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Bruce Stillman, CEO of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Photo courtesy of CSHL

By Daniel Dunaief

The Oscars could learn a thing or two from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The facility, which conducts research in cancer, neuroscience, genomics, quantitative biology and plant biology, hosted its 19th annual Double Helix Award Dinner on Nov. 14.

Front row from left, 2024 Double Helix Medals honorees Dr. Katalin Karikó, Daniel and Alisa Doctoroff.
Back row, from left, CSHL Chair Marilyn Simons, President & CEO Bruce Stillman, and Grace Stillman. Photo courtesy of Patrick McMullan Company

Held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and emceed by CBS journalist Lesley Stahl, the dinner, so named for the twisting ladder structure of the genetic material DNA, raised $7 million while honoring Nobel Prize winner Katalin Karikó, and Daniel and Alisa Doctoroff, a husband and wife team who are leaders of Target ALS.

Bruce Stillman, CEO of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, recently discussed the awards dinner, an innovative and potentially revolutionary study on aging, science funding, and a host of other topics in an exclusive interview.

The honorees at this year’s dinner were “really fantastic,” Stillman said.

Originally from Hungary, Karikó thrived in work that helped lead to BioNTech and Pfizer’s work using messenger RNA to create a vaccine for COVID-19 despite setbacks including four demotions while a scientist at the University of Pennsylvania.

Her experience shows how “a scientist can do Nobel prize winning research despite adversity,” Stillman said. She had an “idea she wanted to stick with.”

Through Target ALS, the Doctoroffs have helped generate progress in research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Daniel Doctoroff, who has ALS, had been Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding and CEO and president of Bloomberg LP.

The dinner has raised over $67 million since its inception and has honored scientists and public figures, including the late boxer and inaugural winner Muhammad Ali, baseball Hall of Fame right fielder Reggie Jackson and Nobel Prize winner and co-discoverer of gene editing tool CRISPR Jennifer Doudna.

As a part of the celebration, the lab produces videos of the honorees, who have made significant contributions to philanthropy or to research or who have been advocates for health.

A week after the dinner, Stillman had written a letter to potential honorees for next year.

“It’s a lot of work to do this properly,” said Stillman. “We have a time limit on the evening. We want everyone out by 9:30 p.m. We timed this whole thing down to the minute and it worked out very well.”

An important aging discovery

While the lab produced a large volume of research studies that could have implications in a range of fields during the year, Stillman highlighted the work of Corina Amor Vegas as being “probably the most impactful down the road.”

Corina Amor Vegas. Photo ourtesy of CSHL

Amor Vegas used a technology developed to treat cancer to address the effects of aging.

She produced chimeric antigen receptors on the surface of the immune system’s T cells to attack senescent cells, which have aged and are not functional but could otherwise cause aging related problems such as diseases.

In a mouse model, Amor Vegas found that treating these aging mice with modified forms of their own T cells, through car-T immunotherapy, improved metabolic dysfunction and exercise capacity. Indeed, even a single treatment was enough to provide long term benefits for these mice.

The work attracted considerable venture capital interest and the lab is in discussions about how to pursue a business approach that taps into the potential use of this discovery.

As for businesses, the lab has a number of companies that are “under the radar screen” but that will have an impact in their fields.

Professor Partha Mitra started a company called Clarapath that will make “a major splash” with its automatic slides for pathology, Stillman said. A machine can do the work automatically that is otherwise labor intensive.

Down the road, scientists could apply artificial intelligence to analyze the samples. The laboratory has several faculty that are doing machine learning or AI in their research in areas such as neuroscience or genetics.

Through a neuro-AI scholars program, CSHL brings in people who have had a high level of training in computer science related to machine learning. The scholars come to CSHL for one or two years, where they work in a neuroscience lab.

Meetings

Stillman was pleased with the meetings on site this year, including one on epigenetics and CRISPR.

At the end of May in 2025, CSHL plans to have a symposium called Senescence and Aging.

