Chemistry is the called the central science because it not only impacts virtually all fields of science and technology but also because it is a central contributor to the modern life that society enjoys. The PhD Program in Chemistry at the City University of New York (CUNY) provides students with a strong foundation in all areas of chemistry: analytical, biological, inorganic, materials, nano, organic, polymer, and physical.

Chemistry

Research Areas

• Analytical Chemistry • Inorganic Chemistry • Organometallic Chemistry • Biochemistry • Materials Chemistry • Polymer Chemistry • Biophysics • Medicinal Chemistry • Photochemistry • Chemical Biology • Nanoscience • Physical Chemistry • Computational Chemistry • Organic Chemistry • Radiochemistry

CUNY  Chemistry        •  Diverse  faculty        •  100+  faculty  mentors        •  250  papers  per  year    Interdisciplinary  efforts        •  Molecular  biophysics        •  Radiochemistry        •  Nanotechnology        •  Photonics        •  Medicinal  chemistry  

CUNY prides itself on the diversity of its faculty and students. Each student choses a research mentor from over 100 members of the CUNY doctoral faculty in Chemistry. These mentors are distributed among seven CUNY campuses and the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center that fosters interdisciplinary interactions. A flexible curriculum allows each student to personalize the coursework to their specific needs. Additional training in professionalism, safety, pedagogy, and career opportunities are provided to ensure your career success.

All students admitted to the PhD Program in Chemistry are awarded a CUNY Science Scholarship. This five-year award allows our student to concentrate on their research. CUNY Science Scholars spend the first year at the CUNY Graduate Center taking courses and learning about the research opportunities available to them. There is no teaching in year one. Students select a mentor and move to their mentors campus by the end of year one.

CUNY Science Scholars

Student comments The   chemistry   Ph.D  program  at   CUNY  has   allowed  me   to   pursue  my   interest.   I   have   greatly  benefited  from  my  experience  with  my  mentor,  professors  and  fellow  students.  

     Zhantong Mao (PhD 2015)   CUNY   is   dense   with   fantasLc   faculty,   administrators   and   fellow   students   that   collecLvely  engender  a  strong  likelihood  of  success.  

       Douglas Achan (PhD 2015)

CUNY Science Scholarship • five year support package • competitive stipend • low-cost health insurance • tuition remission

Years 2-5 are spent at a CUNY campus focused on their dissertation research and perhaps teaching.

CUNY offers s tudents the opportunity to do cutting-edge chemical research in a supportive program that has the feel of a small college while living in one of the world’s most dynamic cities. The PhD Program in Chemistry is unique amongst its peers in that it is a consor t ium of seven campuses throughout New York City. While all student receive their degree from the CUNY Graduate Center, they do their research at one of the CUNY colleges or the Advanced Science Research Center. The size of CUNY offers the resources to do world-class science while working at a campus with a small college feel.

World-Class Science + Intimate Setting

Research Centers The   jewel   in  the  crown  of  CUNY’s  mulL-­‐billion  dollar   investment   in   interdisciplinary  scienLfic  research   is   the   CUNY   Advanced   Science   Research   Center   (hTp://asrc.cuny.edu).     Brimming  with   state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art   instrumentaLon   and   experLse   in   nanoscience,   structural   biology,  photonics,   environmental   science,   and   neuroscience,   it   is   open   to   all   CUNY   students   and  faculty.     This   collaboraLve   resource   augments   the   resources   and   instrumentaLon   found   on  each   of   the   CUNY   campuses.     In   addiLon,   students   further   their   research   efforts   using   the  CUNY  High  Performance  CompuLng  Center  (hTp://www.csi.cuny.edu/cunyhpc/).

