some 7,000 identified rare diseases.

Support from Horizon Therapeutics will enable the Patient Advocacy Initiative to provide comprehensive programming that advances training, outreach and research to better serve the rare disease community. The gift will support curriculum development and experiential learning opportunities. It will also offer students a unique opportunity to work directly with a rare disease nonprofit to navigate challenges unique to the rare disease community, drawing from connections to hundreds of patient advocacy groups that Horizon has engaged with through its day-to-day work, as well as the company’s . The partnership will kick off with a Patient Advocacy Summit on Notre Dame’s campus Friday (Sept. 16).

“We are grateful for this generous support from Horizon Therapeutics, which demonstrates its commitment to patient advocacy and acknowledges Notre Dame’s expertise in rare disease research and the institution’s commitment to patients and their families,” said , the William K. Warren Foundation Dean of the College of Science. “This gift will help the next generation of physicians, researchers and industry leaders to become forces for good for patients with rare diseases.”

“In our work, we are constantly learning from incredible rare disease advocates who are mobilizing people living with rare diseases to create communities and advance science toward potential new treatments,” said Tim Walbert, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Horizon. “It is crucial that we support Notre Dame’s innovative Patient Advocacy Initiative to help train the next generation of patient advocates and serve a broader segment of the rare disease community.”

Barbara Calhoun, director of patient advocacy education and outreach at Notre Dame, added: “The need for skilled patient advocates is clear. Lack of understanding of rare diseases, the length of time to diagnosis, a lack of specialists and ineffective treatments are a few of the challenges rare disease patients face. We want to equip our students to become understanding patient advocates in their future careers as physicians and researchers. Our goal is to build collaborations among patients, families, students, researchers, clinicians and industry. This gift helps put the Notre Dame Patient Advocacy Initiative on a path to forming successful patient advocates.”

Notre Dame aspires to be the premier institution for rare disease research, training and advocacy, and serve as a benchmark for institutions around the world. In partnership with Horizon Therapeutics, the University will build on collective assets to enhance health outcomes and provide a voice for those most in need.

Horizon is a global biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of medicines that address critical needs for people impacted by rare, autoimmune and severe inflammatory diseases. It believes science and compassion must work together to transform lives. In February 2017, Horizon launched the #RAREis program aimed at elevating the voices, faces and experiences of people living with rare diseases, as well as highlight programs and resources for the rare disease community. The program is anchored by an page and website that showcases photos and stories of people touched by rare disease and captures elements of their patient, caregiver or advocate experience. To learn more, visit the #RAREis and page and visit the website at .

Notre Dame has been dedicated to finding cures for rare diseases since the early 2000s. At that time, there was a single faculty member working on one disease. In 2014, the College of Science established the Boler-Parseghian Center for Rare and Neglected Diseases with aspirations of becoming a national center of excellence for rare disease research and expanding the breadth of diseases studied at the University. Today, the Boler-Parseghian Center is one of only three academic rare disease centers in the country focused on basic research, and faculty are seeking cures for 12 different diseases. In the fall of 2021, the College of Science launched the first minor program in the country focusing on rare disease patient advocacy.

The research, published in the (PNAS), was a collaboration among the at Duke University, Rice University and the (CEHI) at the University of Notre Dame. The researchers sought to investigate whether and to what degree early childhood educational outcomes are affected by childhood lead exposure and whether racial residential segregation has a compounding effect.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the primary sources of lead exposure among children in the United States are found within their own homes. Homes built prior to 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint, lead-contaminated dust, and pipes and plumbing fixtures containing lead. Neighborhoods that are racially segregated and/or in low-socioeconomic areas tend to have higher proportions of homes built before 1978. Importantly, there is no safe level of lead exposure, and childhood lead poisoning is preventable.

“Our study concluded that it’s not just about where lead exposure is highest — that’s just one piece of the puzzle,” said , assistant research professor at the Global Health Institute at Duke University and a faculty affiliate of Notre Dame’s CEHI. “Black children are more likely to be exposed to lead and are also more likely to live in racially segregated, predominantly Black neighborhoods. When these two exposures co-occur, children had worse-than-expected scores. Identifying these combinations of environmental, social and economic exposures, and interactions between them, can inform the targeting and design of interventions in vulnerable communities.”

