KINGSTON, R.I. – April 23, 2025 – Matt Paolella ’26, who is double majoring in molecular biology with a concentration in biochemistry and finance, is not afraid of a challenge. In his time at the University of Rhode Island, Paolella has worked with esteemed faculty to write and publish a research paper, started a stem cell research advocacy group on campus, tutored ASL, captained the distance team for the URI club track team, and volunteered at a local hospital. With a goal of applying to medical school and continuing research in fluorine chemistry, he shows no signs of slowing down.  

Paolella came to URI from Malvern, Pennsylvania, from a family of chemists. He found his way to the Ocean State with a Thomas M. Ryan Scholarship and credit for several science-based advanced-placement courses under his belt. 

“In addition to my scholarship, I decided to enroll at URI to utilize the credits I earned from my AP courses and use that extra time for endeavors like research,” Paolella said.

Research is precisely where Paolella fell into step. With many preliminary courses completed, he started at URI at a sophomore level. 

“I went to the chemistry department’s website and looked at all the professors because they have their research listed. I found that chemistry professor Dr. Fang Wang’s application of his research was the most interesting to me because all of his projects focus on biomedicine.” 

The following summer, Paolella received an undergraduate research fellowship for the American Chemical Society’s fluorine chemistry division. The research conducted by Paolella and the team centered around establishing the basic chemistry behind fluorine chemistry and hydrogen bonding. The work culminated in a paper published in the Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry this past January. He also had the opportunity to present at the 27th Winter Fluorine Conference in Florida. As one of the youngest presenters, Paolella absorbed as much as he could from graduate and Ph.D. level scientists from around the world. 

“Matt has executed really high-level work in fluorine chemistry. His study reveals some long-sought-after questions in the field about how we use fluorine to design functional molecules, such as drugs and new materials, to benefit society,” said Wang.

Outside of the significant accomplishments in this early stage of his career, it could not be clearer that his passion is helping people. Paolella’s activities outside of school exemplify this tenfold. He volunteers at South County Hospital in the emergency department, helping clean rooms and restock IV carts, checking in with patients, and providing comfort items. When he’s not at the local hospital, he works as a first responder for URI emergency medical services. He recently trained to become a driver. 

“I absolutely love it. I look forward to my shifts every week. I’ve made some of my best friends here. The students are super passionate about medicine, and they’re also super ambitious and hard-working, and they’re a great group of people to hang out with.”

One of the most notable activities has been the establishment of the National Marrow Donor Program club on campus. NMDP is a chapter of a national stem cell donor registry that helps patients with blood cancer or blood disease connect with stem cell or bone marrow donors who could potentially save their lives. Finding a match outside a patient’s family can be challenging, but the group’s database helps pair people across the country. 

Paolella was inspired to start the club in his first year based on personal experience. In high school, a beloved coach was diagnosed with leukemia. He was unable to attend practice and had to be isolated because his immune system was fragile from a stem cell transplant. It became clear to Paolella that not everyone has access to that level of care. 

Not long after starting at URI, he contacted the national organization, which recognizes chapters and provides funding. He also worked with URI’s Student Senate to have the chapter approved as a club on campus. 

“We do three things on campus: educate, cheek swab, and fundraise. I tell people who are interested that you can donate to someone and save their life. It’s also completely free. All that it takes to sign up is completing a short registration form on their phone.” 

As for what’s next, his sights are firmly set on medical school and continued research with Professor Wang. Now that the research team has established data from the first paper, continued research will apply these findings to biological molecules this summer. 

For those whose ambitions align with Paolella’s, he shares: “Don’t be afraid to try as many things as you can but also don’t be afraid to say no to the things that aren’t for you. I think finding the things I’m most passionate about and sticking with them has brought me the most meaning here.”