by Phillip Sheridan | Jan 29, 2024 | Staff
Chemistry alumnus Ben Swanson ’17 recently completed the dual DDS/PhD program in the School of Dentistry at the University of Michigan. He’s now bringing a ‘clinician-engineer’ vision of scientific discovery and new technologies to clinical care.
His story is featured in the latest edition of UM Dentistry News. Click here to read the article.
Submitted by: Phil Sheridan, professor and chair, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
by Phillip Sheridan | Nov 17, 2023 | Staff

Nicholas Wodo, a pediatric nurse practitioner at the University of Rochester Medical Center, was highlighted by the University of Rochester School of Nursing in honor of National Nurse Practitioner Week 2023.
Nick graduated from Canisius in 2013 with a BS degree in biochemistry.
Click here to read the story.
Submitted by: Phillip Sheridan, Professor and Chair, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
by Phillip Sheridan | Apr 3, 2023 | Faculty

Chemistry and biochemistry majors and faculty attended the spring 2023 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and presented posters on their latest research results.
Alann Au II ’23 : “Computational Study of Alkaline Earth Metal Thiocyanates” (Phil Sheridan’s lab)
John Federice ’23: “Progress toward the enantioselective synthesis of rhytismatones A and B” (Tim Gregg’s lab)
Hannah Rivett ’23 and Anthony Fuszara ’24: “Lead in shoreline soil samples along the Buffalo River: An undergraduate research project” (Pete Schaber’s lab)
Aaron Szczepankiewicz ’24: “GC/MS Analysis for PCB congeners in Lake Ontario salmon” (Steve Szczepankiewicz’s lab)
Submitted by: Phil Sheridan, Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
by Phillip Sheridan | Jul 13, 2022 | Faculty
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry hosted its 6th annual Summer Research Symposium on Friday, July 8, in the first floor hallway of Horan O’Donnell. Ten students presented posters on the latest results from their summer research projects in the areas of chemistry, biochemistry, and physics. Over 50 students, faculty, administrators, alumni, and family members attended this celebration of our student researchers.
Submitted by: Phillip Sheridan, professor and chair, Chemistry and Biochemistry
by Phillip Sheridan | Mar 28, 2022 | Faculty
David G. Hangauer ’74, PhD, is the 2021 recipient of the Jacob F. Schoellkopf Medal from the Western New York Section of the American Chemical Society (WNY ACS). The Schoellkopf Medal, named in honor of chemical industry entrepreneur Jacob F. Schoellkopf, is the oldest ACS local section award in the nation. The award recognizes a member of the WNY ACS for their accomplishments and their continuing achievements in the chemical sciences. Prof. Hangauer is the 91st recipient of the Schoellkopf Medal, awarded to him “in recognition of his visionary work on the discovery of cancer therapies and his entrepreneurial impact of the advancement of the pharmaceutical industry in the region.” The award will presented on April 12, 2022, following a dinner at the Hotel Lafayette.
Prof. Hangauer earned a BS in chemistry from Canisius College in 1974. He completed his PhD in natural product synthesis at the University at Buffalo in 1980. After, he worked as a medicinal chemist at Merck in Rahway, NJ. In 1989, he accepted a position at the University at Buffalo as Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry. At UB, his laboratory developed a new technology for the discovery of protein kinase inhibitors. Also while at UB, Prof. Hangauer started three biotech companies: Arpida, Hypnion, and Athenex, where he invented two of Athenex’s oncology drugs, KX01 and KX02. He has also consulted for many biotech and pharmaceutical companies in the US, Europe, and Asia. Prof. Hangauer is an inventor on 80 patents and the author of 60 peer reviewed publications. He has received numerous awards, including the New York State Research Foundation Outstanding Inventor Award (2002), the Canisius College Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry James H. Crowdle Award for Distinction in Chemistry (2006), the Niagara Frontier 2007 Inventor of the Year Award, and the 2012 University at Buffalo Faculty Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Hangauer supports undergraduate summer research in chemistry at Canisius with his annual funding of the Frank Dinan Research Scholars, in honor of Professor Emeritus Frank Dinan.
Submitted by: Phil Sheridan, professor and chair, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry