Matthew O’Reilly, PhD, Receives CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation

VILLANOVA, Pa. (September 17, 2024) - Matthew O'Reilly, PhD, assistant professor of Chemistry in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has been named a recipient of the prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The five-year, $462,481 grant will support Dr. O'Reilly's project, "Development of Chemical Tools for the Preparation of Strained Cyclic Peptides."

The NSF's CAREER Award supports early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. It is one of several grants that has been awarded to Dr. O'Reilly for research conducted in the O'Reilly Lab, housed in Villanova's Department of Chemistry. The lab, which includes both undergraduate and graduate students, uses organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry and chemical biology to solve contemporary problems.

Through the NSF funding, Dr. O'Reilly and his team will work to create general tools to produce strained cyclic peptides, unlocking them for broader use in the areas of therapeutics, materials science and catalysis.

"It's an honor to receive this distinguished award, and I am thankful to the NSF for their commitment to this important and challenging area of research," said Dr. O'Reilly. "Developing an all-encompassing manner by which to repeatedly and consistently create strained cyclic peptides could open the door to exciting novel uses."

Peptides are chains of amino acids that play a vital role in physiological processes. The diverse nature of their properties, including antibacterial, antifungal and anti-cancer, has led to more than 80 FDA-approved peptide-based therapeutics, including insulin. Cyclic peptides, until they can be reproducibly prepared in the lab like other peptides, cannot be applied to solve problems. The focus of Dr. O'Reilly's research is to address this hurdle and prepare consistent and easily reproducible methods for synthesizing these strained cyclic peptides for the broader scientific community.

The project will also expand undergraduate research opportunities at Villanova by supporting three students each summer throughout its duration and introducing a course-based research experience. Additionally, the award will fund a public engagement initiative in partnership with a children's museum, educating students and the community about peptides through an interactive exhibit.

"Peptides serve important functions within all living organisms, so it's an important goal of our project to present them in a unique way that highlights their role and engages and educates young learners," Dr. O'Reilly said.

About Villanova University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Since its founding in 1842, Villanova University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has been the heart of the Villanova learning experience, offering foundational courses for undergraduate students in every college of the University. Serving more than 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students, the College is committed to fortifying them with intellectual rigor, multidisciplinary knowledge, moral courage and a global perspective. The College has more than 40 academic departments and programs across the humanities, social sciences, and natural and physical sciences

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University's Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges-the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation's top universities, Villanova supports its students' intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.