Catherine M. Bentzley

Catherine M. Bentzley, PhD, serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Villanova University, with her office located in Griffith Hall 240. Her research leverages mass spectrometry techniques, specifically Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) and Electrospray Ionization (ESI), to analyze biological molecules including proteins, peptides, oligonucleotides, and oligosaccharides for molecular weight determination and structural characterization.

• BS: St. Joseph's University
• PhD: University of Delaware

Her primary research focuses on developing MALDI and ESI applications for biochemical analysis, with key projects including amiodarone detection in cardiac tissues, PCR primer stability monitoring, protein kinase activity tracking (e.g., PKA), and oligonucleotide conformational studies. She bridges pharmaceutical sciences through drug delivery system research and toxicology via cytotoxicity assays, demonstrating interdisciplinary versatility in biomolecular analysis.

Analysis of her nine publications (1998-2006) reveals a consistent trajectory from fundamental nucleic acid characterization to applied pharmaceutical and toxicological studies. The work spans analytical chemistry, biochemistry, and pharmaceutical sciences, with increasing emphasis on real-world applications like controlled drug release systems and clinical biomarker detection.

No scientific awards were documented in the source material.

Dr. Bentzley leads an active research laboratory investigating biomolecular interactions through mass spectrometry. Her collaborative network includes pharmacologists, toxicologists, and materials scientists, as evidenced by co-authored studies on drug delivery systems and cellular toxicity mechanisms, reflecting a strong interdisciplinary approach to solving complex biochemical problems.