Elizabeth Rose Middleton

Elizabeth Rose Middleton serves as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry in the School of Natural and Social Sciences at State University of New York at Purchase. She received her BA from Dartmouth College followed by MS and PhD degrees from Yale University, establishing a strong foundation in biophysical chemistry.

Dr. Middleton's research program focuses on the membrane interactions of the antimicrobial peptide Maximin 3, employing sophisticated fluorescence techniques including FRET, fluorescence anisotropy, dequenching leakage assays, and fluorescence microscopy. She has developed a robust undergraduate research program where students investigate antimicrobial peptide mechanisms through membrane binding and leakage studies using bacterial lipid extracts. Her educational scholarship includes developing innovative fluorescence-based laboratory exercises for biochemistry and general chemistry courses.

Her teaching responsibilities encompass Biochemistry Lecture and Laboratory, General Chemistry I and II (Lecture and Laboratory), and occasionally Organic Chemistry I Laboratory and Science in the Modern World: Food Science courses. She has mentored over 40 undergraduate students through senior research projects and the NIH-funded Bridges to Baccalaureate program.

• Biophysical Chemistry
• Membrane Interactions
• Antimicrobial Peptides
• Fluorescence Techniques
• Biochemistry Education
• Protein-Lipid Interactions

Dr. Middleton's scholarly work demonstrates consistent focus on protein-membrane interactions, particularly examining how antimicrobial peptides like Maximin 3 interact with bacterial membranes of varying composition, curvature, and fluidity. Her publications and conference presentations reveal an integrated approach combining biophysical techniques with biochemical analysis to understand fundamental mechanisms of antimicrobial action.

She has successfully guided numerous undergraduate researchers to present their findings at regional and national conferences including the SUNY Undergraduate Research Conference, Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, and Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. Her mentorship extends to the Bridges to Baccalaureate program, supporting underrepresented students in STEM fields.