After controlling for a number of variables, the research team linked 25,699 North Carolina birth records to blood lead surveillance data and educational test scores. The research team assigned geographic locations based on census tract-level data to create a unique population-based dataset that links the information across time and geography.

“In the midst of our country’s racial reckoning, we must work harder to understand and ultimately act on the deep effects that environmental justice and structural racism have on our country and our communities. This paper tackles both issues head on by showing that a clear issue of environmental justice (childhood lead exposure) is further compounded by the structural racism that Black families in particular face in the United States, as demonstrated through racial residential segregation,” said , director of the CEHI and professor of applied and computational mathematics and statistics at the University of Notre Dame.

CEHI has a long history of working on childhood lead exposure. Its tax parcel-level models of lead exposure risk have helped dozens of health departments across the country improve lead screening practices. In addition, CEHI’s work linking lead exposure and performance on standardized tests contributed to the CDC’s decision to lower the reference level for childhood blood lead levels, which helped to protect hundreds of thousands of children across the United States.

CEHI’s work also contributed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Integrated Science Assessment of airborne lead exposure. In addition, CEHI’s work identified exposure to aviation gasoline, which is used by piston-driven aircraft, as a source of childhood lead exposure — work that led directly to the U.S. Congress calling for a by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine on aviation gas, which was published in 2021 (Miranda served on the committee responsible for writing that report). This work also contributed to the EPA’s decision to issue a proposed endangerment finding for piston-driven aircraft that use leaded fuel.

“This latest work highlights the enduring legacy of lead alongside the enduring legacy of racial segregation in the United States,” Miranda said. “It required building trusting relationships with data stewards and implementing innovative statistical analysis — all in service to those most vulnerable in our communities. The PNAS paper illustrates the importance and social impact of long-term and sustained research programs.”

In addition to Bravo and Miranda, the research team includes Dominique Zephyr, Children’s Environmental Health Initiative, University of Notre Dame, and Daniel Kowal and Katherine Ensor, Department of Statistics, Rice University. This research is supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, both part of the National Institutes of Health.

Contact:��Jessica Sieff,��Media Relations, 574-631-3933,��jsieff@nd.edu

Imagine a world where the power of chemistry is used in concert with machine learning to solve problems in health care, materials science��or energy research. Machine learning can accelerate the synthesis of molecules that hold the key to solving these problems by developing new and more efficient ways of making them.

The (C-CAS) — recently named one of only seven Phase II National Science Foundation Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCI) in the nation, and the first one in Indiana — will change the way chemists solve these problems and many more, both quickly and effectively. To do so, the National Science Foundation awarded C-CAS $20 million over five years.

“C-CAS is building a future where a chemist designs a new molecule and uses AI to work out how to best make that molecule,” said Sean L. Jones, assistant director of the Directorate of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the NSF. “This will allow industries including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, fine chemicals, electronics and more to make molecules more sustainably and affordably. This is a grand research challenge with huge societal impact.”

C-CAS helps chemists focus on which molecules should be made, rather than on how to make them. By reducing the time and resources needed to design and optimize synthetic routes, the tools and protocols developed in C-CAS provide data-driven approaches to make synthetic chemistry more predictable and efficient because less time is spent on trial-and-error approaches. The tools developed by C-CAS are then shared with the research community through open-source clearinghouses.

C-CAS will also contribute to making the United States a leader in science and technology through attracting, educating and training a new generation of “data chemists” that includes novel opportunities for researchers from underrepresented groups.��

C-CAS is a nexus of collaboration, innovation and education��whose impact is amplified by an extensive network of academic researchers, companies, nonprofits and other research centers. This provides C-CAS with a unique opportunity to help shape the future of synthetic chemistry and the fields that rely on it such as medicine, materials and energy.

The CCI Program is a highly competitive, two-phase program. Phase I CCIs receive resources to develop the science, management and broader impact components of a major research center dedicated to a transformative idea before requesting Phase II funding.

“With its collaborative network of data scientists, computer scientists and synthetic and computational chemists, C-CAS is poised to introduce potentially paradigm-shifting approaches,” said David Berkowitz, the��director of the NSF Division of Chemistry. “This Center for Chemical Innovation promises to add an important data-driven dimension to synthesis to complement the intuition of the synthetic chemist, while building on the principles of mechanistic understanding, atom economy, symmetry and convergency.”

