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The University of Maryland
CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY NEWS
JUNE 2026
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Message from the Chair |
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At the college’s commencement ceremonies last month, we honored the recipients of 126 bachelor’s degrees (including 24 from our new B.A. program), 5 M.S. degrees, and 18 Ph.D. degrees in chemistry and biochemistry—and several of them are featured in stories below. It was an honor to be a small part of their professional journeys, and I am excited to see them move on to careers and advanced studies.
You can also read stories below about recent advances we’ve made in biomedical, environmental and quantum sciences. Those of you who enjoy and/or participated in our chemistry demonstrations at Maryland Day will be excited to read about a new course that brings our students into local elementary schools to do outreach demonstrations.
I hope you can join us for Homecoming Week, October 11-17, 2026, or whenever you can make it to College Park.
~Daniel Falvey |
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Faculty & Research
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Professor Lawrence Sita Named 2025 AAAS Fellow
The distinguished lifetime honor recognizes Sita’s innovative solutions to combat the world’s plastic pollution problem. READ MORE » |
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New Startup Co-Founded by Professor Pratyush Tiwary Builds the ‘Picks and Shovels’ for the RNA Revolution
Emergente’s patented RNAnneal platform predicts shapeshifting RNA structures, addressing a foundational bottleneck across the therapeutics, agriculture and biotechnology manufacturing industries. READ MORE »
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Demystifying Neurodegenerative Diseases
Associate Professor Ling Hao is developing cutting-edge analytical tools to unravel the mysteries of neurodegenerative diseases. Watch Video »
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Assistant Professor Mercedes Taylor and Ph.D. Student Michael Baptiste's Discovery Named UMD 2026 Invention of the Year for Physical Sciences
Their invention has the potential to build a more sustainable and reliable supply chain to support clean energy infrastructure. READ MORE »
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A Surprisingly Simple Way to Control Quantum Behavior
A new study from Assistant Professor Leah Dodson's lab could lead to more stable quantum memory, safer fuel storage and an improved ability to measure comet temperatures in outer space. READ MORE »
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'Indian Niño' Drove Record Heat in 2023 and 2024, New UMD Study Finds
It’s the first time this Indian Ocean climate pattern has been connected to the recent years’ unusually high temperatures. READ MORE »
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Biomolecular NMR Facility Gets Upgrade in UMD’s New Chemistry Building
The space is an “otherworldly gift,” providing researchers with expertise and instrumentation to study biologically relevant molecules. READ MORE »
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Neil Blough, Jeffery Davis and Janice Reutt-Robey Retire
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry celebrated the retirements of the three long-time faculty members on May 15. READ MORE »
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In Memoriam: Michael P. Doyle (1942-2026)
Doyle, who served as professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry from 2003 to 2013, passed away on April 11, 2026. READ MORE »
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Students & Alums
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Creative Chemistry Class Inspires Undergrads and Local Elementary School Students
A hands-on UMD course gives undergraduates the opportunity to share the magic of chemistry with third graders in Prince George's County. READ MORE »
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Many Hands Make Light Work
In the lab, chemistry Ph.D. student Mya Gaddy uses light to build synthetic molecules for drug development. She also supports her peers as vice president of UMD’s Chemistry and Biochemistry Graduate Student Organization. READ MORE »
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Far from Family, a Graduating Chemistry Major Forged His Own Path
Isaac Robinson credits great teachers, scholarships and his job at Giant for guiding him “home.” READ MORE »
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Explore the Chemistry of Food with Senior Lexi Chiu
The double-degree student in chemistry and nutrition and food science finds connections between the lab and the kitchen. READ MORE »
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Concocting Chemicals to Fight Drug Overdose
When chemistry Ph.D. candidate Manny Bazan-Bergamino isn’t playing his clarinet, you can find him developing “molecular containers” that flush drugs out of the body. READ MORE »
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UMD’s Newest Mars Rover Is Out of This World
Junior chemistry major Dana Wadsley works on the science arm of the rover, which has been entered into a tournament that challenges teams to build cutting-edge Mars rovers capable of completing missions such as autonomous navigation and detecting signatures of life. READ MORE »
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From Mentee to Mentor
Senior chemistry and neuroscience double major Divine Enyi plans to attend medical school so she can one day continue her love of helping others and giving back to her community as a doctor. READ MORE »
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Leading Data Science Initiatives, People and Health Research into the Future
NIH data strategy czar Susan Gregurick (Ph.D. ’95, chemistry) brought her science success story to UMD as keynote speaker for the 2026 CMNS Doctoral Commencement Ceremony. READ MORE »
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Fighting Cancer with Immunotherapy
As chief scientific officer and founding scientist at Elicio Therapeutics, Inc., Peter DeMuth (B.S. ’08, biochemistry; B.S. ’08, chemical engineering) leads a trailblazing effort to fight cancer, developing novel therapies that harness the power of the human immune system. READ MORE »
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Where Beauty Meets Science
Kaia Ungerer (B.S. ’23, chemistry) takes on the challenges of product development in the beauty industry as a junior chemist at Cindy J Cosmetic Labs. READ MORE »
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Two Recent Biochemistry Alums Awarded 2026 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships
Since 2014, 174 current students and recent alums from CMNS have been awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowships. READ MORE »
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If you recently received an award or landed a new job, please send a brief description to chem-news@umd.edu so that we can share the great things you're doing with our community.
We are grateful to alumni and friends whose generosity supports current and future students. To learn more about how you can make a difference, please visit go.umd.edu/chemgiving. |
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