Matthew O鈥橰eilly, PhD, Receives CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation
VILLANOVA, Pa. (September 17, 2024) 鈥� Matthew O鈥橰eilly, PhD, assistant professor of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has been named a recipient of the prestigious from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The five-year, $462,481 grant will support Dr. O鈥橰eilly鈥檚 project, 鈥淒evelopment of Chemical Tools for the Preparation of Strained Cyclic Peptides.鈥�
The NSF鈥檚 CAREER Award supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. It is one of several grants that has been awarded to Dr. O鈥橰eilly for research conducted in the O鈥橰eilly Lab, housed in 棉花糖直播鈥檚 Department of Chemistry. The lab, which includes both undergraduate and graduate students, uses organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry and chemical biology to solve contemporary problems.
Through the NSF funding, Dr. O鈥橰eilly and his team will work to create general tools to produce strained cyclic peptides, unlocking them for broader use in the areas of therapeutics, materials science and catalysis.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to receive this distinguished award, and I am thankful to the NSF for their commitment to this important and challenging area of research,鈥� said Dr. O鈥橰eilly. 鈥淒eveloping an all-encompassing manner by which to repeatedly and consistently create strained cyclic peptides could open the door to exciting novel uses.鈥�
Peptides are chains of amino acids that play a vital role in physiological processes. The diverse nature of their properties, including antibacterial, antifungal and anti-cancer, has led to more than 80 FDA-approved peptide-based therapeutics, including insulin. Cyclic peptides, until they can be reproducibly prepared in the lab like other peptides, cannot be applied to solve problems. The focus of Dr. O鈥橰eilly鈥檚 research is to address this hurdle and prepare consistent and easily reproducible methods for synthesizing these strained cyclic peptides for the broader scientific community.
The project will also expand undergraduate research opportunities at 棉花糖直播 by supporting three students each summer throughout its duration and introducing a course-based research experience. Additionally, the award will fund a public engagement initiative in partnership with a children's museum, educating students and the community about peptides through an interactive exhibit.
鈥淧eptides serve important functions within all living organisms, so it鈥檚 an important goal of our project to present them in a unique way that highlights their role and engages and educates young learners,鈥� Dr. O鈥橰eilly said.
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