The lab has invited scientists to speak from Germany, Israel, Japan and the United Kingdom as well as from Harvard, Brown and Yale. Locally, Amor Vegas, Assistant Professor Semir Beyaz and Professor Lloyd Trotman have also received invitations to share their work.

Stillman anticipates the publication of compelling findings from CSHL next year, including in autism.

At the same time, the lab is building a new Neuroscience Research Complex that should be finished in 2026. The 36,347 square-foot facility will include three modern buildings that focus on neurodegenerative diseases, brain-body physiology and quantitative biology and NeuroAI.

The construction has been going “very well,” Stillman said.

Science and politics

Amid talk of a rationalization of the research budget next year when the former and future president Donald Trump takes office, Stillman cautioned against a heightened focus on translational studies.

“If we knew what basic science would be translational, we would be doing it,” Stillman said. “If you go back and look at fundamental discoveries of how a disease can be cured, like Spinraza, people would have said, ‘Don’t study this or that.’”

Professor Adrian Krainer developed the drug Spinraza at CSHL, which is an effective treatment for an otherwise debilitating childhood disease called spinal muscular atrophy.

The development of CRISPR came from a study of bacteria that grow in a marine environment.

If Trump’s administrators think they can predict that every dollar will be productive, “they are nuts,” Stillman said. “We should have a discussion before they start pronouncing what should be done.”

Converting the National Institutes of Health into a directed translational research institute will push down American competitiveness.

China is planning to spend large sums of money in basic research. If the United States cuts back in these areas, this is a “recipe for the country to become a second class citizen to those that are “investing in basic science.”

The Human Genome Project cost $3 billion over 25 years. The returns exceed $1 trillion, Stillman said.

“That’s an enormous payoff,” he added. 

Despite concerns and a watchful eye on research funding, Stillman shared a positive outlook.

“I’m not pessimistic about the future,” he said. “The United States economy is very strong.”

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METRO photo

News can be one of the most important and constant aspects of every American’s life. It can permeate our every waking moment, from the televisions in waiting rooms, our phones’ constant push notifications and the reposting of articles all over our social media feeds.

Unfortunately, many Americans are discouraged by the negative news which surrounds us. They feel the polarization of the political parties, constant coverage of crime and oftentimes dark undercurrents that are aspects of the news. Some try to hide from current events for the sake of their own wellbeing. In fact, up to 43% of Americans avoid the news, in some form, according to this year’s Reuters Institute Digital News Report.

That is why we are pleased to share that this week’s newspaper is full of good news — something most people will happily welcome. It is always wonderful to revel in the holiday season and all of its elements, and that is precisely why happy news can be especially satisfying this time of year.

From the honoring of our Suffolk County veterans, to The Steam Room restaurant’s philanthropy this Thanksgiving, to wonderful spectacles of holiday cheer out of Huntington and Port Jeff, our communities have come together to provide each other with bits of joy, in our complicated world.

TBR brings the spirit of community to our readers’ doorsteps every week, and will always share with you the merry, along with the hard-hitting. We are proud of our communities and enjoy showing them off during this complex political climate. 

Thank you for your readership and support.

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Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine

By Lisa Scott

Federal priorities and legislation will be markedly different in 2025. Donald Trump received 55% of Suffolk County votes for President, and both CD1 and CD2 Republican members of Congress were re-elected. (CD3 includes a very small part of northwestern Huntington, and re-elected their Democratic member of Congress). As we move through the coming year, it will be very important to stay in touch with your Congressional representative and express your opinions. If you are not sure of your CD or other elected officials, go to https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/ and all your representative districts will be listed.

However, much of what affects our day-to-day lives is determined by New York State, Suffolk County and the 10 Towns that comprise Suffolk so our focus for 2025 should be familiarizing ourselves with local issues  and finances, and making our voices heard on these local levels. 

Suffolk County (according to the 2020 census) has a population of 1.5 million (578,940 households), with a 2024 Operating Budget Revenue of $5.172 billion and 2024 Operating Budget Expenditures of $4.133 billion. The taxable full valuation of property in the county is $405.5 billion. 