Participating Colleges • Brooklyn College • City College of New York • College of Staten Island • Hunter College • Lehman College • Queens College • York College

Publications A. Li,W., Seredych, M., Rodrigues-Castellon, E., Bandosz, T.J. Metal-free Nanoporous Carbon as a Catalyst for Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 to CO and CH4 ChemSusChem 2016, 9, 606-616. B. Cesaratto, A., Londero, P., Shibayama, N., Lombardi, J.R., Leona, M. Fourier filtering ultraviolet laser ablation SERS for the analysis of yellow lakes Microchemical Journal, 2016, 126, 237-242. C. Wang, Y., Shan, X., Wang, S., Tao, N., Blanchard, P.-Y., Hu, K., Mirkin, M.V. Imaging Local Electric Field Distribution by Plasmonic Impedance Microscopy Analytical Chemistry, 2016, 88, pp. 1547-1552. D. Li, P., AnandhiSenthilkumar, H., Wu, S.-B., Liu, B., Guo, Z.-Y., Fata, J.E., Kennelly, E.J., Long, C.-L. Comparative UPLC-QTOF-MS-based metabolomics and bioactivities analyses of Garcinia oblongifolia Journal of Chromatography B: Analytical Technologies in the Biomedical and Life Sciences, 2016, 1011, 179-195.

Research Areas • Spectroscopy • Instrument development • Environmental Chemistry • Electroanalytical Chemistry • Art Conservation • Forensics

Analytical Chemistry is the science of measurement that focuses on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of chemicals. All types of instrumental analysis and electrochemistry can be used for the identification and quantitation of analytes. The analysis may require the separation of complex mixtures using varies types of chromatograph, data analysis, chemometrics and improved experimental design. Modern analytical methodologies can at times separate, identify and quantify the chemicals present in complex mixtures. Analytical chemistry is used in virtually all industries, government agencies, studies of agents in the environment and forensics. In the American Chemical Society’s 2012 work survey, analytical chemistry was the most popular chemical specialty.

Analytical Chemistry Prof. Robert P. Nolan, Subdiscipline Chair RNolan@gc.cuny.edu  

Terry Dowd Associate Professor Brooklyn College 2847 Old Ingersoll 2900 Bedford Ave. Brooklyn, NY tdowd@Brooklyn.cuny.edu http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/chem/howell/facultyWebPages/Dowd/Dowd_home.htm

Publications C h a n K L , D o w d T L , G i b n e y B R . , “Characterization of the Zn(II) binding properties of the human Wilms' tumor suppressor protein C-terminal zinc finger peptide.” (2014) Inorg Chem. 53:6309. Malashkevich, V., Dowd, T.L., "The X-ray Crystal Structure of Bovine 3 Glu-Osteocalcin.“ Biochemistry (2013) 52:8387. B. Kalmatsky, T.L. Dowd, “Structural studies of N-terminal mutants of connexin 32 using 1H NMR spectroscopy.” Arch. Biochem. Biophys. (2012) 526: 1-8. A.U. Monir, T.L. Dowd, “The Effect of Lead on Bone Mineral Properties From Female Adult C57/BL6 Mice.” Bone 2010 47:888-94. B. Kalmatsky, T.L. Dowd, “Structural studies of the N-terminus of Connexin 32 using 1H NMR spectroscopy.” Arch. Biochim. Biophys. 2009 490: 9-16.

Research Interests My research involves investigating the role of the bone protein osteocalcin in bone mineral diseases such as Pb2+ toxicity, low Mg2+ diets and diabetes. The research involves multiple techniques such as atomic absorption, FTIR Imaging and microCT to investigate alterations in mouse bone mineral properties. The second project involves NMR structural-functional studies of the gap junction molecule Connexin in health and diseases such as deafness, fatal skin disease and neuropathy. The project uses 2D NMR techniques on a high field magnet and electrophysiological techniques characterizing the mutant gap junction channels.

Dr. Terry Dowd is involved in two areas of research. One area is the alteration in bone mineral properties in disease. The second project involves al terat ions in s t r u c t u r e – f u n c t i o n relationships in the gap junction molecule Connexin in deafness, neuropathy and skin disease.

2014- current Associate Professor 2005 Assistant Professor 1992-1996 Instructor 1986-1992 Postdoc 1986 Ph.D.

