Melissa A. Van Alstine-Parris | Faculty Profiles

Diplomas/Degrees

PhD Organic/Medicinal Chemistry, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2007)

BS Chemistry, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2003)

Recent Courses

General Chemistry I Recitation

Guided Research In Chemistry

Guided Research In Chemistry: Thesis

Guided Research: Capstone Experience: Synthesis Of Agnh Inhibitors For Trichomoniasis

Organic Chemistry I

Organic Chemistry I Lab

Organic Chemistry I I

Research Seminars In Chemistry

Specialization/Interests

Organic and Medicinal Chemistry

I use the POGIL pedagogy in my classroom and I am trained to teach others about POGIL.

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is that all students have the potential to be successful. My role is to design a student-centered, active learning environment with expected outcomes of helping students master content knowledge, build process skills, and encourage a cooperative learning environment.

A major influence on my approach to teaching was due to reflection on my undergraduate experience; I worked hard, learned the material, and did well, but I did not enjoy lectures. I often found myself disengaged, frantically writing down notes with minimal understanding of what I was copying. I did not want this to be the experience of my students. After researching a variety of styles of teaching I came across POGIL, process-oriented guided-inquiry learning. I went to a training workshop and was instantly hooked.

Everyone knows that Mount Everest is a large mountain to climb. Some people are lucky enough to be able to climb the mountain due to natural ability; however the majority of the population would have to train for a long time and still need help from a Sherpa. A good guide knows the path that will yield the most success. The effective road may take more time but with enough effort anyone can do it. For many students, organic chemistry is their Mount Everest and I want to be their leader. The students must put in the effort but I will be there to help them each step of the way.

My courses are rigorous but doable. I provide the tools and devote as much time as needed to each student that is willing to put effort into learning the material. I have been trained in and am dedicated to a student-centered approach. All changes made to my course are data-driven and with student learning at the forefront. My assessments are designed to accurately measure my course objectives. Therefore the grades students earn are a true reflection of their current knowledge. With meaningful grades students have the ability to reflect on their current knowledge to make educated decisions about their future.

Research Interests

I am an organic chemist, specializing in medicinal chemistry. Currently my research group is synthesizing small molecules that will potentially help treat trichomoniasis. This project is in collaboration with my colleague Dr. Brian Stockman.

I also have an interest in chemical education research, specifically involving the POGIL pedagogy.

Articles

Raymond, Lendelle ; Rayani, Nikita; Polson, Grace; Sikorski, Kylie; Lian, Ailin; VanAlstine-Parris, Melissa (2015), . Enzyme Research, 2015, 4.

Tyndall, Stephen; Wong, Koon Fai; VanAlstine-Parris, Melissa (2015), Insight into the Mechanism of the Pechmann Condensation Reaction Using NMR. Journal of Organic Chemistry, 80(18), 8951-8953.

DeGrote, Jami; Tyndall, Stephen; Wong, Koon Fai; VanAlstine-Parris, Melissa (2014), . Tetrahedron Letters, 55(49), 6715-6717.

VanAlstine, Melissa A.; Wentland, Mark P.; Alvarez, Juan; Cao, Qing; Cohen, Dana J.; Knapp, Brian I.; Bidlack, Jean M. (2013), Redefining the structure-activity relationships of 2,6-methano-3-benzazocines. Part 9: Synthesis, characterization and molecular modeling of pyridinyl isosteres of N-BPE-8-CAC (1), a high affinity ligand for opioid receptors. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 23(7), 2128-2133.

Wentland, Mark P.; Jo, Sunjin; Gargano, Joseph M.; VanAlstine, Melissa A.; Cohen, Dana J.; Bidlack, Jean M. (2012), . Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 22(24), 7340-4.

Yang, J., VanAlstine, M.A., Phillips, J. G., Wntland, M. P., Hough, L.B. (2012), . Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, 2, 137-145.

VanAlstine, M.A., Hough, L.B. (2011), . Drug Metabolism and Disposition, 39, 1221-1226.

Hough L.B., Nalwalk J.W., Yang J., Conroy J.L., VanAlstine M.A., Yang W, et al. (2011), . Pain, 152, 878-887.

Conroy, J. L., Fang, C., Gu, J., Zeitlin, S. O., Yang, W., Yang, J., VanAlstine, M. A., Nalwalk, J. W., Albrecht, P. J., Mazurkiewicz, J. E., Snyder-Keller, A., Shan, Z., Zhang, S., Wentland, M. P., Behr, M., Knapp, B. I., Bidlack, J. M., Zuiderveld, O. P (2010), . Nature Neuroscience, 13, 284-28.

Wentland, M.P., Lou, R., Lu, Q., Bu, Y., Denhardt, C., Jin, J., Ganorkar, R., VanAlstine, M.A., Guo, C., Cohen, D.J., Bidlack, J.M. (2009), . BMCL, 19, 2289--2294.

Wentland, M. P., Lou, R., Lu, Q., Bu, Y., VanAlstine, M.A., Cohen, D. J., Bidlack, J.M. (2009), . BMCL, 19, 203-208.

VanAlstine, M. A.; Wentland, M. P.; Cohen, D. J.; Bidlack, J. M. (2007), . BMCL, 17, 6516-6520.

Wentland, M. P.; VanAlstine, M. A.; Kucejko, R.; Lou, R.; Cohen, D. J.; Parkhill, A. L.; Bidlack, J. M. (2006), . J. Med. Chem, 49, 5635-5639.

Lou, R.; VanAlstine, M.; Sun, X.; Wentland, M. P. (2003), . Tetrahedron Letters, 44, 2477-2480.

