Geneseo professor publishes high-profile research on antibacterial metal compounds

In Nov. of this year, SUNY Geneseo Assistant Professor of Chemistry Michael Webb published an article titled “A Ru(II)-arene-ferrocene complex with promising antibacterial activity” in the scientific journal Dalton Transactions. The article examines the antibacterial properties of organic ruthenium complexes and explores the possible medical applications that could result from the discovery. 

Webb is an inorganic chemist who specializes in bioinorganic and medicinal inorganic chemistry. He previously held a faculty position at Illinois State University, where he had performed extensive research on ruthenium complexes and their possible medical applications. 

According to Webb, he has been working on this particular project with a group of collaborating scientists from several universities for several years, and that the original research began with Stephen Mensah, a graduate student at Illinois State. 

“That particular project was about two to three years in the making,” he said. “The first author, usually on those papers, is the one with the most work. And that was my master’s degree graduate student back at Illinois State, and that was his master’s thesis. So, when I say two to three years in the making, he really started that project from nothing and built it to what it eventually became, which is admirable because that is not easy. That takes time and a lot of dedication, so he really worked hard for it.” 

Webb said that he had a great experience collaborating on this type of research with so many students and scientists from other universities.

“Collaboration is huge, especially in the sciences. And when you’re talking about multidisciplinary research, things that aren’t just chemistry but also a lot of molecular biology and other aspects, we needed help. And in that case, I was reaching out to my colleagues because they are the experts. There was this nice local collaboration here in New York, which was phenomenal, again, since collaboration is at the heart of science. I think it’s all about leveraging the expertise of your colleagues, because they are happy to help you. And it’s exciting for them too because it’s something new, something they probably never do in their own research or in their lab, because they don’t know how or they have no previous experience,” said Webb. 

Webb joined the chemistry department at Geneseo this semester, teaching inorganic chemistry and inorganic chemistry labs, as well as bioinorganic chemistry and general chemistry classes. He said that his first semester here has been a great experience, and that he enjoys the environment here at Geneseo. 

“I love [working at Geneseo,]” he said. “Absolutely love it. The work life balance, the student body, the location, the opportunities to do undergraduate research with students, and how that’s kind of at the forefront of what we do. We’re really trying to emphasize that involvement and engagement here with smaller classes and research opportunities. Getting to know faculty one on one, getting those research opportunities and just really enjoying that small campus atmosphere. That is what I had as an undergraduate student. When I went through my degree path, it was something I relished. That’s why I want to be here, so I can be a part of that.”