SCIENCE FACULTY

Dr. Matthew D. Mastropaolo, Sr., Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Biology and the Associate Dean of Sciences at Neumann University. Matt obtained his B.S. in Biology (2003) and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences (2008) from Virginia Tech. Matt spent seven years working with various molecular methods involving promoter structure and function in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, bacterial pathogenesis with a Type-2 diabetic mouse model using Clostridium perfringens / Escherichia coli / Bacteroides fragilis, and examining how different pathogenic/virulence factors in E. coli affected colonization in a systemic mouse model while at Virginia Tech. Matt did four years of Postdoctoral research at the Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance, Tufts University School of Medicine with Dr. Stuart Levy. At Tufts Matt worked on the discovery of Novel genes involved in soil colonization and motility in Pseudomonas fluorescens Pfo-1. Since 2013, Matt has worked in many capacities at Neumann University from adjunct to lab manager to associate professor and administrator. He has taught courses that include Environmental studies lab and Physical Science to Biochemistry lab and Microbiology. In 2018 Dr. Mastropaolo, Dr. Patricia Strobl, Dr. Lauren Salviti and Neumann University were accepted into the SEA-PHAGES program. Since 2018, students have isolated over 40 bacteriophages (bacterial viruses), submitted over 15 genomes to GenBank, and published one peer review article in Microbial Resource Announcements with 15 student authors. Matt spends his free time with his wife and three children living in southeastern PA. He enjoys cooking, doing martial arts, jujitsu and playing video games with his family. He also volunteers a lot for his children’s high school marching band.

Research: Working on the development of a novel class of antibiotics using biomimetics

Hobbies: Bible study, reading, visiting friends and family, doing puzzles, singing, and playing the piano

Sarah Burke is a faculty member in the Department of Science at Neumann University. She teaches chemistry to Biology, Nursing, and Health Sciences majors and serves as co-PI on a National Science Foundation S-STEM grant. Her research interests focus on the development of novel drugs that target bacterial and viral infections. Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband Nick, two kids Alex and Anna, and dogs Chloe and Bristol. She also likes to run, bake, travel, and watch football (go Birds!).

Publications:

• Burke, L. Alhthlol, J. Gamrat, G. Macini, C. Orne, J. Santhouse, D. Tomares, and J. Tomsho. Synthesis of Potassium 5-Bromopentyltrifluoroborate via Hydroboration of a haloalkenes. Org. Synth. 2023, 100, 218.
• Gamrat, G. Mancini, S. Burke, R. Colandrea, N. Sadowski, B. Figula, and J. Tomsho. Protection of the Benzoxaborole Moiety: Synthesis and Functionalization of Zwitterionic Benzoxaborole Complexes. J. Org. Chem. 2018, 83, 6193-6201.
• Burke, J. Gamrat, J. Santhouse, D. Tomares, and J. Tomsho. Potassium haloalkyltrifluoroborate salts: synthesis, application, and reversible ligand replacement with MIDA. Tetrahedron Lett. 2015, 56, 5500-5503.
• Burke, W. Malachowski, S. Mehta, and R. Appenteng. The enantioselective construction of tetracyclic diterpene skeletons with Friedel-Crafts alkylation and palladium-catalyzed cycloalkenylation reactions. Org. Biomol. Chem. 2015, 13, 2726-2744.
• Ross, S. Burke, and W. Malachowski. Enantioselective synthesis of decalin structures with all-carbon quaternary centers via one-pot sequential Cope/Rauhut Currier-reaction. Tetrahedron Lett. 2014, 55, 4616.

Selected Presentations:

• Burke, L. Whitelaw, M. Mastropaolo, R. Savitz. (September 2022). “Building a STEM Community: Findings across Two Years of Intentional Support Structures.” NSF S-STEM PI Symposium, Washington, DC.
• Burke (October 2017) “The investigation of boronic acids as potential phosphate/phosphonate isosteres with the goal of improving pharmacological properties compared to current therapies like tenofovir.” Neumann University Faculty Convivium, Aston, PA
• Burke, J. Gamrat, and J. Tomsho (August 2016) “Boronic Acid Analogs of Anti-HIV Therapies” ACS National Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
• Burke and W. Malachowski (August 2012) “Exploration of Enantioselective Conjugate Additions Through an Intramolecular Friedel-Crafts Alkylation to a Hindered Cyclohexenone System” ACS National Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

For the last 30 years I have been doing biomedical research in the field of muscle physiology trying to understand how muscle contract/relax in health and disease. In collaboration with Christiana Hospital, I did research project to study cellular mechanisms of uterine muscle contraction. The project was supported through NIH R21 grant. For the last 15 years I have been teaching biological courses (general biology, anatomy/ physiology, physiology, and microbiology) at University of Delaware, Del State, Delaware Tech, and Neumann University. I do enjoy working with students helping them to get knowledge. In spare time I enjoy travelling, watching soccer (native of Ukraine), playing/watching tennis, listening to classic music, growing fruits, and vegetables as well as mushroom hunting.

Dr. Brinda Govindaraju taught Anatomy and Physiology as an adjunct at Neumann for seven years. In 2012, she received the Part-Time Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. Before coming to Neumann, she was a general practitioner in India after earning her degree from Coimbatore Medical College. She has volunteered as a teacher for a local Indian association for six years. She’s an avid reader and often donates blood. In her free time, Brinda enjoys gardening and spending time with her two daughters.

Rachel Welicky, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Ecology in the Department of Biology within the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Dr. Welicky completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science at University of Vermont and obtained a Master of Science degree in biological sciences at Florida Atlantic University. In addition, she earned a second Master of Science degree and a PhD in Environmental Science from Arkansas State University. Dr. Welicky completed two, three-year postdoctoral fellowships, one in Potchefstroom, South Africa and another in Seattle, WA, where she conducted field and laboratory research exploring the interactions of marine fishes and their parasites with respect to environmental change and change across time. Dr. Welicky has published more than 2 dozen peer-reviewed scientific journals, been awarded more than $500,000 USD in grant funding, and her research has been featured in media outlets including NPR and The NY Times.