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Saint Vincent College to partner with West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund to bring solar-powered charging station to campus
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Verostko Center announces new exhibition featuring members of Associated Artists of Pittsburgh
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Saint Vincent College to celebrate Life in Christ Week
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December SVC grad commissioned as army officer
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SVC APB wins regional award for record fifth year in a row
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Student spotlight: Bridgette Gorg
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The European Journal of Physics accepts latest work by SVC emeritus professor
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SVC theology professor to present talk on women in the Bible
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SVC biology professor leads study of connection between alcohol and nicotine addictions
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New Bachelor of Science in "Aviation Management - Professional Pilot" takes flight at Saint Vincent College
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SVC students' documentary "Don't Count Us Out" wins Gold Viddy Award
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Somerset Trust donates to Saint Vincent Small Business Development Center
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National top-10 ranking for Saint Vincent's M.S. in Criminology program
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Fall 2023 Dean's List
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SVC's Monastery Run Improvement Project significantly improves water quality along Four Mile Run
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Saint Vincent College theology professor's book takes a deeper look at Laudato Si'
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Alumni spotlight: Charles Farley inducted into a pair of high school coaching halls of fame
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SVC Announces 2024 Wimmer Scholarship Award recipients
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Alumni spotlight: At work and at home, Aubrey Marquis is driven by philanthropy
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SVC extends deadline for financial aid filing, Bearcat Advantage Program to May 1
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The SVC Players to present "The Sound of Music" Feb. 22-25
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Alumni Spotlight: Cameron Klos
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Pittsburgh native Dr. Ruth Langer to speak at SVC's annual Rabbi Jason Edelstein Lecture for Catholic-Jewish Dialogue
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SVC alumnus who authored "Masters of the Air" explains backstory of his book and the Apple TV+ series
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Four students participate in mock Supreme Court argument
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Alumni spotlight: Former FBI analyst Paul Hodos discusses "Steel City Mafia," his second nonfiction book
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Alumni Spotlight: Anne Darla Pamphile
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The Latrobe/Greensburg Homeschool Science Fair returns
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Student spotlight: Alissa Minerd
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SVC panel discussion with Federated Hermes emphasizes data science's role in asset management
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Alumni Spotlight: Brianna Baum
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Student Spotlight: Maci Rogers
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U.S. News & World Report ranks SVC's MS in Management: Operational Excellence a top online master's in business program for seventh straight year
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SVC professor's internship program aims to help continue gradual cleanup of local waterways
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SVC Concert Series to present traditional Chinese woodwind program March 15
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Education honor society welcomes new members
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SVC men's hockey team heads to D3 national tournament after winning league championship
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Student spotlight: Julie Zhu
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Fred Rogers Institute to host Community Open House
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Expert to speak at Saint Vincent about the ethics of keeping partly rehabilitated birds in captivity
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2024 Challenge Program registration now open
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SVC math professor enjoys "reunion" in Italy at program for commutative algebra research
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SVC physics department will conduct solar eclipse program and planetarium shows
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Student spotlight: Luca Rosato
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Alumni Spotlight: Meg Matich awarded National Endowment for the Arts Literary Translation Fellowship
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SVC holds quantum computing workshop for local STEM teachers and students
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SVC to host women in business panel discussion
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SVC hosts successful Heart of Teaching conference
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Student spotlight: Austin Slye
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SVC physics researchers search for possible effects of solar eclipse on cosmic showers
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Saint Vincent to host annual Summer Theatre gala on April 12
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Saint Vincent College to host eclipse viewing event April 8
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Saint Vincent College earns silver, bronze honors in annual Educational Advertising Awards
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Student spotlight: J'Shawn Taylor
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SVC to host presentation about Catholic Rural Ministry
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Student spotlight: Jacqueline Moon
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SVC to host 2024 senior art showcase
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Saint Vincent College announces updated plans for new athletic center
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Antique coverlet exhibit will open April 17 at Saint Vincent College's McCarl Gallery
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SVC education department to host educator and author Dr. Todd Whitaker
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SVC welcomes Sr. Gabriele Vasiliauskaité as inaugural Stephans Family Visiting Benedictine Professor
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Saint Vincent College announces Susan Baker Shipley as Spring 2024 Commencement speaker
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News
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Mr. Safin's "From the Heart" captures filmmaking award
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Saint Vincent College extends new student commitment deadline to June 1
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SVC to host 21st annual Academic Conference
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SVC reveals finalists for 50th annual President's Award
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SVC student will study in Wales as part of Fulbright Summer Institute program
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Saint Vincent College to build Rhodora and John Donahue Hall to house nursing program
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SVC Concert Series continues with "(S)Heroes" from the IonSound Project
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Saint Vincent College students, faculty recognized at 2024 Spring Honors Convocation
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Olivia Persin is named 2024 SVC President's Award winner
