Program News
Chemistry
National Institutes of Health grant funds research for new UTI treatments
Developing alternative treatments for UTIs has been Dr. Susan Meschwitz's focus for several years. She was recently awarded a $387K grant from the National Institutes of Health to research new treatments for the infection, and specifically, to do so alongside undergraduate students. The three-year project is part of a collaborative study that will be conducted with the University of Rhode Island's Dr. Jodi Camberg and Dr. David Rowley.
Summer research advances work in biomedical science and biodiversity
Salve was a hub of scientific discovery during the summer of 2024 as students and faculty engaged in research projects across campus. From investigating Medulloblastoma cancer through single-cell RNA sequencing and computational analysis, to using data science to model neuron behavior in relation to Parkinson’s disease, to exploring local marine biology on Aquidneck Island, these diverse projects showcased the University's commitment to experiential learning and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Salve receives National Science Foundation grant for student development
Salve has been awarded a $1M grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation geared specifically for student development. The project, "Supporting STEM Scholars to Engage in the Blue Economy," contributes to the national need for a diverse and capable workforce of scientists, mathematicians, engineers and technicians by increasing STEM degree completion of high-achieving, low-income students.
Mitrano conducts groundbreaking research to track micro- and nano-plastics
Denise Mitrano ’08, who majored in chemistry at Salve Regina, is a geochemist and assistant professor at ETH Zurich in Switzerland whose research assesses the impacts of anthropogenic activities and particles on the natural environment. Most recently, her team has been focusing on how manmade plastic pollutes the environment.
Meschwitz awarded grant to study women's health
Dr. Susan Meschwitz, associate professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry, was awarded a $268,000 supplemental Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research grant on women’s health from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. Her research project is titled “Targeting Quiescent E. coli for Prevention of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections.”
Izzo is first student to earn degree in chemistry and secondary education
While many students choose a college based on its academic offerings, Salve Regina welcomed Grace Izzo with the intention of crafting a unique curriculum, and in 2021 she graduated as the University’s first chemistry and secondary education major. Her decision to study education came from a desire to do something different with her passion for chemistry, and she has learned to channel that enthusiasm into teaching her students.