The Chemistry Department consists of twenty full time faculty, nine adjunct faculty, two postdoctoral fellows, and nine full-time support staff. Information about our faculty and staff can be found by following the links on the left of this page.

Two new biochemists have joined the Chemistry Department this year:

Dr. Christine Martey-Ochola arrived at Villanova after teaching for several years at Shippensburg University. She was an undergraduate student at East Stroudsburg University, and completed her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Lehigh University. Dr. Martey-Ochola is interested in lung cancer development as propagated by cigarette smoke. Another focus area is in the development of novel chemotherapeutic drug release systems using carboxymethylcellulose as a vehicle. Over the past two years she has become more involved in HIV/AIDS education, and travels not only abroad but within the country to discuss HIV/AIDS impacts on society, focusing on education that can lead to behavior change in at risk populations. Outside of the office, she likes to hike, bike, swim, dance, read non-fiction books, travel, and cook. A lot of joy is derived from “entertaining” her 2.5 year old son.

Dr. Jennifer Palenchar came to Villanova after completing an American Heart Association sponsored postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She completed her undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Shippensburg University, and her Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Delaware. In her research lab, Dr. Palenchar is pursuing studies on (1) trypanosome (the organism responsible for causing African Sleeping Sickness) transcriptional complexes and (2) trypanosome metabolic enzymes. In her spare time, Dr. Palenchar enjoys biking, canoeing, reading and spending time with her new daughter.