C-CAS is led by , professor in the at Notre Dame, and brings together the expertise of data scientists and computational and synthetic chemists to change the field of synthetic chemistry from an intuition-driven to a data-driven science. Collaborators at Notre Dame include principal investigators , the Frank M. Freimann Professor of , and , associate professor of computer science and engineering.

"Over the last 15 years, chemists have learned to generate much bigger datasets using computation and high throughput experimentation, but are often not equipped to take full advantage of them,” said Wiest. “C-CAS will develop and share the concepts, datasets and tools to transform the practice of synthesis by maximizing the value of a quantitative approach to data analysis."��

External faculty affiliates include at MIT, and at UCLA, and at Carnegie Mellon University, and at CalTech, at Colorado State University, and at UC-Berkeley, and at the University of Utah.

An important part of C-CAS is the Data Chemists Network, a group of faculty with distinguished expertise ranging from synthetic chemistry to science communication at institutions that typically do not participate in large research centers. The perspectives and skills of at American University, at College of the Holy Cross, at Pomona College, at Colorado College, and at University of Tennessee therefore greatly enhance the reach and capabilities of C-CAS.

C-CAS is funded by NSF through CHE-2202693. For additional information on C-CAS, visit

Originally published by Tammi Freehling at on Aug. 11.

“I still cannot believe this. It is an incredible honor to be recognized by my peers,” Schnell said. “I am humbled by this premier distinction and I look forward to giving a plenary talk at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Mathematical Biology in 2023.”

The Arthur Winfree Prize honors a theoretician whose research has inspired significant new biology. Schnell was chosen for his seminal work on enzyme kinetics via the Schnell-Mendoza equation. His groundbreaking theories and mathematical modeling have been transformative for the fields of catalysis and enzyme kinetics and has inspired a resurgence of new mathematical biology research in enzyme kinetics.��

“This is a very high honor, which is only given to the top scientists in the field,” said Philip Maini, Schnell’s mentor at the University of Oxford and past recipient of the Winfree Prize. In his role as president of the society, Maini said, “Professor Schnell has contributed significant service to the mathematical biology community. He created a system that enables SMB members to interact within more focused subgroups and his leadership led to growth in the endowment. This has allowed the SMB to establish several new awards to recognize excellence in mathematical biology at different career stages.

“In summary, Professor Schnell has advanced the field of mathematical biology in several ways through excelling in truly interdisciplinary research and using his leadership skills to support the community at all levels.”

Schnell was invited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be a member of the scientific advisory panel on protein digestion and to serve on its Board of Scientific Counselors. He was appointed to the international Standards for Reporting Enzymology Data Commission, composed of the most highly regarded enzymologists in the world. Schnell was elected fellow of several prestigious scientific organizations including the Royal Society of Chemistry, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Latin American Academy of Sciences and, most recently, the in the United Kingdom.

Originally published by Tammi Freehling at on ���ܱ�����7.

Created by Galvin in 2018, the started as a pilot program to bolster the academic success of students majoring in science and engineering. Galvin announced this semester she would step down as dean in December.

“The commitment of the College of Science Advisory Council is simply unparalleled,” , vice president for University Relations, said. “Never before have we seen such an outpouring of leadership and support for a departing dean. It is a true testament to Mary Galvin’s pioneering leadership, inclusive vision and the wonderful culture that exists among the members of the science advisory council.”

When the program launched in the 2018-2019 academic year, it served 45 students. Data from the first two years show that the program improved students’ performance in introductory science courses. Feedback from the scholars also demonstrates that they gained transferable study skills, learning techniques and positive mindsets that will benefit them for the rest of their lives. During the current academic year, the program expanded to accommodate 80 students.

“This endowment will have a significant and enduring impact on the academic performance of countless science and engineering students for years to come,” Allison Slabaugh, academic advancement director, said. “It will not only enable the college to enhance the program for current scholars but, in time, will provide critical resources to serve a greater number of students who would benefit from smaller class sizes, mentoring and the development of critical thinking skills.

“I was overwhelmed by the council’s vast support for this program and their desire to honor Mary’s tireless efforts to help all students thrive in the College of Science.”

Long-standing Science Advisory Council members praised Galvin for identifying the need for student academic support in the sciences and then working with colleagues to make it a reality.