Dr. Terry Dowd

Urs Jans Associate Professor Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry City College of New York 160 Convent Avenue New York NY, 10031 ujans@ccny.cuny.edu www.ccny.cuny.edu/profiles/urs-jans

Publications D. Saint-Hilaire, U. Jans, Reactions of three halogenated organophosphorus flame retardants with reduced sulfur species. Chemosphere, 2013, 93, 2033-2039. L. Yang, X. Li, P. Zhang, M. Melcer, Y. Wu, U. Jans. Concentrations of DDTs and dieldrin in Long Island Sound sediment, Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 2012, 14, 878-885. K.W. Lo, S.C. Saha-Roy, U. Jans. Investigation of the reaction of hexabromocyclododecane with polysulfide in methanol/water solutions, Chemosphere, , 2012, 87, 158-162. D. Saint-Hilaire, K.Z. Ismail, U. Jans. Reactions of tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate with reduced sulfur species, Chemosphere, 2011, 83, 941-947. L. Yang, X. Li, J. Crusius, U. Jans, M. E. Melcer, P. Zhang. Persistent chlordane concentrations in Long Island Sound sediment: Implications for chlordane, 210Pb, and 137Cs depth profiles. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2007, 41, 7723-7729.

Research Interests Keywords: Environment, emerging contaminants, abiotic transformation, analytical chemistry My research program at CCNY is addressing questions concerning environmental organic chemistry, with a focus on the mechanisms through which organic contaminants undergo abiotic transformations in natural aquatic environment (freshwater, seawater). We also determine the concentration of organic contaminants in sediments and soils as a tool to understand their accumulation in the environment.

Dr. Jans is interested in the fate of organic conta-minants (e.g., pesticides, flameretardants) in the environment.

1999- current City College of New York 1996-1998 Postdoc, Johns Hopkins University 1992-1996 PhD, ETH Zürich, Switzerland

Dr. Urs Jans

Jianbo Liu Associate Professor Queens College and the Graduate Center of CUNY Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry 65-30 Kissena Blvd. Queens, NY 11367 Jianbo.liu@qc.cuny.edu http://chem.qc.cuny.edu/~jliu/Liu_page/Liu_main.htm

Publications Fangwei Liu, Wenchao Lu, Yigang Fang, and J. Liu*, "Evolution of oxidation dynamics of histidine: Non-reactivity in the gas phase, peroxides in hydrated clusters, and pH dependence in solution", Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2014, 16, 22179-22191. J. Liu*, Steven D. Chambreau, and Ghanshyam L. Vaghjiani, "Dynamics simulations and statistical modeling of thermal decomposition of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide and 1-ethyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium dicyanamide", J. Phys. Chem. A., 2014, 118, 11133-11144. Wenchao Lu, Fangwei Liu, Rifat Emre, and J. Liu*, "Collision dynamics of protonated N-acetyl methionine with singlet molecular oxygen (a1Dg): The influence of amide bond and ruling out the complex-mediated mechanism at low energies", J. Phys. Chem. B, 2014, 118, 3844-3852. Rui Sun, Matthew R. Siebert, Lai Xu, Steven D. Chambreau*, Ghanshyan L. Vaghjiani, Hans Lischka, Jianbo Liu*, and William L. Hase*, "Direct dynamics simulation of the activation and dissociation of 1,5-dinitrobiuret (HDNB)", J. Phys. Chem. A, 2014, 118, 2228-2236.   Research Interests

Keywords: mass spectrometry, singlet oxygen, reaction dynamics/kinetics, spectroscopy Our research focuses on using various instrumental analysis approaches (e.g., mass spectrometry, laser spectroscopy, and ion-molecule reactions) to probe biologically relevant processes in a spectrum of systems ranging from isolated biomolecules, through micelles and aerosols, to biomolecule solution. The experiments are complemented by extensive computational efforts including statistical modeling and dynamics simulations. We are also active in discovering and developing new instrumentation methods and nanotechnologies.

Physical Chemistry Analytical Chemistry Computational Chemistry Nanomaterials

2013- current Associate Professor, Queens College 2016-2013 Assistant Professor, Queens College 1999-2000 Postdoc, Lawrence Berkeley Lab 1997 Ph.D. (Physical Chemistry)

Dr. Jianbo Liu

Prabodhika Mallikaratchy Assistant Professor Lehman College 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West Bronx,10468 NY prabodhika.mallikaratchy@lehman.cuny.edu http:/ /www.lehman.edu/academics/chemistry/prof_mallikaratchy.php

