Del Lucent

Dr. Del Lucent is an Associate Professor at Wilkes University’s Division of Engineering and Physics, holding a joint appointment in the Department of Physics and Bioengineering. His research focuses on computational biophysics, particularly the rational design of enzymes for bioremediation and the study of protein folding mechanisms.

• Education: PhD in Chemistry and Structural Biology from Stanford University.
• Previous Roles: OCE Postdoctoral Fellow at CSIRO, Melbourne (2010–2012).

Dr. Lucent’s research spans computational enzyme design, bioremediation of pesticides linked to bee colony collapse, and protein folding dynamics in confined environments. He has pioneered tools like Meltdown for analyzing thermal melt data and integrated Stanford’s Folding@Home network into undergraduate research at Wilkes.

His publications highlight interdisciplinary work in structural biology, enzyme engineering, and environmental toxicology, with recent studies on oxalate sensing, pesticide detoxification, and HIV-1 integrase inhibition. Earlier work focused on solvent behavior in protein folding and chaperonin mechanisms.

• Scientific Awards:
  • American Society of Plant Biologists Undergraduate Research Fellowship (2001)
  • Outstanding Biology Graduate (2003)
  • Office of the Chief Executive Postdoctoral Fellowship (2009)

Dr. Lucent co-leads Wilkes’ new B.A. in Physics and M.A. Bioengineering programs, aiming to expand interdisciplinary research opportunities for undergraduates. He collaborates with Dr. Walter Placek to address shortages in high school physics education through curriculum development.