With President Lois B. DeFleur and researcher Rob Van Buskirk looking on, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer looks at beating heart cells through a microscope. Schumer was on campus to hear about University initiatives in biological packaging and medical diagnostics. (Photo by Van Dousmanis)

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, D-New York, visited the campus Tuesday, January 22, to learn more about Binghamton University's research initiatives in biological packaging and medical diagnostics.

Schumer was accompanied by President Lois B. DeFleur and Frances Carr, vice president for research, as he toured biological sciences laboratories and talked with University researchers about their work.

A major focus of the visit was the research underway related to protein dynamics in such areas as medical diagnostics through protein profiling, biological and chemical sensors, and biological packaging.

Among the stops were the labs of Robert Van Buskirk and John Baust where Schumer saw beating heart cells and heard about the research the pair has done in developing innovative biosolutions that can extend the viability of tissues and organs for transplant.

Schumer pledged to work with DeFleur to enhance biotechnology research at Binghamton University. "I'm prepared to help you in any way I can," Schumer said. "This is the future and I'm so glad Binghamton is pursing these initiatives. It is important to give faculty a chance to make money and thereby create jobs, which creates even more jobs."

DeFleur said she was very pleased to have Schumer see first hand some of the innovative research being pursued on campus.