“Mary was instrumental in identifying the need for this program, putting together the internal team that created it and working with the administration to allocate the funding for it,” said Matt Boler, chair of the Science Advisory Council and president and CEO of the Boler Company in Itasca, Illinois. “The Scholars Program embodies the character that makes Notre Dame so unique in today’s college landscape. It believes all students are capable of achieving greatness for themselves, and ultimately, being a force for good in the world.”

Dr. Maury Norman, a member of the advisory council and a cardiologist in Chicago, said: “The students love it and wholeheartedly appreciate the program,” adding that Galvin “will be lauded for many initiatives in the college, but the Scholars Program will forever be her shining star in the heavens.”

The team’s findings, which appear in the Aug. 27 edition of The Astrophysical Journal, show that the Andromeda galaxy reaches about halfway to the Milky Way (about 1.3 million light-years) and in some directions extends for 2 million light-years.

The study also revealed the halo has a layered structure composed of two nested, distinct shells of gas.

“Understanding the huge halos of gas surrounding galaxies is immensely important,” explained Samantha Berek��of Yale University, who is a Research Experience for Undergraduate summer student at Notre Dame. “This reservoir of gas contains fuel for future star formation within the galaxy, as well as outflows from events such as supernovae. It’s full of clues regarding the past and future evolution of the galaxy, and we’re finally able to study it in great detail in our closest galactic neighbor.”

“We find the inner shell that extends to about a half million light-years is far more complex and dynamic,” explained Lehner, an astrophysicist in the . “The outer shell is smoother and hotter. This difference is a likely result from the impact of supernova activity in the galaxy’s disk more directly affecting the inner halo.”

Lehner’s team found the halo to have significant quantities of heavy elements, which are birthed from stars as they explode and die. These heavy metals then migrate to the halo of the galaxy.

The program called Project AMIGA (Absorption Map of Ionized Gas in Andromeda) used the light from 43 quasars. The quasars, situated behind the halo, allowed scientists to study how their light is absorbed by the halo of Andromeda and how the light absorption changes across the halo. The halo of Andromeda is made of rarified and ionized gas, which doesn’t emit easily detectable radiation. Examining the absorption in the light coming from the quasars behind it is the most sensitive way to study the diffuse halo itself. Lehner’s team used Hubble’s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph to study ultraviolet (UV) light from the quasars. Because the UV light is absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere it can only be observed from beyond our atmosphere.

This is not the first time Lehner and the team of researchers have studied Andromeda’s halo. In 2015, they determined Andromeda’s halo was massive. Now, as a result of this new study, the halo has been mapped in more detail offering a better understanding of its size and mass.

“Previously, there was very little information — only six quasars — within 1 million light-years of the galaxy. This new program provides much more information on this inner region of Andromeda’s halo,” explained co-investigator , professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Notre Dame. “Probing gas within this radius is important, as it represents something of a gravitational sphere of influence for Andromeda.”

Owing to our location in the Milky Way, scientists cannot easily determine the depth of our own galaxy’s halo. However, they believe the halos of Andromeda and the Milky Way must be very similar since these two galaxies are quite similar.��The two galaxies are on a collision course, and will merge to form a giant elliptical galaxy about 4 billion years from now.

Andromeda is the only galaxy in the universe for which this experiment can be done now, and only with Hubble. “This is truly a unique experiment because only with Andromeda do we have information on its halo along not only one or two sightlines, but over 40,” explained Lehner. “This is groundbreaking for capturing the complexity of a galaxy halo beyond our own Milky Way.”

Originally published by Tammi Freehling at on Aug.��28.

Rohr’s proposal — Disease, Food, Energy, and Water Solutions (DFEWS): Defusing a Global Crisis — offers a sustainable, local solution to reduce schistosomiasis while at the same time addressing food, energy and water shortages afflicting marginalized populations throughout the developing world.

Schistosomiasis is a disease originating in tiny snails that feed on aquatic plants and release parasitic flatworms into the water. Villagers routinely come into contact with the parasites as they gather water, clean clothes and bathe. Today, over 200 million people are infected with this disease and 700 million more are at risk. These people are simultaneously experiencing shortages of food, energy and water — more than 225 million people are undernourished in Africa, 32 out of 48 African countries are in an energy crisis and the economies of sub-Saharan Africa lose 40 billion hours per year collecting water.

