Chemistry Faculty Awarded Cynthia H. Sarnoski Faculty Fellowship to Continue Research on Cancer and Aging
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Robert Mishur has been awarded the Cynthia H. Sarnoski Endowed Science Faculty Fellowship to support developing protocols to detect and identify metabolites, and then using those methods to investigate mechanisms of aging. The award is a two-year term, running through 2027.
“With an aging population, it’s important that we have the tools to help people age healthily,” said Mishur. “By understanding the pathways that underly the aging process we can help people live longer and make sure they’re living life healthy for longer.”
These methods can be applied to a variety of organisms, including fruit flies and nematodes, or microscopic thread-like worms, offering broad opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. Mishur also intends to apply this technology to assess the impact of different drugs on cancer cells.
“It feels great [to receive this award]!” Mishur shared. In addition to using a portion of the funding on research materials, he is most looking forward to how the award can benefit the students working with him on this topic. It will allow him to provide compensation for their research assistance, and have them accompany him to academic conferences.
The Cynthia H. Sarnoski Faculty Fellowship award supports science faculty through a generous gift made by Cynthia H. Sarnoski, who serves as vice chair of the Widener Board of Trustees. Sarnoski graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Widener in 1974. She is a retired senior vice president for Global Compliance and Quality Systems for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.