Revenue comes from property taxes, sales tax, state aid, federal aid, and other sources. The revenue stream included in the budget is only an estimate of the amounts that can be anticipated. If retail sales fall, the 8.625% sales tax yield will not be as great as anticipated. Similarly, if homeowners and business owners do not promptly pay their property tax, there is a shortfall. The county may borrow money in anticipation of receiving this revenue; therefore, debt service may be required because of this borrowing. 

Expenditures are for personnel, debt service, and a wide variety of services, such as police, education and economic assistance. About 39% of the $4.1 billion budget is mandated by various state and federal government programs, such as Medicaid, which restricts the freedom of the county to apportion expenditures. The remainder is “discretionary.”

Suffolk County’s proposed 2025 budget includes a tax increase for most homeowners, expected to average about $49 per home in Huntington, Smithtown and Brookhaven. The increase resulted from a shortfall in expected sales tax receipts, about $50 million less this year than what was projected, pension costs went up by about $43 million and health care costs went up by $66 million. Also Suffolk voters approved a clean water proposition in 2024; sales taxes will increase in March from 8.625% to 8.75%  (about 12 cents on a $100 purchase or $1.25 on a $1,000 purchase). 

Ed Romaine is our Suffolk County Executive ([email protected]) elected for a 4 year term. Other elected county-wide offices include Comptroller John M. Kennedy Jr.  ([email protected]), Clerk Vincent Puleo ([email protected]), District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney ([email protected]) and Sheriff Errol Toulon, Jr. (suffolk.sheriff@suffolkcounty ny.gov). 

There also is an 18 member Suffolk County Legislature, serving 2 year elected terms (term is limited to 12 years in office for all legislators). To find your SC Legislative District, go to https://www.scnylegislature.us/ and click on Find Your Representative. Then read up on your county legislator, find out what their priorities are and whether those are your priorities too. The General and committee meeting schedules are on the website, along with meeting minutes.

There are 13 committees which meet the week before each general (monthly) meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature to discuss proposed bills and issues and decide what moves forward to the full legislature. For example, the Veterans committee and Environment, Parks & Agriculture meet on Monday mornings, Economic Development, Planning and Housing on Wednesday afternoons and Public Safety on Thursday mornings. 

Since there are 10 Towns in Suffolk, and many incorporated Villages, there are other levels of representation, ordinances and codes. Concerned citizens need to navigate these levels and establish relationships with all your elected officials, so that when a question or issue arises, you are aware of which level of government has responsibility. Remember that elected officials work for YOU, and if you do not communicate clearly and responsibly your message will not receive the attention and response it deserves. 

To learn more about those who represent Suffolk County residents on every level of government and how to reach them, the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County issues an annual Directory of Public Officials in March, available online and as a pdf in English and in Spanish at https://my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county.

Lisa Scott is president of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit https//my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county.

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METRO photo

By Michael Christodoulou

Now that the calendar has flipped, it’s time for some New Year’s resolutions. You could decide you’re going to exercise more, lose weight, learn a new skill, reconnect with old friends — the possibilities are almost limitless. This year, why not add a few financial resolutions to your list?

Here are a few to consider:

Reduce your debts. It may be easier said than done, but if you can cut down on your debt load, you’ll increase your cash flow and have more money available to invest for your future. So, look for ways to lower your expenses and spending. You might find it helpful to use one of the budgeting apps available online. 

Boost your retirement savings. Try to put in as much as you can afford to your IRA and your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. If your salary goes up this year, you’ve got a good opportunity to increase your contributions to these retirement accounts. And once you turn 50, you can make pre-tax catch-up contributions for your 401(k) and traditional IRA. You might also want to review the investment mix within your 401(k) or similar plan to determine whether it’s still providing the growth potential you need, given your risk tolerance and time horizon.

Build an emergency fund. It’s generally a good idea to maintain an emergency fund containing up to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account. Without such a fund, you might be forced to dip into your long-term investments to pay for short-term needs, such as an expensive auto or home repair. 

