DIRECTORY LISTING
Biography
E. Kennelly, Ph.D., Biological Sciences
Degrees
B.A., Colby Coll.
Ph.D., Washington Univ., in St. Louis
Research
My research interest is in the area of biologically active phytochemicals. Plants produce a myriad of unusual compounds that are not used for primary metabolism, but are thought to be used for plant survival to various environmental challenges. The biological activities of these phytochemicals, also known as secondary products or natural products, have been harnessed by humans for millennia as medicines. The research conducted in my laboratory examines phytochemicals for novel biological actions. I am specifically interested in phytochemicals with antioxidant activity that may help to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease.
The Phytochemistry Laboratory at Lehman College is a newly renovated facility in Davis Hall, room 119. It is fully equipped with instruments used for the identification and purification of natural products, including a gas chromatograph (HP 6890 with head space sampler), high performance liquid chromatographs (two Waters 2690 with 996 and one Waters 600 controller with 2487 dual wavelength detector), and a LC-MS (Finnigan Mat MS with Waters 2690 and 486 detector).
The Phytochemical Laboratory maintains collaborations with students of the CUNY Ph. D. Subprogram in Plant Sciences and Biochemistry, as well as with The New York Botanical Garden and The Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Field Research
- Ethnobotanical expedition, Amazonian Ecuador, July-August, 1988 led by Dr. W.H. Lewis with Drs. M. Elvin-Lewis and M.C. Gnerre to study the use of plants in Jívaro culture.
- Visit to southern Florida, June, 1993 and October, 1995, to collect plants with a sweet taste.
- Visit to Southern China and Thailand, August, 1998, to study the use of plants in tropical Asia.
- Visit to southern Florida, October, 1999 and October, 2000, to collect tropical fruits for antioxidant project.
Professional Memberships
- American Chemical Society
- American Society of Pharmacognosy
- Society for Economic Botany
Past Work Experience
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, Program for Collaborative Research in the Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois at Chicago.
- Visiting Assistant Professor, Program for Collaborative Research in the Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois at Chicago.
- Senior Staff Fellow, Office of Special Nutritionals, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Other Experience
- Manuscript reviewer for Phytochemical Analysis (John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, U.K.) and Journal of Natural Products (American Society of Pharmacognosy, Cincinnati, Ohio).
- Basic Food and Drug Law Course (April 28 - May 2, 1997): U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.
- Science Council, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (1998): U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.
- Botanical Nomenclature Subcommittee (Spring, 1998): United States Pharmacopeia, Bethesda, MD.
- United States Department of Agriculture, reviewer for National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program (1999).
- Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Faculty Development Fellowship (1999).
- Certified Research Administrator, Research Administrators Certification Council (1999).