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Dr. Sara Lindey receives Boniface Wimmer Faculty Award
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Dr. Lucas Briola receives Quentin Schaut Faculty Award
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Alumni spotlight: Chris Golias
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Attorney Daniel Lynch, C'89, delivers 2024 Spring Honors Convocation address
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Hiring event set for 2024 Steelers training camp at SVC
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SVC communication students query Bishop Zubik during mock press conference
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Auditor General Timothy DeFoor makes recruiting pitch to students during Saint Vincent College visit
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SVC students Cameron Walker and Lauren Brennan honored at Education Department's annual senior send-off picnic
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'The Marvelous Wonderettes' kicks off Saint Vincent Summer Theatre's 2024 season
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SVC professor receives $200,000 grant from National Science Foundation to study water desalination
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Seven SVC students participate in mock Supreme Court arguments
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Saint Vincent College students win for best statistical analysis at DataFest competition
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Saint Vincent College holds 178th Spring Commencement
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Spring 2024 commencement address by Ms. Susan Baker Shipley
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SVC engineering students cap Spring 2024 semester by presenting wind tunnel projects
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SVC graduate Dominic Oto commissioned as Army officer
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SVC alumna Elizabeth Elin wins 2024 Clark Award for religious studies and theology
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SVC is recognized as a College of Distinction
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SVC's Dr. Tim Kelly quoted by The Associated Press
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2024 SVC Challenge Program registration ends May 31
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SVC Birding Team participates in World Series of Birding
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Alumni spotlight: Matt Bertone
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Trip to Portugal provided SVC students and alumni with global perspective
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Saint Vincent Summer Theatre offers special trolley trip for "Unnecessary Farce"
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SVC McKenna School dean and adjunct professor honored by Boy Scouts with Trailblazer Awards
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Digital art pioneer Roman Verostko, 94, dies
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Saint Vincent College ranked among top 10 Pennsylvania colleges in 19 degree programs
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SVC President Fr. Paul Taylor listed among 2024 Trailblazers in Higher Education
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Rev. Dr. Clarence E. Wright named inaugural Fred Rogers Fellow
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Dr. Mary Regina Boland quoted by Catholic News Agency
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Student spotlight: Natalie Homison
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Dr. Mary Beth Yount chosen to fill SVC's Irene S. Taylor Endowed Chair for Catholic and Family Studies
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35th annual Saint Vincent College Week brings 41 Crossroads Foundation scholars to campus
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200 campers work up a sweat during annual Steelers Youth Football Camp at Saint Vincent College
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SVC's cybersecurity program ranked No. 3 in the country
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43 Saint Vincent College graduates begin pursuits of advanced degrees
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Student spotlight: Marta Trembetska
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SVC chemistry professor authors chapter about scholarship of teaching and learning for STEM faculty
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Saint Vincent College honors its 2024 Alumni of Distinction
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Saint Vincent Summer Theatre's trolley event a success
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Archabbot Rev. Martin de Porres Bartel asks 'Where are you, America?' in TribLive editorial
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SVC hosts computer science camp for 26 students from Young Men and Women in Charge Foundation
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Saint Vincent College professor Dr. Lucas Briola to speak about Laudato Si'
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Holy multiples! SVC professor studies occurrence of twins and triplets among canonized saints
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Alumni spotlight: Kyla Hockley
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Saint Vincent College receives approval for Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing program
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Spring 2024 Dean's List
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SVC hosts annual Next One Up summer camp
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Professor tends to red maple trees along Saint Vincent College's driveway entrance
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SVC student Maggie Shero and alumna Victoria Saddler earn grand champion laurels in equestrian competition
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Alumni spotlight: Chelsea Bayko
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Saint Vincent professor's 'Office Hours' TV show promotes student and professional filmmakers from across the region
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DP Harris named Saint Vincent College's director of athletics
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Saint Vincent College earns spot on Money's Best Colleges in America 2024 list
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Student spotlight: Valeria Hurtado
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Phineas Gage to perform free concert in Latrobe
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Fr. Justin Matro to speak at Saint Vincent Seminary as part of Benedictine spirituality series
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SVC senior legal counsel Bruce Antkowiak interviewed for documentary series 'The Godfather of Fentanyl'
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Tradition, hospitality shine through as Steelers wrap up 2024 training camp at Saint Vincent College
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Ready to roll: Tesla joins Saint Vincent's fleet of vehicles
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Strong turnout for Phineas Gage concert in Latrobe
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Alumni spotlight: Mandi Freger
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Saint Vincent named a College of Distinction for 2024-25
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Two exhibitions to open at Verostko Center
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Saint Vincent College hires seven faculty for 2024-25 academic year
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Saint Vincent to host performance of Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh and soloist Chantal Braziel, C'15
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Saint Vincent College to host forum about election process and ballot security
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Saint Vincent College physics and chemistry professors collaborate on groundbreaking research project
by Public Relations | September 04, 2024
LATROBE, PA - A random meeting sparked a research partnership between two Saint Vincent College instructors from different departments of the Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computing.