Keep funding your non-retirement goals. Your traditional IRA and 401(k) are good ways to save for retirement — but you likely have other goals, too, and you’ll need to save and invest for them. So, for example, if you want your children to go to college or receive some other type of post-secondary training, you might want to invest in a tax-advantaged 529 education savings plan. And if you have short-term goals, such as saving for a wedding or taking an overseas vacation, you might want to put some money    away in a liquid account. For a short-term goal, you don’t necessarily need to invest aggressively for growth — you just want the money to be there for you when you need it. 

Review your estate plans. If you haven’t already created your estate plans, you may want to do so in 2025. Of course, if you’re relatively young, you might not think you need to have estate plans in place just yet, but life is unpredictable, and the future is not ours to see. If you have already drawn up estate plans, you may want to review them, especially if you’ve recently experienced changes in your life and family situation, such as marriage, remarriage or the addition of a new child. Because estate planning can be complex, you’ll want to work with a qualified legal professional.

You may not be able to tackle all these resolutions in 2025. But by addressing as many of them as you can, you may find that, by the end of the year, you have made progress toward your goals and set yourself on a positive course for all the years to come.

Michael Christodoulou, ChFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CRPS® is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Stony Brook, Member SIPC.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

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METRO photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

My initials suited me well before I was old enough to care.

You see, I don’t drink, so the idea of a DD, or designated driver, works for me.

Over the years, not drinking alcohol has triggered an even wider range of responses from adults than discussing my food allergies, which, in themselves, typically start unusual conversations. It seems odd to discuss painful digestive responses to consuming food with people who are about to eat.

Anyway, alcohol is supposed to be some kind of rite of passage, a bonding experience, a chance to celebrate and let loose, and something of a national past time.

I don’t mind when other people drink, but I’ve never been all that tempted to throw down a few beers or to end a tough day with a stiff drink.

When I don’t order a drink, I get a range of questions. “Are you in recovery?” “Are you taking medicine?” “Are you very religious?” “Are you sure you’re human?”

Alcohol is as much of a ritual in the country when adults celebrate as sugary treats are when our children attend another birthday party.

Athletes douse each other with champagne, beer, and other beverages when their teams win rounds of a playoff or championships. People toast each other and the start of a new year with adult beverages.

It’d be funny to see a baseball team retreat to the clubhouse after dog piling at the pitcher’s mound and eat a tray of cookies and milk (which I also can’t drink and, no, I don’t feel like describing what happens if I do). Can you imagine them sitting back with a tray of their favorite vegetables, a towel around their necks and a satisfied smile on their faces?

When I was younger, I held cups of alcohol and laughed with a group that became progressively louder. I would search for water or root beer, which was and still is my favorite soda.

I was tempted to order a scotch and soda, but hold the scotch or, perhaps, a rum and coke without the rum.

The early teens were my drinking sweet spot, literally. I could go through three or four Shirley Temples without seeming to develop too much of a sugar high. No doubt the milk and cookies, the ice cream and the chocolate sprinkles helped me build up a sugar tolerance.

I received my first bottle of wine from a friend in college, who was sharing it with me out of genuine appreciation and was, undoubtedly, following in his parents’ footsteps in offering me an adult gift.

Over the years, I have accumulated a collection of wines that have likely increased in value. At the end of coaching a long, hot baseball, softball or basketball season, grateful parents acknowledged the hours I put into running practices or preparing lineups for games for the team with a bottle of wine.

I did try drinking more than a few sips of alcohol a few times. Once, my wife took me out for my birthday, where I had about a cup of wine. I wasn’t drunk, but I was surprisingly tired and was much more ready for bed than for celebrating.

When my children reached their early teens, we ordered three Shirley Temples for the table.

Recently, I attended a bring your own booze holiday party. We brought some alcoholic drinks and a pecan pie.

We considered purchasing a large bottle of water for me, but figured there’d be a pitcher of water somewhere.

