Cornely named PC’s first Walsh endowed chemistry, biochemistry professor

PROVIDENCE – Kathleen Cornely, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Providence College for more than a quarter century, has been appointed as the Robert H. Walsh endowed professor in chemistry and biochemistry.

This professorship, named after the late Providence College alumnus who had a 40-year career with DuPont Chemical Corp., was created through a $6.5 million bequest to the college from Walsh. Cornely is PC’s first endowed chair in the sciences, the college said, and will serve a three-year term as chair.

The college said Cornely’s research specialty is mycobacterial phage – bacteria-killing viruses commonly found in soil. PC is one of more than 100 colleges and universities taking part in phage research through the Science Education Alliance, a partnership between the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the University of Pittsburgh, the college said.

Cornely and her students also helped with a medical breakthrough. In 2017, a phage isolated from soil at the college and modified by both Cornely and her students was used successfully to treat a woman in England in which a genetically modified virus was used to treat a drug-resistant infection.

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“I aspire to live up to the legacy Mr. Walsh established,” Cornely said in a statement.

James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.