Presenting Author
The College of New Jersey
Danielle Guarracino obtained her B.A. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Biochemistry and a double major in Chemistry from Cornell University in 2002. She then continued her studies at Yale University where she worked for Alanna Schepartz and received her M.S. in 2004 and Ph.D. in 2008, optimizing beta-peptide structure and function with applications to a novel viral target. From 2008-2010 Danielle performed post-doctoral research at NYU with Paramjit Arora working on oligooxopiperazines as inhibitors to a protein-protein interaction involved in cancer. Danielle joined the chemistry faculty at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in August 2010, and was promoted to associate professor in 2016, and professor in 2021. At TCNJ she divides her time teaching organic chemistry, biochemistry, and chemical biology, as well as performing research with undergraduates. Their focus is the development of cyclic peptide inhibitors to protein-protein interactions involved in thrombosis, as well as studying the minimal sequences necessary for peptide and beta-peptide oligomer folding. She recently spent sabbatical time in the lab of A. James Link at Princeton University learning how to express and mutate lasso peptides. In her free time she enjoys cooking, reading, writing, and spending time with her family, especially her three year old daughter and beagle.