Walking from room to room, I didn’t find water and didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable searching for it or trying to accommodate my request. When I returned home, I was happy to fill my reusable water bottle.

Professionally, not drinking alcohol is not quite as limiting as not playing golf. Back in the days when I covered investment banking, foregoing golf outings meant making fewer connections and gathering less information.

In those days, I was never invited to a batting cage to practice hitting baseballs, which I would have readily accepted.

These days, when neighbors offer to share a few cocktails on their porches, I smile and nod, without making any declarations. It’s harder to argue that I’m not drinking because I’m the designated driver when they live a few hundred feet away. Maybe I’ll bring my own water and will tell them my DD religion doesn’t allow alcohol.

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METRO photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief,
Publish:

This one just passed was my favorite weekend of the year: Thanksgiving. It started last Wednesday night, as all good weekends should. We, the Dunaief Clan, have managed to extend it into three, even four days. We deserve no less. Like many American families, our immediate members are stretched across the entire continent, from the California coast to Pennsylvania, and from below the Mason-Dixon Line and the Florida Peninsula to the Gulf of Mexico. They need that much time just to get to Grandma’s house and back.

What’s waiting for them when they arrive? Food! All kinds of favorite foods. And love. Lots of love that bridges three generations with mighty hugs. Why, it even takes a good part of that long weekend before all the members of the family finish hugging each other, at which point we sit down to eat. We get back up some hours later, only to regroup for the next meal. We know we are among the fortunate in that regard and give thanks.

Food means so many different things. There are the traditional historic dishes that symbolize the meal reputedly eaten by the Pilgrims. But we have added more to the basics. And each person has a favorite that tickles them when they look at the offerings on the laden table and know it was prepared especially for them. Food is love, and special foods carry that message.

It still amazes me to be surrounded by the many members of my tribe. Some 60 years ago, before I was married, there was just I. Then, three months later, there were the two of us, my husband and me. And then there were children and children-in law, and their children and now, their new daughter-in-law and my first granddaughter-in-law. Together we populate the dining room and fill the house with chatter and laughter.

One of the high points of the weekend follows dinner, when we are still sitting around the table, digesting sufficiently until we can have dessert, and we tell each other what we are most thankful for that occurred in the past year. In that way, I get to catch up on some of the events in my loved ones’ lives and they on mine.

Speaking of dessert, the pumpkin pies were an issue again this year. For almost all the Thanksgivings we have celebrated here, 55 to be exact, we have enjoyed the classic finale from The Good Steer. Their pies pleased all our taste buds, from my offspring to my parents, who would join us from NYC during those early years. Alas, the restaurant on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove is no more; the owners having closed the business. 

So, faced with this significant void, I have done some research and have come up with replacements over the last couple of years. We did a scientific taste test between the offerings I procured this year. I’ve had a number of friends offer suggestions, and I thank them kindly because they understand how important it is to find an alternative source. After all, no two differently made pumpkin pies taste the same. 

The result here hung in the balance until the celebrations ended. My reputation as the Best Thanksgiving Grandma, I am relieved to tell you, is secure. We found a satisfactory replacement. In fact, there was a partisan divide between the two choices, so we will have one of each next year. 

This year, we had a first to celebrate. My oldest grandson had asked the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with to marry him, and she accepted. The wedding was this past spring, and we welcome her enthusiastically into the tribe. I give thanks for the blessing of seeing our family continue to grow.

I hope all of you, Dear Readers, had a Happy Thanksgiving with the foods you enjoy and the people you love, whether they be relatives or close friends or perhaps those you recently met and with whom you have chosen to share this celebratory meal.

On this day, we give thanks for the special people in our lives.

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Baked Ham with Pomegranate Glaze

Are you planning your menu for an upcoming holiday dinner? There are so many recipes to choose from when deciding on the main dish, sides and desserts.

This year, make your holiday dinner pop by adding pomegranates to your holiday menu. These ruby-like seeds are eye-catching and add a juicy sweetness to any dish.

Why pomegranates?

