Bacterial Membranes Meet PFAS: New Findings from the Project Symphony Lab
Sunghee Lee • September 2, 2025
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that our Project Symphony, undergrad-fueled research team, just published another article digging into how those stubborn “forever chemicals”, called perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, can mess with model bacterial membranes, making them leakier and less organized than before. It is alarming to discover that these chemicals actively change the physical properties of membranes, and different types of lipids respond in their own way to the disruption, meaning some bacteria could be more affected than others.
What makes this work even more special is that our undergraduate team handled every step, and it’s now out there as open access for everyone to read—proof that curiosity and teamwork can lead to great science. The article is appeared in ACS Omega (on August 26, 2025), a publication of American Chemical Society (ACS). Please explore the article here: "Membrane-Modifying Effects of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Model Bacterial Membranes" https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.5c04177
Congratulations to Micaela, Amani, Jasmin, Jessica, Lizzy, Joey, and Jacqui for their enthusiasm and hard work leading to this contribution!
Project Symphony’s journey continues—stay tuned for what’s next.
On Thursday, April 16, 2026, our Project Symphony members presented their work at the 17th annual Iona Scholars Day, a campus-wide celebration of student scholarship and creative activity. This event showcases faculty-mentored projects across disciplines and highlights the depth of undergraduate research at Iona. This year, Project Symphony members contributed an impressive total of 15 research posters, representing months—and in many cases, years—of sustained effort, curiosity, and collaboration. Their work stood alongside projects from across the university, helping to put chemistry and biophysical research in the spotlight. As the PI of Project Symphony, I am deeply proud of each team member’s dedication, professionalism, and growth. Watching them explain complex ideas with clarity and confidence to faculty, peers, and visitors was truly inspiring. Their posters did more than present data—they told the story of how careful experimentation, persistence, and teamwork lead to new insights. Congratulations again to all of our presenters—you represented Project Symphony, with excellence.
We are thrilled to celebrate two of our Project Symphony leaders, Lizzie and Jessica, who presented their research posters at the Spring 2026 ACS National Meeting in Atlanta, GA. They each shared our group’s culminated work on the impact of PFAS (“forever chemicals”) on mammalian and bacterial membranes in a session of the Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry. Their posters were part of the Biomaterials and Biointerface symposium, which brings together research at the intersection of colloid and surface science and biology. The symposium highlights studies of biological interfaces, exactly where our work on PFAS–membrane interactions fits in, making it a perfect venue for showcasing what Project Symphony has been building toward over the past several years. Lizzie and Jessica presented the group’s work with professionalism, clarity, and confidence, representing Project Symphony to a truly global audience of scientists. As graduating seniors, this was their final undergraduate presentation, and they rose to the occasion. Much of what they shared has already appeared in two peer‑reviewed publications coauthored with other Project Symphony members, underscoring how sustained collaboration in our lab leads to publishable, impactful science. Adding to the celebration, former Project Symphony member Caroline, now a PhD student in chemistry at Georgia Tech University, joined them in Atlanta to cheer them on. Her support reflects one of the most meaningful parts of Project Symphony: a lasting tradition of alumni and current members helping one another grow, both scientifically and personally. For us, their success is more than just a conference highlight—it’s a powerful example of how we, as a group, work together to achieve what once felt unimaginable. From brainstorming experiments and troubleshooting instruments to interpreting complex data, Lizzie and Jessica’s posters reflected the collective effort of many current and past Project Symphony members. Kudos to every Project Symphony member for contributing to this milestone—and special congratulations to Lizzie and Jessica as they take their next professional steps fully prepared for whatever comes next.
We’re excited to share some big news from our Project Symphony family! This spring, our own Jessica Said ’26, was selected as one of only six undergraduates from across the country to speak in the ACS Presidential Symposium, “The Next 150 Years of Undergraduate Research,” at the Spring 2026 ACS National Meeting in Atlanta, GA. She gave her invited talk on March 23, representing both Iona and Project Symphony on a national stage. Jessica has been part of Project Symphony since her freshman year, working long hours in the lab with fellow PS members. Her talk, “The Cellular Cost of Forever Chemicals,” looked at how PFAS (“forever chemicals”) can harm both mammalian and bacterial cell membranes. Using experiments carried out right here in the Project Symphony lab, she showed how these compounds can disrupt the structure and function of lipid bilayers, raising important questions for human health and environmental safety. Much of what she presented has already appeared in two peer‑reviewed publications coauthored with other Project Symphony members and Dr. Lee. Dr. Lee shared how meaningful this achievement is: “I am so very proud of her accomplishment. Her level of dedication in research far surpasses what is typically expected of an undergraduate student.” Dr. Lee also often reminds us that staying engaged in research over multiple semesters and summers is what helps Project Symphony students build resilience, patience, and real scientific rigor—skills that carry far beyond the lab. Being invited to speak in an ACS Presidential Symposium is a huge honor, and the undergraduate spots are extremely competitive. Jessica’s selection is a testament not only to her hard work, but also to what an all-undergraduate group can accomplish when we work together like a well-rehearsed ensemble. For all of us in Project Symphony, seeing one of our own step up to the microphone in Atlanta and share our collective work felt like hearing a solo emerge from the middle of a larger performance: one clear voice, supported by the whole group behind it. Stay tuned—there’s much more music to come from Project Symphony.
