Members of the Biochemistry & Proteomics Laboratories at Clarkson University, led by Costel C. Darie, a professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, took full advantage of the Erasmus+ exchange program. These members included graduate students Taniya Jayaweera, Pathea Bruno, Aneeta Arshad and Victor Njoku, and faculty Costel C. Darie. The exchange program operates through an agreement between Al. I. Cuza University of Iasi, Romania and Clarkson University. Through this program, every year, a number of students and faculty/staff can travel from Clarkson University to Al. I. Cuza University of Iasi, or vice versa. The travel expenses are entirely supported by the Erasmus+ grant awarded to Al. I. Cuza University of Iasi by the European Union.
The lab members traveled to Dr. Brindusa Alina Petre’s lab (Chemistry Department) in Iasi, so they can analyze some breast cancer samples by an instrument called MALDI-MS. This instrument measures small, medium or large molecule, using customized methods. The end goal of the experiments is biomarker discovery, i.e. to find biomarkers that can be used to detect breast cancer. Dr. Petre knows Clarkson University well; she visited Potsdam while herself was an Erasmus+ exchange faculty in 2020, and then returned as a Fulbright Fellow for three months in the summer of 2021.
“We don’t have a MALDI-MS at Clarkson, and it is great to have the opportunity to analyze our samples”, said Jayaweera. “It is also great to take advantage of this opportunity to understand the Romanian culture, by visiting some places like Iasi, Bran Castle (aka Dracula Castle) or Turda Salt Mine” ended Jayaweera.
Other Clarkson faculty and/or staff also traveled to Iasi through the Erasmus+ program: Dr. Jim Peploski traveled a few years ago and Dr. Daniel Andreescu just went there this summer. Dr. Melissa King will also travel there soon.
“We are thankful to the Erasmus+ Offices from Clarkson University (Tess Casler, Christine Bailey & Rebeca Brown) and Al. I. Cuza University Iasi, Romania (Gina Marinescu, Ioana Andreea Serafinceanu, Otilia Matei, Alina-Mihaela Malanciuc, Iolanda Bogles)” said Darie. “It is a great experience for faculty, staff and students, in particular for cultural exchange”, ended Darie.