SUNASEE RESEARCH LABORATORY
Professor & Co-Chair
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, SUNY Plattsburgh
SUNY Chancellor Award for Excellence in Teaching 2018
Plattsburgh Alumni Faculty Impact Award 2020
Carnegie African Diaspora Program Fellow 2024
Councilor of the Northern New York ACS Local Section
Racial Equity & Justice Fellow
Equity Advocate
Peer Reviewed Publications & Book Chapters & Book (Eds)
(Underline = undergraduate students, * = corresponding author)
39. Sunasee, R*. “Incorporating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Awareness and Knowledge in a First-Semester Organic Chemistry Classroom”, Journal of Chemical Education, 2023, 11, 4335-4342. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00528
38. Hemraz, U.H*.; Lam, E.*; Sunasee, R*. “Recent Advances in Cellulose Nanocrystals-based Antimicrobial Agents”, Carbohydrate Polymers, 2023, 315, 120987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.120987
37. Tobias, T.; Doran, C.; Nguyen, H.; Kumar, S.; Corley,W. Sunasee, R*.; Ckless, K*. “In vitro immune and redox response induced by cationic cellulose-based nanomaterials”, Toxicology in Vitro, 2023, 91, 105616, ISSN 0887-2333. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tiv.2023.105616
36. Nguyen, H.; Nguyen, H.P.M.; Bernier, A.; Chandradat, R.; Sunasee, R*.; Ckless, K*. “Impact of physiological media and sterilization methods on the physicochemical characteristics of engineered CNCs, and the effects on nanomaterial-protein interactions and immunological activity”, Colloids and Interface Science Communications, 2023, 52 (10):100684. DOI: 10.1016/j.colcom.2022.100684
35. Rabia, E.; Tuga, B.; de Ondarza, J.; Ramos, S.M.; Lam, E.; Hrapovic, S.; Liu, Y.; Sunasee, R*. “Carboxylated Cellulose Nanocrystals Decorated with Varying Molecular Weights of Poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) as Sustainable Antibacterial Agents”, Polymers, 2023, 15, 865.
34. Sunasee, R* (Eds).; Ckless, K*. “Synthesis, Applications and Biological Impact of Nanocellulose”, 2022, pages 1-130, Nanomaterials, MDPI, Basel Switzerland (published edited book).
33. Sunasee, R*.; Ckless, K*. “Synthesis, Applications and Biological Impact of Nanocellulose”, Nanomaterials 2022, 12, 3188. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12183188 (editorial).
32. Bernier, A.; Tobias, T.; Nguyen, H.; Kumar, S.; Tuga, B.; Imtiaz, Y.; Smith, C.W.; Sunasee, R*.; Ckless, K*. “Vascular and Blood Compatibility of Engineered Cationic Cellulose Nanocrystals in Cell-Based Assays’, Nanomaterials 2021, 11, 2072. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11082072 (Published in a Special Issue Synthesis, Applications and Biological Impact of Nanocellulose)
31. Nephew, S.; Sunasee, R.* "An Engaging and Fun Breakout Activity for Educators and Students about Laboratory Safety”, Journal of Chemical Education, 2021, 98, 1, 186-190. (published in a Special Issue: Chemical Safety Education: Methods, Culture, and Green Chemistry)
30. Sunasee, R*. “Nanocellulose: Preparation, Functionalization and Applications”, in Comprehensive Glycoscience, 2nd Edition, Ed: J.J. Barchi, Jr, 2021, Vol 4. Pages 506-537, Elsevier, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-409547-2.14946-7 (Invited book chapter)
29. Imtiaz, Y.; Tuga, B.; Smith, C.W.; Rabideau, A.; Nguyen, L.; Liu, Y.; Hrapovic, S.; Ckless, K.*; Sunasee, R.* "Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Studies of Wood-Based Cationic Cellulose Nanocrystals as Potential Immunomodulators", Nanomaterials, 2020, 10, 1603; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10081603 (published in a Special Issue: Nanocellulose and Nanocarbons Based Hybrid Materials: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications).
