FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Carolyn Speakman
Communications Manager
708.563.8160
speakman@iit.edu

Analytical Chemist Joins the NCFST

Chicago, Ill. – February 15, 2006

     Peter Varelis, Ph.D., has been appointed Research Professor of Chemistry in the Biological, Chemical and Physical Sciences Department at IIT and Principal Analytical Chemist at the NCFST.  His research interests include application of mass spectrometry to the analysis of organic compounds in complex matrices using isotope dilution techniques; organic synthesis and mechanistic organic chemistry; multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance; and pharmacology and toxicology.

     Before coming to the Center, Varelis was a Senior Principal Research Scientist at the Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation in Sydney, Australia .  He managed the Analytical Chemistry section of the organization, provided support and consultation to the food industry, developed analytical methods to qualitatively and quantitatively characterize hazardous chemical contaminants in foods, qualitatively and quantitatively characterize food taints, acted as a representative for the organization on the Australian Natural Toxins Committee, and performed risk-based assessment of chemical contaminants in foods.

"We are delighted to have been able to attract one of Australia 's premier food chemists to join the NCFST,” said Martin Cole, Director of the NCFST. “Not only is Peter a world class analytical food chemist but he also has a proven ability to work across government, academia and industry. He will greatly strengthen the Center's collaborative efforts with the FDA and industry in the important area of chemical contaminants and food defense."

     Varelis earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical, Inorganic and Organic Chemistry.  He completed  his master’s degree in the field of synthetic and mechanistic organic chemistry, and his doctorate’s degree in the field of synthetic and mechanistic organic chemistry of natural products of biological interest, from the University of Western Australia. 

     The National Center for Food Safety and Technology (NCFST) is a research consortium of industry, government, and academia which addresses the food safety implications of emerging technologies in food processing and packaging.  The National Center serves as a neutral ground for food safety research, education, and information exchange among food industry, government, and academic scientists.  NCFST is located at Illinois Institute of Technology's Moffett Campus (near Chicago) in Summit-Argo, Illinois.

#     #    #