My current research focus is the development of materials for biomedical applications. We recently developed a method for preparing polysaccharide-polyamine crosslinked hydrogels. We are currently exploring their application as anti-microbial and wound healing materials. We are also working on the development of curcumin based biomaterials as antibacterial agents and cancer therapeutics.

• Naphtali A. O’Connor, Lisa S. Einbond, Stephen Redenti, Moira Sauane, Andrei Jitianu “A Self-degradable cucumin polymer with anti-cancer activity” J. Appl. Polym. Sci. (2018) 135, 46867-46872.
• Naphtali A. O’Connor, Mihaela Jitianu, Greisly Nunez, Quentin Picard, Madeline Wong, David Akpatsu, Adam Negrin, Rajendra Gharbarand, Daniel Lugo, Sundus Shaker, Andrei Jitanu, Stephen Redenti “Dextran hydrogels by crosslinking with amino acid diamines and their viscoelastic properties” Int. J. Biol. Macromol. (2018) 111, 370-378.
• Naphtali A. O’Connor, Navzer D. Sachinvala and Iraj Ganjian “Preparation of 2-Arylethynylselanylacetonitriles from 4-Aryl-1,2,3-Selenadiazoles” Het. Chem. (2015) 52, 1167-1169.
• Naphtali A. O’Connor, Ahmad Abugharbieh, Emmanuel Buabeng, Farzana Yasmeen, Steve Mathew, Diana Samaroo, Hai-Ping Cheng “The Crosslinking of Polysaccharides with Polyamines and Dextran-Polyallylamine Antibacterial Hydrogels” Int. J. Biol. Macromol. (2015) 72, 88-93.
• Diana Samaroo, Evelyn Perez, Amit Aggarwal, Andrew Wills, Naphtali O’Connor “Strategies for Delivering Porphyrinoid-based Photosensitizers in Therapeutic Applications” Therapeutic Delivery (2014), 5(7), 859-872.
• Amanda Muraca, Naphtali O’Connor, Ravnit Kaur-Bhatia, Nicoleta Apostol, Andrei Jitianu, Mihaela Jitianu “Titanium Dioxide Nanocomposites — Synthesis and Photocatalysis” Processing and Properties of Advanced Ceramics and Composites VI: Ceramic Transactions (2014) 249, 123-135.

• Naphtali A. O’Connor, Gustavo E. López and Antony Cruz “Quinoline-2-thiol Derivatives as Fluorescent Sensors for Metals, pH and HNO” Current Chem. Lett. (2014) 3(3), 189-194.

• Solomon, Marissa R.; O’Connor, Naphtali A.; Paik, David C.; Turro, Nicholas J. “Nitroalcohol Induced Hydrogel Formation in Amine-Functionalized Polymers.” J. Appl. Polym. Sci. (2010), 117(2), 1193-1196.

• O'Connor, Naphtali A.; Stevens, Stevens; Samaroo, Diana; Solomon, Marissa R.; Martí, Angel A.; Dyer, Joanne; Vishwasrao, Harshad; Akins, Daniel L.; Kandel, Eric R.; Turro, Nicholas J. “A covalently linked phenanthridine-ruthenium(II) complex as a RNA probe.” Chem. Comm. (2009), 2640-2642
• van der Wiel, Ingrid; Cheng, Jenny; Koukiekolo, Roger; Lyn, Rodney; Stevens, Nathan; O'Connor, Naphtali; Turro, Nicholas; Pezacki, John "FLEth RNA Intercalating Probe is a Convenient Reporter for Small Interfering RNAs." J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2009), 131(29), 9872-9873
• Berro, A.J., Gu, X., O'Connor, N., Jockusch, S., Nagai, T., Ogata, T., Zimmerman, P., Rice, B.J., Adolph, E., Byargeon, T., Gonzalez, J., Turro, N.J., Grant Willson, C. “Optical threshold layer and intermediate state two-photon PAG approaches to double exposure lithography “ Proc. SPIE (2009),7273
• O’Connor,Naphtali A.; Bero, Adam; Lancaster, Jeffery R.; Gu, Xingu; Jockush, Steffen; Nagai, Tomoki; Ogata, Toshiyuki; Lee, Saul; Zimmerman, Paul; Willson, C. Grant; Turro, Nicholas J. “Toward a sequential two photon photoacid generator for double exposure photolithography.” Chem. Mater. (2008), 20(24), 7374-7376
• Lancaster, Jeffrey R.;  Martí, Angel A.;López-Gejo, Juan; Jockusch, Steffen; O’Connor, Naphtali; Turro, Nicholas J. “Non-radiative deactivation of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) by cubane and its derivatives.” Org. Lett.  (2008), 10(24), 5509-5512
• O’Connor, Naphtali A.; Liberman, Vladimir; Lei, Xuegong; Lopez-Gejo, Juan; Turro, Nicholas J.; Zimmerman, Paul A. “Degradation of Hydrocarbon Fluids in the Immersion Lithography at 193 nm.” J. Photopolym. Sci. Technol. (2008), 21(5), 607
• Stevens, Nathan; O'Connor, Naphtali A.; Vishwasrao, Harshad; Samaroo, Diana; Kandel, Eric R.; Akins, Daniel L.; Drain, Charles M.; Turro, Nicholas J. “Two color RNA intercalating probe for cell imaging applications.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2008) 130, 7206-7207
• Zimmerman, P. A.; Byers, J.; Rice, B.; Ober, C. K.; Giannelis, E. P.; Rodriguez, R.; Wang, D.; O'Connor, N.; Lei, X.; Turro, N. J.; Liberman, V.; Palmacci, S.; Rothschild, M.; Lafferty, N.; Smith, B. W., “Development and evaluation of a 193nm immersion generation-three fluid candidates.” Proc. SPIE (2008),6923.
• Liberman, V.; Rothschild, M.;Palmacci, S.T.; Bristol, R.; Byers, J.; Turro, N.J., Lei, X.; O'Connor, N.; Zimmerman, P.A. “High-index immersion lithography: Preventing lens photocontamination and identifying optical behavior of LuAG” Proc. SPIE (2008),6924
• O’Connor, Naphtali A.; Paisner, David A.; Huyrn, Donna; Shea, Kenneth J.  “Discrimination of 5HT_1A Receptor Antagonists via Molecular Imprinting.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2007), 129(6), 1680-1689
• O'Connor, Naphtali A.; Sakata, Steven T.; Zhu, Huide; Shea, Kenneth J.   “Chemically Modified Dansyl Probes: A Fluorescent Diagnostic for Ion and Proton Detection in Solution and in Polymers.”    Organic Letters (2006), 8(8), 1581-1584
• Metzke, Mark; O'Connor, Naphtali; Maiti, Soumen; Nelson, Edward; Guan, Zhibin.   “Saccharide-peptide hybrid copolymers as biomaterials.”  Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. (2005), 44(40), 6529-6533
• Edmondson, Scott D.; Mastracchio, Anthony; He, Jiafang; Chung, Christine C.; Forrest, Michael J.; Hofsess, Scott; MacIntyre, Euan; Metzger, Joseph; O'Connor, Naphtali; Patel, Kajal; Tong, Xinchun; Tota, Michael R.; Van der Ploeg, Lex H. T.; Varnerin, Jeff P.; Fisher, Michael H.; Wyvratt, Matthew J.; Weber, Ann E.; Parmee, Emma R.   “Benzyl vinylogous amide substituted aryldihydropyridazinones and aryldimethylpyrazolones as potent and selective PDE3B inhibitors.”    Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. (2003), 13(22), 3983-3987