California-grown pomegranates are harvested from October to January. The season may be short, but it’s oh-so-sweet, just like the fruit. Because the pomegranate season is perfectly aligned with the holidays, there’s no shortage of festive ideas to make snack time and recipes pop with color, flavor and nutrition.

Best of all? Pomegranates are high in vitamin C and potassium, a great source of fiber and low in calories. If you have wellness goals this holiday season, eating pomegranates can help! Pomegranates are chock full of vitamin C, polyphenols, potassium and other necessary nutrients.

How to incorporate pomegranates into holiday meals

So, how can you incorporate pomegranates into your holiday meals? The possibilities are practically endless.

“From a gorgeous cheese platter to a holiday ham, the pomegranate’s bright, juicy, red arils elevate any dish. Not to mention, they make a fabulous centerpiece!” said Tara “Teaspoon” Bench. Tara served as the former food editor of Martha Stewart Living, and knows a thing or two about creating show-stopping holiday meals.

To celebrate the season, Bench has partnered with the Pomegranate Council to help you create a holiday dish that will have your friends and family asking for seconds. Check out her recipe for baked ham with pomegranate glaze that features these stunning ruby red fruits.

Baked Ham with Pomegranate Glaze

Garnish your holiday ham with a burst of freshness using vibrant pomegranate arils! Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s or Sunday dinner, this ham is sure to impress with a sweet pomegranate glaze.

Yield: 12-16 servings

Ingredients:

1 (7-pound) bone-in, spiral-cut smoked ham

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups 100% pomegranate juice (divided)

2/3 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup pomegranate arils

Herbs for garnish (if desired)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place ham in a large roasting pan and pour in chicken broth along with 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring remaining 1 1/2 cups of pomegranate juice, brown sugar and lemon juice to boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat and let mixture simmer until it slightly thickens, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in mustard and ginger and continue simmering until sauce reduces to about 1 cup, approximately 5 more minutes.

4. Pour half of glaze over ham, cover with foil and roast for 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally. Internal temperature should reach 125°F in thickest part of ham.

5. Remove foil, brush ham with remaining glaze and roast uncovered for another 30 minutes until top is lightly caramelized.

6. Transfer ham to cutting board and carve it off the bone. Arrange slices on a platter, garnish with fresh herbs and sprinkle with pomegranate arils.

7. If desired, pour pan juices into a bowl to serve alongside ham. Leftover ham can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Want to know more about pomegranates and how to incorporate them into your holiday meals? Visit www.Pomegranates.org or www.TaraTeaspoon.com. (BrandPoint)

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Leslie

ADOPT LESLIE!

This magnificent, all-black, domestic short-haired lady at the Smithtown Animal Shelter is estimated to be less than a year old. The lovely Leslie was brought to the shelter as a stray. The Team at the Shelter believed she would be claimed however, no one came for sweet Leslie.

Leslie is the PURR-fect, well-mannered ladylike feline. Upon making her acquaintance, she will approach you in a laid back fashion, and will gladly accept pets, snuggles and a good scratch behind the ears. It only takes a short period of time for this bewitching beauty to reveal her fondness for humans, and receiving unconditional TLC. Leslie is a sweet, laid-back, girl who genuinely appreciates the simple pleasure of human companionship. She is young, healthy, and ready to find a lucky family to love and be loved unconditionally.

Leslie would thrive in a serene home with older children. She prefers to be in the company of humans and is not fond of other animals in her space, therefore, she would do best as an only pet.

If you are interested in meeting Leslie, please fill out an application to schedule time to properly interact with your prospective soul mate in a domestic setting.

The Town of Smithtown Animal & Adoption Shelter is located at 410 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Visitor hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Sundays and Wednesday evenings by appointment only). For more information, call 631-360-7575 or visit www.townofsmithtownanimalshelter.com.