Publications Prabodhika Mallikaratchy, Zumrut, Hasan, Ara, Naznin “Discovery of Biomarkers Using Aptamers Evolved in Cell-SELEX Method”, Aptamers selected by cell-SELEX for Theranostics” Principles, Eds. W. Tan and X. Fan, SpringerLink. 2015; p.265. Prabodhika Mallikaratchy, Jeffery Gardner, Lars Ulrik R. Nordstrøm, Nicholas J. Veomett, Michael R. McDevitt, Mark L. Heaney, and David A. Scheinberg.Nucleic Acid Therapeutics. 2013, 23(4): 289-299. doi:10.1089/nat.2013.0425. Prabodhika R. Mallikaratchy, Alessandro Ruggiero, Jeffrey R. Gardner, Vitaly Kuryavyi, William F. Maguire, Mark L. Heaney, Michael R. McDevitt, Dinshaw J. Patel and David A. Scheinberg. “A multivalent DNA aptamer specific for the B cell receptor on human lymphoma and leukemia” Nucleic Acids Res. 2011; 39(6): 2458. Tang Z., Zhu Z., Mallikaratchy P., Yang R., Sefah K., Tan W. “Aptamer-target binding triggered molecular mediation of singlet oxygen generation” Chem. Asian J. 2010; 5 (4): 783.

Research Interests Keywords: DNA aptamers, Cell-SELEX technology, DNA nanotechnology Long-term goal of this laboratory is to develop oligonucleotide aptamer based synthetic antibodies for biological and biomedical applications. Therefore, this research program is aimed at generating new aptamers against biologically important cellular targets, and molecular engineering of multifunctional aptamer structures suitable for drug delivery.  

The Mallikaratchy group focuses on developing DNA aptamers as therapeutics, Cell-SELEX technology and DNA nanotechnology

2010- Present Assistant Professor, Lehman College- CUNY

2008-2010 Assistant Professor, San Jose State Univ. 2003-2007 PhD, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Prabodhika Mallikaratchy

Michael V. Mirkin Professor of Chemistry CUNY-Queens College 65-30 Kissena Blvd Flushing, NY 11367 mmirkin@qc.cuny.edu http://chem.qc.cuny.edu/~mirkinlab/mvm.html

Publications Nanoelectrochemistry, ed. M.V. Mirkin and S. Amemiya, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2015 Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy, ed. A.J. Bard and M.V. Mirkin, CRC Press, Boca Raton FL, 2nd edition, 2012. T. Sun, Y. Yu, B.J. Zacher and M.V. Mirkin, Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy of Individual Catalytic Nanoparticles, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 53, 14120 –14123 (VIP article). Y.X. Wang, T. Kakiuchi, Y. Yasui, and M.V. Mirkin, Kinetics of Ion Transfer at the Ionic Liquid/Water Nanointerface, JACS, 2010, 132, 16945-16952. J. Velmurugan, D. Zhan, and M.V. Mirkin, Electrochemistry through Glass, Nature Chem. 2010, 2, 498-502. P. Sun and M.V. Mirkin, Electrochemistry of individual molecules in zeptoliter volumes, JACS, 2008, 130, 8241-8250. P. Sun, F.O. Laforge, T.P. Abeyweera, S.A. Rotenberg, J. Carpino, and M.V. Mirkin, Nanoelectrochemistry of mammalian cells, PNAS, 2008, 105, 443-448.

Research Interests Keywords: Electrochemistry/Physical/Analytical/Nano We employ nanometer-sized electrochemical probes for molecular level characterization of chemical processes and materials. A wide variety of phenomena are studied including charge-transfer reactions at the solid/liquid and liquid/liquid interfaces, electrocatalysis, bioelectrochemistry, and electrochemical imaging. The main focus is on obtaining quantitative physico-chemical information by combination of experiments with mathematical modeling and computer simulations. We also maintain active interest in development of electrochemical techniques for analytical applications. These include carbon nanoprobes, amperometric nanosensors, and resistive-pulse sensors.

Michael V. Mirkin is a professor of chemistry at CUNY-Queens College. His research interests are in the field of electrochemistry and include nano- and bio-electrochemistry, interfacial charge-transfer reactions, e l e c t r o c a t a l y s i s , a n d scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM).

1993 - current Professor of Chemistry 1990-1993 Postdoc, University of Texas at Austin 1982-1987 PhD in Electrochemistry, Kazakh State

University, USSR.

Dr. Michael V. Mirkin