To solve these problems, Rohr’s team uses validated, satellite imagery based approaches to map where the snails live, highlighting schistosomiasis hotspots. Clearing the submerged aquatic plants effectively removes the habitat for snails that cause schistosomiasis. Not only does this process significantly increase open water access necessary for obtaining water for cooking and washing clothes, it has already resulted in a 103-fold reduction in snails, and has significantly decreased schistosomiasis reinfection rates among children in field trials recently conducted in Senegal. The aquatic plant biomass is turned into compost and livestock feed to enhance food supplies, and it is used as fuel for biodigesters to increase energy production — a process that is taught to villagers to keep the solution sustainable. Rohr’s team is actively working to defuse a global crisis by simultaneously and sustainably addressing disease, food, energy and water issues with a solution that can be scaled to other developing countries.

“My colleagues and I are so excited to be involved in work that can better the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people on the planet and do it in a sustainable manner. Moreover, it is greatly satisfying to participate in research that is so consistent with the University of Notre Dame’s vision to be a healing, unifying and enlightening force for a world deeply in need,” Rohr said.

The Top 100 proposals represent the top 21 percent of competition submissions that have been rigorously evaluated against : impactful, evidence-based, feasible and durable. The proposal was subject to MacArthur’s initial administrative review, a review, an evaluation by an and a technical review by specialists whose expertise was matched to the project.

“Jason’s inclusion��in the Top 100 for the MacArthur 100&Change competition is a true accomplishment and a testament to the importance of and potential impact for his research,” said Mary Galvin, the William K. Warren Foundation Dean of the College of Science at the University of Notre Dame.��“Getting this far is an immense achievement and our entire community is excited to witness Jason’s research progress as he works to execute Notre Dame’s mission to be a powerful means for doing good in the world.”��

The MacArthur Foundation seeks to generate increased recognition, exposure and support for the high-impact ideas designated as the Top 100. Since the inaugural competition, other funders and philanthropists have committed an additional $419 million to date to support bold solutions by��100&Change��applicants. Building on the success of 100&Change, MacArthur created to unlock significant philanthropic capital by helping donors find and fund vetted, high-impact opportunities through the design and management of customized competitions. In conjunction, the MacArthur Foundation launched the , featuring the University of Notre Dame as one of the Top 100 from 100&Change. The searchable online collection of submissions contains a project overview, 90-second video and two-page factsheet for each proposal. The Bold Solutions Network was designed to provide an innovative approach to identifying the most effective, enduring solutions aligned with donors’ philanthropic goals, and to help top applicants gain visibility and funding from a wide array of funders.

Jason Rohr is the Ludmilla F., Stephen J., and Robert T. Galla College Professor of and affiliated faculty member with and the .

Jefferson Science Fellows spend one year at the State Department or USAID for an on-site assignment in Washington, D.C., that may involve extended stays at U.S. foreign embassies and missions.

McDowell is the Jefferson Science Fellow with the USAID Global Health Bureau malaria division within the Office of Infectious Disease. The office manages the Global Health Bureau’s activities and engagement in infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, malaria and emerging threats/pandemic preparedness and response. The malaria division works closely with the governments of malaria-endemic countries and engages with global partners to strengthen endemic country capacity to control malaria. The USAID malaria division leads the President’s Malaria Initiative, an interagency initiative that works with endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the Greater Mekong Subregion in Asia to reduce malaria deaths and morbidity, with the long-term goal of elimination.

McDowell’s current research focuses on the biology of infectious diseases, with a focus on vector-borne pathogens. The conceptual framework of her research program integrates multiple layers of the disease process including immunology, host cell biology, pathogen diversity, insect vector biology, and drug and insecticide discovery, using both laboratory models and field-based studies. McDowell is the principal investigator of , the web-accessible bioinformatics resource center that is the repository for the genomes of vectors of human disease, provides spatio-temporal visualizations of vector abundance data to the scientific community, and is supported by the at Notre Dame.

McDowell earned a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln studying parasite ecology and received her Ph.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in medical microbiology and immunology. McDowell completed two postdoctoral fellowships, one at UW-Madison investigating the cell biology of African trypanosomes and one at the National Institutes of Health working on the immunobiology of Leishmania infections.

