Labs
Research Labs
Dr. Andrew Andrews
- The role of histone chaperones in chromatin dynamics
- Histone acetyltransferases (Rtt109, p300 and CBP)
- Multiproduct enzymology
- Targeted quantitative mass spectrometry for enzymology
Dr. Winifred Johnson
- Microbial cycling of dissolved organic matter and its role in the marine carbon cycle
- Mass spectrometry, metabolomics, analysis of small molecules
- Emerging contaminants in aquatic coastal environments
Dr. Bart Jones
- Determination of formation constants of highly preorganized ligands with metals of interest in biochemical and nuclear energy applications using UV-Vis absorbance, fluorescence, and NMR spectroscopies.
- Examination of the participation of lanthanoid f orbitals in metal ligand bonding
- Determination of formation constants of highly preorganized low solubility ligands with lanthanoids using long path length UV-Vis absorbance
Dr. Remington X. Poulin
- Investigating how natural products structure marine communities
- Leveraging ecological relevance of marine natural products for drug discovery
- Combinatorial mass spectrometry- and nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics
- Development of analytical methodologies for biotechnology and industrial applications
- Expansion of inclusivity in chemistry and science via expanded mentorship networks
Dr. Wendy Strangman
- Bacterial natural product chemistry and structure elucidation
- Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics
- Harmful algal bloom toxins and new bioactive compound discovery
- Dissolved organic matter cycling on coral reefs
- Medicinal plant extract pharmacokinetics
Dr. Michael Webb
- Instrument and technique development for diverse analytical spectroscopy applications
- Solution-cathode glow discharge: detecting trace metals with a small plasma
- Spectral imaging: chemical information from images, including detecting forgeries
- Microcontroller-based spectroscopy: Arduinos, LEDs, & 3D printing used for inexpensive educational and field instruments
Dr. R. Thomas Williamson
- Marine Natural Products Drug Discovery
- Development and application of new methods for molecular characterization with an emphasis on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
- Analytical method development for biotechnology and industrial applications
Dr. Antje Almeida
- Peptide-Lipid Interactions
- Antimicrobial Peptides
- Structure and Function of Lipid Bilayers
- Lipopeptide Design
Dr. Paulo Almeida
- Peptide-Lipid Interactions in Membranes
- Lipid-Lipid and Lipid-Cholesterol Interactions in Membranes
- Membrane-Active Peptides: Cell-Penetrating Peptides, Antimicrobial Peptides
- Membrane b-Barrel Proteins and Peptides
- Biophysical Education
Dr. Andrew Andrews
- The role of histone chaperones in chromatin dynamics
- Histone acetyltransferases (Rtt109, p300 and CBP)
- Multiproduct enzymology
- Targeted quantitative mass spectrometry for enzymology
Dr. Ming Dong
- Structural determination and function analysis of enzymes
- Redox and phosphorylation regulated cellular proteins
- Protein dynamics and how it relates to catalysis process
- Enzyme-inhibitor complexes and design
Dr. Chris Halkides
- Synthesize covalent inhibitors against aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase
- Synthesize Trojan horse inhibitors to cross microbial membranes
- Use chemical modification to mimic a labile cysteine phosphate intermediate in protein tyrosine phosphatases
- Study the role of forensic errors in wrongful convictions
Dr. Hee-Seung Lee
- Understanding the action of cell-penetrating and antimicrobial peptides against cell-membrane via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and developing efficient cargo-delivery peptides that can bring drugs to the interior of target cell
- Understanding the catalytic activity of the binding pockets in enzymatic proteins via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations
- Investigating the nature of chemical bonding involving Lanthanides and Actinides using density functional theory (DFT) method
- Understanding the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanisms of fluorescent ion sensors using time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) method to develop efficient metal ion sensors
- DFT studies of reaction mechanism, such as electrophilic radical addition to anamine
- Dr. Sridhar Varadarajan
- Design and Investigation of site-specific DNA-damaging agents targeting cancer cells.
- Developing the use of nuclear receptors for delivery of toxins to the DNA of cells.