For more information regarding the shelter’s rescue animals available for adoption visit:. TownofSmithtownAnimalShelter.com 

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A 3D constructed building in Ukraine. Photo courtesy of Utu (Ukraine)

By Daniel Dunaief

Instead of discarding concrete from damaged or destroyed buildings during Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Alexander Orlov, Professor in Materials Science & Chemical Engineering at Stony Brook University wants to try to figure out ways to recycle these materials to create new and desperately needed shelters.

Alexander Orlov. Photo courtesy of SBU

Leading a team of researchers in the United States, Poland and Ukraine, Orlov received about $700,000 worth of funding from the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, and the Polish National Science Centre to develop ways to create these potentially life-saving structures by using three-dimensional printers.

Far larger than the desktop printers, these three-dimensional printers build one layer of a building at a time, reducing the time and labor needed in construction. 

The idea behind the project is to “turn the tragedy of these damaged buildings into new structures,” said Orlov.

In some cases, these buildings could be cheaper and faster than conventional construction methods.

“This research will address challenges in building resilient and sustainable infrastructure by using novel, inexpensive and energy efficient solutions,” Marija Krstic, assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Stony Brooks said in a statement.

The family of Ukrainian soldier Yaroslav Berezov, who died during the beginning of the Russian invasion, received the first 3D printed house earlier this year, according to the Odessa Journal.

The walls of the house were printed in 58 machine hours, as the printer laid down the inside and outside of the house at the same time.

The idea of doing 3D printing is becoming more popular in Ukraine. The leader in this type of printing is a company called COBOD, which used the technique to rebuild a school in the city of Lviv. The school, which has weatherproof construction and is expected to last for more than 20 years, has four classrooms with a capacity for 100 students.

One layer at a time

Orlov explained that the 3D printing process acts like an ice cream machine, as it lays down one layer of a building at a time with material squeezed through a cone.

In the design of these structures, the machine pauses for some length of time — five or 10 minutes in some cases — to ensure that the layer is strong enough to support additional weight. The structure also requires some time to settle, which could be about two weeks, before adding heavier objects, such as a roof.

Assistant professor Marija Krstic in the Department of Civil Engineering along with a graduate student. Photo from SBU

The machines use waste and add it to a cement mix to form concrete.

In this project, the research is focused on a proof of concept that Ukrainian construction companies might use to build additional homes or shelters.

The National Science Foundation is providing $300,000 in funding for Orlov’s portion of the work.

Stony Brook University is building a 3D printer and is adding parts to it to make it more efficient and reliable. Poland is also purchasing a printer while Ukraine already has one.

The Office of Naval Research is providing funding directly to Ukraine and the Polish National Science Centre is supporting efforts in that country.

“The Navy supports disaster relief and typically offers assistance in any part of the world” after catastrophes including hurricanes and earthquakes, Orlov said.

It takes about two to three days to build a building the size of a house. The process still requires manual labor to add the roof because it has different materials.

The timing of the research is particularly important because of the escalating scale of Russian attacks and amid the approach of winter. People in the capital of Kyiv endure seven hours of bombing each night. The civilian experience is similar to what people in London experienced during World War II, when they hid in shelters and had to be quiet amid the shattering of buildings.

Ukraine has lost about 50 percent of its energy infrastructure, a number that is likely to climb even as colder weather descends on the country. The estimated cost to repair that energy infrastructure is about $60 billion and is likely to climb as the war continues, Orlov added.

Without energy and heat, “this could be the worst winter in the history of the country,” Orlov said.

In developing ways to build these structures, Orlov hopes to create buildings that are mechanically the same or better than traditional homes and with thermal properties that are increasingly important amid temperature extremes.

The biggest challenge for scientists and engineers is that these buildings may not be reproducible, depending on the different available materials. The researchers need to figure out if they can have high-quality printing from different sources.

Personal experience

For Orlov, the horrors of war and the threat of injury and death are all too real. He extracted his mother Tetiana and his father Mykhailo, out of Kyiv, where their apartment windows were blown out after a Russian rocket leveled a nearby five-story building.

Orlov’s parents are struggling even on Long Island, where the sound from nearby fire station causes them to try to run and hide each time they hear the alarm. Motorcycle noises, which have the same vibrating hum as Iranian drones, also terrify them.