While working at the same table during an Admission Office event for new students, Dr. Jason Vohs, professor of chemistry, and Fr. Michael Antonacci, O.S.B., PhD, C'07, S'14, assistant professor of physics, got to talking shop. Fr. Michael said he needed a particular molecule for a project, a request that's physically small but hugely important. That didn't faze Vohs, whose forte is manufacturing bespoke molecules.
"He [described] the structure, and I said, 'My goodness, those are the types of molecules I routinely make and play with all the time,'" Vohs recalled. "I thought I was just going to make a couple of simple molecules for him to use in his studies, but it's blossomed into a nice collaboration among us and our students."
Over the past five years, Fr. Michael has studied signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) hyperpolarization, a method to enhance the strength of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals without high-field magnets. The project aims to develop water-soluble catalysts for contrast agents for use with the SABRE method to develop new NMR contrast agents.
Anyone who's had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam to diagnose to a sore knee or elbow has experienced NMR spectroscopy. The method Vohs and Fr. Michael are working on would turn weak NMR imaging responses into strong signals making previously impractical measurements possible.
"SABRE selects particular atoms on a molecule, and 'turns up the volume' on the NMR signal," Fr. Michael explained. "The outcome would be the molecule you are trying to see would be tagged and much brighter than it would be without the contrast agent."
The physics side (Fr. Michael) of the project deals with the instrumentation. The chemistry side (Vohs) is concerned with building the catalyst, a molecule to make the SABRE method work.
Toward the end of the spring 2024 semester, Vohs and Fr. Michael were pleased-and a bit stunned-when their initial attempt to produce signal enhancement with standard catalysts was a success.
"Usually, there are lots of things that go wrong, and you have to tease out what's wrong in your setup," Fr. Michael said. "So, to execute each step successfully on the first try was really shocking."
Yet, that was merely the project's curtain raiser. The researchers still must overcome a fundamental hurdle to ensure their method is safe to use in animals and humans.
"The method is easy to implement using a methanol solution, but you can't safely inject a methanol solution into a living thing," Fr. Michael said. "Our collaboration is moving towards developing catalysts that are water soluble and efficient for SABRE-enhanced NMR. That combination is rare, and it hasn't yet been done."
Last summer, two students-junior Tony Sparta, a chemistry and mathematics double major and physics minor from Jefferson Hills, and senior Angelina Bucci, a biochemistry major from Lower Burrell-assisted with the research.
"I learned a lot, not only about this lab but about research in general," Bucci said. "It was quite a big molecule, so it was a lengthy synthesis. It was a six-step [process] and after each step you lose some of your percent yield, some of your product, so we had to tweak that and piece together all the information."
The group collected more positive results using multiple non-water-soluble catalysts. "We gathered a plethora of data in just six weeks," Vohs said.
The project initially was funded by a $5,000 faculty research grant. The successes in the lab earlier this year have given Vohs and Fr. Michael momentum to explore more grants.
"We'd like to get a setup of equipment where we don't have to tinker as much, kind of Scotch tape it and 'MacGyver' it, if you will," Vohs said. "Now, we have enough data to say, 'This works. Give us a little bit more money and we can easily take it to the next level.'"
Vohs and Fr. Michael are seeking students to assist with the ongoing research. Anyone interested may email [email protected] or [email protected].
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Fr. Michael Antonacci (seated) points to data on the computer screen as (from left) Tony Sparta, Dr. Jason Vohs and Angelina Bucci look on.
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(From left) Fr. Michael Antonacci, Tony Sparta, Angelina Bucci and Dr. Jason Vohs pose in the lab at Saint Vincent College.