Conference Presentations

VanAlstine-Parris, Melissa Ann (2015). Building a supportive chemistry community through a seminar series that approaches university learning goals through discipline specific activities. In 2015 Northeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY.

VanAlstine-Parris, M. A.; DeGrote, J.; Tyndall, S.; Wong, K. F. (2015). Mechanistic studies on the Pechman condensation reaction with fluorine-substituted reactants. In 249th ACS National Meeting & Exposition. Denver, CO.

DeGrote, Jami; VanAlstine-Parris, Melissa A. (2014). Synthesis of 7-alkoxy-4-trifluoromethylcoumarins via the Pechmann condensation reaction. In 248th ACS National Meeting & Exposition. San Francisco, CA.

VanAlstine, Melissa A.; Fowler, Joanna; Raymond, Lendelle; Rayani, Nikita; Polson, Grace; Sikorski, Kylie; Lian, Ailin (2012). Screening vorozole on a series of human liver cytochrome P450s. In 243rd ACS National Meeting & Expositio. San Diego, CA.

VanAlstine, M. A., Jia, X., Jo, S., Gargano, J. M., Bilack, J. M., Cohen, D. J., Wentland, M. P (2011). Lead optimization studies of N-(2-[1,1鈥�-biphenyl]-4ylethyl)-8-CAC (1). In American Chemical Society 241th National Meeting. Anaheim, CA.

VanAlstine, M. A., Parkin, D.: (2010). Critical Thinking assignment: Equipping students to write and reflect. In 21st Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. University of North Texas, Denton, TX.

VanAlstine, M. A., Hough, L.B (2008). Rat CYP2B1, CYP2C6 and CYP2C11: Optimization of fluorometric high throughput screens and epoxygenase inhibitor profiles. In 236th ACS National Meeting. Philadelphia, PA.

J. L. Conroy, J.L., Nalwalk, J., VanAlstine, M.A., Knapp, B.I., Bidlack, J.M., Zuiderveld, O.P., Leurs, R., Shan, Z., Zhang, S., Wentland, M.P. and Hough, L.B., (2008). Blockade of morphine antinociception by inhibitors of cytochrome P450 and arachidonate epoxygenase. In Soc. Neurosci.. San Diego, CA.

VanAlstine, M. A., Hough, L.B. (2008). Optimization Of A Fluorometric High Throughput Screen For Rat CYP2B1 And Its Inhibition By Imidazole-Containing Compounds. In 17th International Symposium on Microsomes and Drug Oxidations. Saratoga Springs, NY.

VanAlstine, M. A.; Wentland, M. P.; Kucejko, R. J.; Lou, R.; Cohen, D.; Knapp, B. I.; Bidlack, J. M. (2006). Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel N-substituted Derivatives of 8-Carboxamidocyclazocine. In 231th ACS National Meeting. Atlanta, GA.

Wentland, M. P.; Lou, R.; VanAlstine, M. A.; Sun, X.; Lu, Q.; Bu, Y.; Bidlack, J. M. (2003). Synthesis of carboxamido-containing opiates via N-hydroxysuccinimido activated esters. In 31st Northeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Saratoga Springs, NY.

Invited Presentations

VanAlstine, M. A. (2010, September). Design of Fluorometric High-Throughput Screening Assays for Cytochrome P450 assays. Long Island Subsection of the NY-ACS.

VanAlstine, M. A. (2010, April). Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel N-Substituted Derivatives of 8-Carboxamidocyclazocine. Hofstra University Chemistry Club.

VanAlstine, M. A. (2010, March). Design of Novel Fluorometric High-Throughput Screening Assays for Cytochrome P450s with Highly Selective Substrates and Inhibitors. St. John鈥檚 University Chemistry Club.

VanAlstine, M. A (2010, January). Optimization of Fluorometric High-Throughput Screening Assays for Cytochrome P450s. Brookhaven National Labs.

VanAlstine, M. A. (2009, November). Pain 鈥淜illers鈥�. 成人影片 University Chemistry Club.

Grants

National Institutes of Health, $310,934 joint with Brian Stockman, Nucleoside Ribohydrolases as Targets for Trichomonas vaginalis Therapeutic Agents. This Project Will Evaluate Two Essential Nucleoside Ribohydrolase Enzymes as Targets for Novel Antitrichomonal Drugs. Role - Principal Investigator, R15AI128585, 6/1/2017-5/31/2020.

成人影片 University Faculty Development Grant for $1200, awarded January 2017 Titled: Synthesis of a series of benzimidazole derivatives to test on uridine nucleoside hydrolase as a target for trichomoniasis

Frederick Bettelheim Research Award for untenured faculty in the sciences and mathematics ($1,200) 2014

成人影片 Faculty Development Grant, $2,000, awarded February 2013
Titled: Synthesis of Fluorinated ATP Derivatives for 19F NMR Experiments

成人影片 Faculty Development Grant, $3500, awarded February 2011
Titled: Using Fluorometric High-throughput Screening Assays to Test Vorozole on a Series of Cytochrome P450s

成人影片 University Instructional Technology Grant, $2,068 joint with B. Stockman, Molecular Visualization and Presentation Software to Improve Chemistry and Biochemistry Learning Outcomes, awarded February 2011

Honors and Accomplishments

成人影片 Teaching Fellow 2017/2018

NIH Post-doctoral Fellow, Albany Medical College 2007-2009

John and Mary Cloke Prize, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2003

The Arthur G. Schultz Award for Undergraduate Research in Organic Chemistry, 2001

Professional Activities

American Chemical Society
Nassau Section of the Science Teacher Association of New York State