Leadership

Derrick Swinton, Ph.D.

Associate Dean
School of Integrative Science and Technology (IST)
Directory

Derrick Swinton, Ph.D., associate dean of NJCSTM and former NIH MARC Scholar (1988–1990), serves as the lead PI on the project. PI Swinton brings years of progressive experience in developing and overseeing academic programs, policies, and initiatives to promote student growth and achievement. Swinton has extensive experience in the innovative design and development of multi-faceted programs that create pathways for participation in the STEM enterprise for underprepared and underrepresented minority students and in cultivating opportunities for students to participate in research experiences and attend graduate and professional schools. 

513-G STEM Building
1075 Morris Avenue
Union, New Jersey 07083
dswinton@kean.edu

Salvatore Coniglio, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
The Dorothy and George Hennings College of Science, Mathematics and Technology
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Salvatore Coniglio, Ph.D., associate professor (cell biology), has over eight years of experience mentoring close to 100 undergraduate and graduate (masters) students from diverse backgrounds. PI Coniglio pioneered the GSSRP and CURE programs at NJCSTM, which are foundational to the proposed KUTP, and has played an active role in promoting authentic research experiences to students at all levels, from high school to graduate school. Undergraduates in Dr. Coniglio’s lab have presented at national conferences in cancer and cell biology such as the American Association for Cancer Research and American Society for Cell Biology. Several Coniglio lab graduates are currently enrolled in PhD programs in the biomedical sciences at institutions such as Brandeis University, Rutgers University, the University of Delaware, and the University of Houston (see biosketch). His research investigates the role of the tumor microenvironment on glioblastoma invasion (brain cancer), chemoresistance, and immunoevasion;35-38 projects include probing the mechanisms of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in glioma progression, with a focus is on chemokines involved in the paracrine interaction between glioma and TAMs using novel in-vitro model systems. His research program, in collaboration with Dr. Stokes-Huby, emphasizes the development of novel medium-throughput in-vitro 3D models to facilitate drug discovery and quantification of drug effects on tumorigenesis. Students in his research program learn valuable skills in cell culture, quantitative PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy, and SDS PAGE.

Matthew G. Niepielko, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Program Coordinator, GSSRP
The Dorothy and George Hennings College of Science, Mathematics and Technology
Directory

Matthew G. Niepielko, Ph.D., assistant professor (computational and integrative biology) and visiting research scholar at Princeton University (molecular biology), investigates mechanisms that regulate animal fertility by focusing on the impact that mRNA composition has on the developing animal germline.39-42 His research is funded by an NIH R15 AREA award and an NSF Early CAREER award, and uses interdisciplinary approaches that include mathematical modeling and computational image analysis to explore biological developmental mechanisms. Dr. Niepielko has demonstrated a strong commitment to training new generations of the biomedical research workforce (see biosketch), as recognized by his 2023 Kean Research Mentor of the Year Award. He has been running two CUREs since 2019, in which students participate on his fertility research project starting as first-year students. He has also served as the GSSRP program coordinator since 2019, and organizes the GSSRP workshops that coordinate with the STEM PUSH Network to focus on building the STEM identity of all participants, with an emphasis on minoritized students. His productivity as a faculty member and progress toward tenure is reflected in his achievements as an effective teacher and scholar having recently published with his students in a high-index journal.43 PI Niepielko will be responsible for various aspects of the project, mainly mentoring-related activities. He will also mentor student research projects, coordinate activities with the Program Manager, generate reports and perform other duties accordingly. He will also chair the Recruitment, Selection, and Retention Committee and lead the KUTP workshop training faculty on how to facilitate research with undergraduates.