28. Sunasee, R*. "Challenges of Teaching Organic Chemistry during COVID-19 Pandemic at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution", Journal of Chemical Education, 2020, 97, 9, 3176-3181. (article published under a special issue: Insights Gained While Teaching Chemistry in the Time of COVID-19).
27. Pinto, A.H.*; Taylor, J.K.; Chandradat, R.; Lam, E.; Liu, Y.; Leung, A.C.W.; Keating, M.; Sunasee, R*. “Wood-based cellulose nanocrystals as adsorbent of cationic toxic dye, Auramine O, for water treatment”, Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering,2020,8, 104187. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2020.104187)
26. Sunasee, R*.; Carson, M.; Despres, H. W.; Pacherille, A.; Nunez, K. D.; Ckless, K*. “Analysis of the Immune and Antioxidant Response of Cellulose Nanocrystals Grafted with β-Cyclodextrin in Myeloid Cell Lines”, Journal of Nanomaterials, 2019, 9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4751827.
25. Ckless, K*.; Sunasee, R.*. “Engineering cellulosed-based nanomaterials for the development of novel vaccine adjuvants”, In Health, Sciencetrends.com, April 2019. (Science Magazine)
24. Despres, H. W.; Sabra, A.; Anderson, P.; Hemraz, U. D.; Boluk, Y.; Sunasee, R*.; Ckless, K.* “Mechanisms of the immune response cause by cationic and anionic surface functionalized cellulose nanocrystals using cell-based assays”, Toxicology in Vitro, 2019, 55, 124-133.
23. Sunasee, R*.; Hemraz, U. D. Synthetic strategies for the fabrication of cationic surface-modified cellulose nanocrystals. Fibers, 2018, 6, 15. doi:10.3390/fib6010015 (Invited review for a special issue)
22. Jimenez, S. A.; Jaramilo, F.; Hemraz, U. D.; Boluk, Y.; Ckless, K*.; Sunasee, R*. “Effect of surface organic coatings of cellulose nanocrystals on the viability of mammalian cell lines”, Nanotechnology, Science & Applications, 2017, 10, 123-136.
21. Guglielmo, A.; Sabra, A.; Elbery, M.; Cerveira, M. M.; Ghenov, F.; Sunasee, R*.; Ckless, K*. “A mechanistic insight into curcumin modulation of the IL-1β secretion and NLRP3 S-glutathionylation induced by needle-like cationic cellulose nanocrystals in myeloid cells,” Chemico-Biological Interactions, 2017, 274, 1-12.
20. Sunasee, R.*; Hemraz, U. D.; Ckless, K. “Cellulose nanocrystals: A versatile nano platform for emerging biomedical applications,” Expert Opinion in Drug Delivery, 2016, 13, 1243-1256. DOI:10.1080/17425247.2016.1182491. (Invited Review)
19. Obaro-Best, O.; Reed, J.; Norfadilah, A.; Monahan, R.; Sunasee, R*. “Bismuth trichloride mediated cleavage of phenolic methoxymethyl ethers”, Synthetic Communications, 2016, 46, 586-593.
18. Sunasee, R.; Narain, R. Carbohydrate nanotechnology applied to vaccine development: In Carbohydrate Nanotechnology, Stine, K. J. (Ed.), Chapter 14, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, 2015, 369-385. ISBN: 978-1-118-86053-3 (Book chapter)
17. Sunasee, R.*.; Araoye, E.; Pyram, D.; Hemraz, U. D.; Boluk, Y.; CKless, K.* “Cellulose nanocrystal cationic derivative induces NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent IL-1β secretion associated with mitochondrial ROS production,” Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports, 2015, 4, 1-9.
16. Hemraz, U. D.; Campbell, K. A.; Burdick, J. S.; Ckless, K.; Boluk, Y.; Sunasee, R.* "Cationic poly(2-aminoethylmethacrylate) and poly(N-(2-aminoethylmethacrylamide) modified cellulose nanocrystals: Synthesis, Characterization and Cytotoxicity," Biomacromolecules, 2015, 16, 319-325.