Project origins

The research Orlov is doing started when he was working with a Polish researcher. Orlov saw the funding opportunity and reached out to professors in Kyiv to ask how he could help. The researchers worked together to write the proposal.

Orlov, who works in the Consortium for Inter-Disciplinary Environmental Research and has secondary appointments in the Chemistry Department, the Institute for Advanced Computational Science, the Advanced Energy Center, and the Department of Technology and Society, is spending considerably more time than he expected on this project. That, he said, comes in part from the need to cross cultural barriers in working with people from different countries.

Any construction of 3D printed shelters would face the challenge of finding energy to power these machines. Some of that power could come from mobile generators, while the printers could also use intermittent power.

“There are unique challenges that have to be tested during the war,” Orlov explained.

At each of the research sites, students have the opportunity to contribute to the project. Stony Brook has two faculty members and several graduate students who are involved at this point.

Orlov is hoping to provide Ukrainian companies with recipes that might lead to the construction of these shelters.

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By A. Craig Purcell, Esq.

A. Craig Purcell, Esq.

For many people, a first arrest feels like the end of the world. Fear, embarrassment, and uncertainty can overwhelm someone who has never been on the wrong side of the law. But thanks to New York’s new Clean Slate Act, there is now a path for eligible individuals to move beyond their mistakes and work toward a brighter future.

The Clean Slate Act, which took effect on November 16, 2024, automatically seals eligible convictions—misdemeanors after three years and felonies after eight years—if certain conditions are met. This means those convictions will no longer be visible to the general public, including landlords, employers, and educational institutions. However, not all crimes are eligible. Serious offenses, like sex crimes and certain Class A felonies, are excluded. Additionally, sealing does not erase the record entirely; some agencies, such as law enforcement or employers in sensitive industries, will still have access.

While the Act offers a lifeline, it also requires patience. To qualify, a person must stay out of trouble—no new arrests or convictions—and meet other requirements during the waiting period. It could take until 2027 for the state to process all eligible cases, but for those who qualify, the potential benefits are life-changing.

Turning fear Into action

The first question many people ask after an arrest is, “Will this follow me forever?” The Clean Slate Act allows individuals to hope for a fresh start. It is an opportunity to reduce barriers to jobs, housing, and education, but it does not wipe the slate entirely clean. For example, the Act does not restore gun rights or erase the record entirely for government purposes.

The key is to take charge of the situation now. Yes, this moment may feel overwhelming, but it does not have to define your future. The Clean Slate Act is not automatic for everyone, and eligibility depends on what you do from this point forward.

From mistake to opportunity

Many first-time offenders feel stuck in shame and regret. While these emotions are natural, dwelling on them will not help you move forward. Instead, focus on the future. What can you do now to improve your situation?

The Clean Slate Act rewards those who stay on the right track. During the waiting period, you must avoid legal trouble, maintain employment, and contribute positively to your community. While it may take time, the effort is worth it. A sealed record can open doors to better job opportunities, housing, and education.

Other challenges to consider

Even with a sealed record, some barriers remain. For instance, getting licensed in certain professions—like nursing, real estate, or teaching—can still be challenging. The New York State License Guides can help explain what to expect when applying for licenses in various industries. Understanding these challenges now can help you better prepare for the future.

A second chance is within reach

Everyone makes mistakes, but those mistakes do not have to define the rest of your life. The Clean Slate Act is proof that people deserve second chances. It gives hope and opportunity to those willing to take the necessary steps to rebuild their lives. 

By focusing on the future, making good choices, and staying committed to personal growth, you can take control of your story. The past may leave its mark, but it does not have to limit your future. With the Clean Slate Act, a fresh start is possible—and within reach.

A. Craig Purcell, Esq. is a partner at the law firm of Glynn Mercep Purcell and Morrison LLP in Setauket and is a former President of the Suffolk County Bar Association and Vice President of the New York State Bar Association.

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