ChBE Student Receives AIChE 2016 Oral Presentation Award

On November 20, ChBE Ph.D. candidate, Svetlana Ikonomova, received an award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) - Food, Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering (FPBE) Division - for her presentation entitled, Modifying Histatin 5 for Enhanced Resistance to Candida albicans Secreted Aspartic Proteases.

"My research focuses on reducing degradation of the antifungal peptide histatin 5 by secreted aspartic proteases produced by the fungal pathogen, Candida albicans," said Ikonomova. "I am studying how modifications of the peptide’s amino acids affect where the peptide is cleaved by the proteases. By gaining insight into the interaction between histatin 5 and the proteases, I hope to enhance the therapeutic potential of the peptide."

Ikonomova will receive a monetary prize and a plaque, which will be presented to her at the FPBE Division Plenary session at the AIChE 2017 Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, MN. She is advised by ChBE Assistant Professor, Amy Karlsson.

Congratulations Svetlana!

Published November 23, 2016