Five Niagara University Students Present at Undergraduate Research Symposium

Five students from Niagara University's Department of Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Physics presented their undergraduate research at the 2025 WNYACS Undergraduate Research Symposium on Saturday, April 5, at Canisius University. This annual event, hosted by the Western New York Section of the American Chemical Society, offers undergraduate students the opportunity to share their research, network with peers and faculty, and engage with the broader chemistry community.

Junior chemistry major Adrian Martinez gave an oral presentation titled "Studies Toward the Synthesis of ent-Artemisinin, a Potential Antimalarial Compound." He conducts his research under the guidance of Dr. Luis Sanchez, associate professor and department chair.

Several students also presented research posters.

Senior chemistry major Isabella Peroni presented "Synthesis of Dehydroleucine Derivatives as Building Blocks for Complex Molecule Synthesis," junior biochemistry major Elise Spence presented "Development of a Biaryl Oxidative Coupling-Based Route to the Anti-Tumor Natural Products TMC-95," and sophomore chemistry major Ryan Nguyen presented "A Bicyclic Ring Closure-Based Strategy for the Synthesis of Cage Molecule Building Blocks." Their research was also conducted under Dr. Sanchez.

Junior chemistry major Zachary Holmes presented "Discovering Tellurium's Reactivity: Synthetic Progress Towards a Novel Benzo-fused Telluropyrylium Chromophore," work he did with Dr. Lauren Rosch, assistant professor of chemistry.

Drs. Sanchez and Rosch, and Daniel Potoczak, laboratory manager and chemical hygiene officer, also attended the symposium.