15. Sunasee, R.*.; Hemraz, U. D.; Burdick, J. S.; CKless, K.; Boluk, Y. " Cationic cellulose nanocrystals: synthesis, characterization and cytotoxicity studies," MRS Proceedings, 2015, 1718, mrsf14-1718-b09-48.
14. Sunasee, R. and Narain, R. Glycopolymer Syntheses: In Update of Glycopolymers: From Synthesis to Applications, Narain, R (Ed.), Chapter 1, Smithers Rapra, U. K. 2015, 1-44. (Book Chapter)
13. Hemraz, U. D.; Lu, A.; Sunasee, R.; Boluk, Y*. “Structure of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) brushes and steric stability of their grafted cellulose nanocrystal dispersions,” Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2014, 430, 157-165.
12. Hemraz, U. D. and Sunasee, R*. Functionalization of Nanocrystalline Cellulose Surfaces: In Dekker Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Lyshevski (Ed.), Third Edition, CRC Press, 2014, Vol. II. (Invited Encyclopedia Chapter)
11. Sunasee, R. and Narain, R. General methods of Bioconjugation: Covalent and Non-covalent Bioconjugation Strategies; In Chemistry of Bioconjugates: Synthesis, Characterization and Biomedical Applications: Narain, R (Ed.), Chapter 1, Wiley & Sons, 2014, p 1-75. (Book Chapter)
10. Sunasee, R; Adokoh, C; Dwarka, J; Ravin Narain. “Therapeutic Potentials of Carbohydrate based Polymeric and Nanoparticles Systems”, Expert Opin. Drug. Deliv. 2014, 11(6), 1-18. (Invited Review)
9. Hemraz, U. D; Boluk, Y.; Sunasee, R.* “Amine-Decorated Nanocrystalline Cellulose Surfaces: Synthesis, Characterization and Surface Properties,” Can. J. Chem, 2013, 91, 974-981.
8. Sunasee, R.; Narain, R. “Glycopolymers and Glyconanoparticles in Biomolecular Recognition Processes and Vaccines Development”, Macromol. Biosci. 2013, 13, 9-27. (Invited Review)
Post-doctoral, PhD, Undergraduate Publications:
7. Sunasee, R.; Wattanaarsakit, P.; Ahmed, M.; Lollmahomed, F.; Narain, R. “Biodegradable and non-toxic cationic nanogels as non-viral gene delivery systems”, Bioconjugate Chem., 2012, 23, 1925-1933. (Postdoctoral work, highlighted by the editors of the journal as "hot article")
6. Bhuchar, N.; Sunasee, R.; Ishihara, K.; Thundat, T.; Narain, R. “ Degradable thermo-responsive nanogels for proteins encapsulation and controlled release” Bioconjugate Chem., 2012, 23, 75-83. (Postdoctoral work)
5. Sunasee, R.; Clive, D. L. J. “A new method for desymmetrization of 1,4-cyclohexadienones by radical cyclization: Synthesis of optically pure δ-lactones” Chem. Commun. 2010, 46, 701- 703. (PhD work)
4. Sunasee, R.; Clive, D. L. J. "A route to 1,4-disubstituted aromatics and its application to the synthesis of the antibiotic, culpin" J. Org. Chem. 2008, 73, 8016-8020. (PhD work)
3. Clive, D. L. J.; Sunasee, R.; Chen, Z. "Formal radical closure onto aromatic rings–a general route to carbocycles" Org. Biomol. Chem. 2008, 6, 2434-2441. (PhD work)
2. Clive, D.L.J.; Sunasee, R. "Formation of benzo-fused carbocycles by formal radical cyclization onto an aromatic ring" Org. Lett. 2007, 9, 2677-2680. (PhD work)
1. Laulloo, S. J.; Khodabocus, A.; Hemraz, U. D.; Sunasee, R. "Use of di-tert-butyl-dicarbonate both as a protecting and activating group in the synthesis of dipeptides" Synth. Commun. 2007, 37, 4191-4197. (Undergraduate work)