Roderico Acevedo

Professor Roderico Acevedo is a faculty member in the Chemical and Physical Sciences department at Westfield State University (WSU), appointed since Fall 2018. He holds roles as a steering committee member for BioMolViz, a Sloan Scholars Mentor, and a member of SACNAS and ASBMB. His education includes a B.S. in Biochemistry from Shepherd University (2010), a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Penn State University (2016), and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (2016-2018).

Professor Acevedo's research spans diverse areas including protein structure-function dynamics, biomolecular visualization, X-ray scattering, and NMR. He innovatively integrates projects like applying virtual reality to chemistry education and exploring the biochemical mechanisms of antimicrobial peptides. His work bridges traditional biophysical methods with interdisciplinary applications in healthcare and education. Students under his mentorship have presented at national conferences, focusing on topics from protein engineering to environmental science.

His recent publications emphasize educational advancements in biomolecular visualization assessments, structural biology of enzymes like PPM1A, and translational research such as water aerobics' impact on breast cancer patients. His awards include the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and Bunton-Waller Scholarship. Beyond academia, he actively contributes to professional service and enjoys recreational activities like soccer and video gaming.