Two NU Students Triumphant At American Chemical Society Research Symposium
A pair of Niagara University students took home top prizes from the Western New York American Chemical Society’s Undergraduate Research Symposium, which was held April 9.
Christopher Fritschi, a junior chemistry major from West Seneca, won the Best Oral Presentation for his work on the development of a synthetic route to caramboxin, a rare amino acid found in star fruit.
Zachary Mariani, a junior biochemistry major from Wilson, claimed the award for Outstanding Poster Presentation. He is currently working toward an affordable synthesis of aurantioclavine, a precursor for promising drugs that target leukemia cells.
The symposium was attended by students and faculty from 13 institutions and featured 44 presentations on widely ranging research topics. The event attracted corporate sponsorship from Pearson Higher Education, Shimadzu, GenTech Scientific, and Krackeler Scientific.
Eighteen Niagara University students attended the conference, with 16 of them presenting posters and/or talks.