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Contact: Jessica Sieff, assistant director of media relations, 574-631-3933, jsieff@nd.edu

, professor in the , will direct the Center for Computer-Assisted Synthesis (C-CAS). “This will significantly accelerate progress in drug discovery and materials science where such molecules are critical to fundamental research,” Wiest said.

The goal of C-CAS is to transform how the synthesis of complex organic molecules is planned and executed through applying principles of data science and machine learning to chemistry. C-CAS also trains new “data chemists” who are able to bridge the divide between data science and chemical synthesis by using quantitative, data-driven approaches to chemistry.

“C-CAS provides the opportunity for data scientists to work in alliance with computational and experimental chemists to address the bottleneck in most syntheses: the selection and optimization of individual steps��in a rational fashion,” said Wiest.

In addition to Wiest and , the Frank Freimann Professor of ��and direct of iCeNSA��at Notre Dame, other collaborators include Richmond Sarpong of the University of California, Berkeley;��Robert Paton of Colorado State University;��Abigail Doyle of Princeton University;��and Matthew Sigman of the University of Utah.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is supporting C-CAS with $2 million in funding. In 2017, the NSF announced its , encompassing a long-term research agenda to benefit future generations. Of the 10, the C-CAS team falls under , and is supported through the Centers for Chemical Innovation Program of the Division of Chemistry. Nine centers are currently in existence, with the NSF creating two to three each year. As a Phase One Center, C-CAS will run for three years, with potential for extension and expansion into a Phase Two Center in the future.

Each lead investigator has complementary expertise. Wiest uses both computational chemistry and experimental methods to elucidate reaction mechanisms and to perform high-throughput calculations on transition structures. Chawla specializes in machine learning. Paton uses computational algorithms to understand catalytic reaction mechanisms and to enhance performance. Sigman develops physical-organic approaches to understand and predict selectivity in organic reactions. Doyle uses ultra-high-throughput experimentation technology and computational machine learning to predict the outcomes of reactions. Sarpong focuses on total synthesis, converting simpler chemical building blocks into complex, medicinally interesting natural products.

In addition to the researchers at various institutions, the group will also work with a number of industrial partners such as large pharmaceutical, chemical and information technology companies. This will allow the practical application of the findings in C-CAS to innovate processed in these industries.

Currently, chemistry data is recorded and shared in myriad ways: in laboratory books, proprietary databases��or doctoral theses,��or published in papers, online PDFs��or patents. Wiest and his team are working to build new computational tools to bring all that data together in one accessible place. To do this, they will work in three parallel but interconnected thrusts. They will unify data from a variety of sources, exploit that unified data to represent chemistry in a way that addresses the problems with optimizing chemical reactions, and apply the data to synthesis planning and the synthesis of complex molecules.

C-CAS will provide training opportunities for a new generation of data chemists and machine learning. Scholars can be trained to bridge the gap between data science and the��complex challenges of modern synthetic chemistry. It will also offer a number of research opportunities, especially for scientists with disabilities. C-CAS will use mass��and social media as well as in-person communication to engage a broader audience in a discussion of the role and impact of machine learning in modern society.

Visit ��or follow C-CAS��on Twitter at for more information.

Originally published by Tammi Freehling at on Sept.��3.

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A skilled scientist with expertise and leadership experience in academia, the private sector and government, Galvin has been a champion for the role fundamental science can play in solving national and global problems. The fellowship recognizes Galvin for her research, leadership and service to the materials science community.

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“All of us at Notre Dame are pleased to see Mary receive this well-deserved honor for her contributions and leadership in the field of materials science,” said��, Charles and Jill Fischer Provost at Notre Dame. “She is an accomplished scientist who has worked tirelessly in many contexts, including as dean of the Notre Dame’s College of Science, to advance to advance the field and mentor the next generation of scientists and engineers.”

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As dean, Galvin has placed a focus on strengthening research programs through excellence in faculty research, attracting new faculty in key areas, and the development of cutting-edge research facilities with state-of-the-art equipment. She established new initiatives to deliver an unsurpassed undergraduate experience through the , which provides talented students the support they need to thrive in challenging courses that are foundational to science and engineering disciplines.

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Galvin is a fellow in the American Physical Society and has served on National Research Council panels, including the Board of Chemical Science and Technology. She is a member of the American Chemical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She holds five patents.

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Prior to joining the Notre Dame faculty, she served as director for the Division of Materials Research in the National Science Foundation where she managed a $307 million budget and was responsible for setting scientific priorities for materials and condensed matter physics. She has also worked at Bell Laboratories, Air Products and Chemicals Inc. and the University of Delaware, where she was a distinguished professor.

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At Bell Labs and the University of Delaware, Galvin’s research focused on the structure and property relationships that govern the performance of organic materials in light-emitting diodes (LEDs), photovoltaic cells and thin film transistors. She has co-authored many publications and has given numerous invited talks at national and international meetings.��

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A graduate of Manhattanville College, Galvin earned her doctoral degree from MIT with a concentration in polymers/materials science.

Notre Dame is partnering with researchers at the Center for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR) in Seattle and the Texas Biomedical Research Institute (TBRI) on the project.

Malaria parasite P. falciparum

The team will use an innovative approach, conducting experimental genetic crosses, to study the single-celled malaria parasite P. falciparum. A genetic cross is the offspring that comes from breeding two different “parents” — in this case one parasite known for drug resistance and one known for drug sensitivity. The resulting offspring, individual siblings, inherit unique combinations of genes from each parent parasite, allowing researchers to identify the genes causing the drug resistance. This information can lead them to devise better methods to combat the parasite.

The World Health Organization has recognized malaria as a major global health threat that disproportionately affects low-income countries. Malaria is preventable and curable, and the widespread use of the drug artemisinin (ART) has been a key factor in significant reductions in infections and death, but a recent rise in resistance to ART in Southeast Asia poses an imminent risk to ongoing global efforts to combat the disease.“This will allow us to speed the rate of discovery using genetic crosses by tenfold,” said , who is leading the study. Ferdig is a biologist and professor in the at Notre Dame and the . “We’ve generated more genetic crosses in the past three years than��were generated in the 30 years prior. We will now have time to see drug resistance emerging so that we can devise ways to stop it in its tracks.”

Until now, the ability to harness the power of P. falciparum genetics has been eclipsed by challenges — costs, technical difficulty, ethics — of generating experimental crosses. The Notre Dame collaboration utilizes a “humanized” mouse strain — work pioneered by the research group at CIDR to genetically engineer a mouse with a liver consisting of more than 90 percent human cells — for rapid and routine generation of large numbers of parasite progeny.

For the first time, it will be possible to generate crosses rapidly from emerging malaria outbreaks.����������������������

The ultimate goal of this research program is to share open source data with the broader malaria research community to enhance understanding of the genetic mechanisms of drug resistance and virulence.

This Award is being issued��by��the NIH’s National institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under grant number:��1P01AI127338-01A1.

Contact: Jessica Sieff, assistant director, media relations, 574-631-3933, jsieff@nd.edu

The NIH grant is for precision immunotherapy research.

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In late 2015, former President Jimmy Carter announced that he was free of the metastatic melanoma that had spread to his liver and brain. In addition to surgery and radiation, Carter was treated with an immunotherapy drug, a new approach in cancer treatment that has a promising outlook.

A research team led by University of Notre Dame chemist is developing a new immunotherapy, a treatment that enhances immune system function in order to treat or prevent disease, as a means to more effectively target and kill cancer cells. According to Baker, “Immunotherapy is changing how cancer is treated.”

T cells play a vital role in the immune system by attacking pathogens and cancer cells. The team’s , recently published in the journal Structure, shows how T cell receptors can be engineered for specificity and function, and provides new methods for creating T cell receptors that are able to target specific cancer antigens, protein fragments that mark a cell as cancerous.

The work of Baker’s team is directed toward taking immunotherapy beyond the treatment Carter received. T cells that have been genetically altered to express engineered T cell receptors have been explored in clinical trials. Baker and his collaborators show how these receptors can be further engineered in order to recognize specific antigens on the surfaces of cancerous cells, thereby allowing cancer to be targeted with a heightened, more directed immune response with laser-like accuracy.

“Our study demonstrates new routes for custom designing functional T cell receptors with optimal antigen recognition properties. This will help open the door for customized specificity in order to optimize T cell targeting and killing,” said Baker.

Co-authors include Nishant Singh at Notre Dame and Dan Harris, Erik Procko and David Kranz at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign. The paper is published in the journal Structure and can be found online here: .

Contact: Brian Baker, 574-631-9810, brian-baker@nd.edu