- Mechanistic investigations of DNA-damage induced cell toxicity.Synthesis of anti-inflammatory compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Ying Wang
- Macromolecular condensation in biological systems
- age-related and hereditary cataracts
- ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules
- Biopharmaceutical formulations
- concentrated therapeutic monoclonal antibody formulations
- mRNA lipid nanoparticle formulation
- dissolvable microneedle array patch (dMAP) delivery system
- Protein engineering
- structure-based design of pan-influenza vaccines
Dr. Paulo Almeida
- Peptide-Lipid Interactions in Membranes
- Lipid-Lipid and Lipid-Cholesterol Interactions in Membranes
- Membrane-Active Peptides: Cell-Penetrating Peptides, Antimicrobial Peptides
- Membrane b-Barrel Proteins and Peptides
- Biophysical Education
Dr. Mike Messina
- Computational quantum dynamics
- H atom tunneling in enzyme-catalyzed quantum dynamics
- The coupled electron-nuclear quantum dynamics of metal-mediated dihydrogen activation
- Development of Modules for the real-time visualization of laser-molecule interactions (UV, IR)
- Development of algorithms for solving the time-dependent Schrodinger equation for long-time non-adiabatic processes
Dr. Robert Hancock
- Design and synthesis of ligands for selective complexation of metal ions and selective substrates
- Separation of metal ions in extractive metallurgical applications
- Metal ions in biomedical applications
Dr. Bart Jones
- Determination of formation constants of highly preorganized ligands with metals of interest in biochemical and nuclear energy applications using UV-Vis absorbance, fluorescence, and NMR spectroscopies.
- Examination of the participation of lanthanoid f orbitals in metal ligand bonding
- Determination of formation constants of highly preorganized low solubility ligands with lanthanoids using long path length UV-Vis absorbance
Dr. Hee-Seung Lee
- Understanding the action of cell-penetrating and antimicrobial peptides against cell-membrane via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and developing efficient cargo-delivery peptides that can bring drugs to the interior of target cell
- Understanding the catalytic activity of the binding pockets in enzymatic proteins via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations
- Investigating the nature of chemical bonding involving Lanthanides and Actinides using density functional theory (DFT) method
- Understanding the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanisms of fluorescent ion sensors using time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) method to develop efficient metal ion sensors
- DFT studies of reaction mechanism, such as electrophilic radical addition to anamine
Dr. Brooks Avery
- Global carbon cycling in the atmosphere, water column, and sediments anthropogenic and biogenic)
- Effect of global warming and sea level rise on the remineralization of organic matter in coastal and estuarine sediments
- Biogeochemical controls on methyl mercury production and flux in estuarine sediments
- Isotopic characterization of carbon to elucidate sources and cycling of organic matter
Dr. Winifred Johnson
- Microbial cycling of dissolved organic matter and its role in the marine carbon cycle
- Mass spectrometry, metabolomics, analysis of small molecules
- Emerging contaminants in aquatic coastal environments
Dr. Remington X. Poulin
- Investigating how natural products structure marine communities
- Leveraging ecological relevance of marine natural products for drug discovery
- Combinatorial mass spectrometry- and nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics
- Development of analytical methodologies for biotechnology and industrial applications
- Expansion of inclusivity in chemistry and science via expanded mentorship networks
Dr. Steve Skrabal
- Trace metals in water, sediments, biota
- Photochemistry of resuspendable sediments
- Sediment-water exchange
- Trace metal speciation in estuarine and marine waters
Dr. Wendy Strangman
- Bacterial natural product chemistry and structure elucidation
- Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics
- Harmful algal bloom toxins and new bioactive compound discovery
- Dissolved organic matter cycling on coral reefs
- Medicinal plant extract pharmacokinetics
Dr. R. Thomas Williamson
- Marine Natural Products Drug Discovery
- Development and application of new methods for molecular characterization with an emphasis on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
- Analytical method development for biotechnology and industrial applications
Dr. Nicholas Chiappini
- Leveraging the efficiency of hydrosilylation of alkenes to build carbon-element bonds from carbon-silicon bonds using both polar (2 e-) and also photoredox (1 e-) catalysis
- Developing new synthetic routes to organobismuth compounds from non-classical precursors and their use in functionalizing small molecules
- Studying fundamental oxidative and reductive organometallic reactivity of heteroleptic organobismuth compounds
- C–H bond amination in new contexts using rhodium and other transition and non-transition metal catalysts
Dr. Thomas Coombs
- Organocatalysis (using small organic molecules to catalyze chemical reactions)
- Photochemical method development employing ultraviolet and visible light
- Exploration of novel applications for organic azides
Dr. Chris Halkides
- Synthesize covalent inhibitors against aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase
- Synthesize Trojan horse inhibitors to cross microbial membranes
- Use chemical modification to mimic a labile cysteine phosphate intermediate in protein tyrosine phosphatases
- Study the role of forensic errors in wrongful convictions
Dr. Jeremy Morgan
- Student training in organic reaction development
- New catalytic methods for the synthesis of chiral, non-racemic organic molecules
- Discovery of small molecule pharmaceuticals for the treatment of human disease
- Understanding organometallic mechanism in enantioselective catalysis
Dr. Remington X. Poulin
- Investigating how natural products structure marine communities
- Leveraging ecological relevance of marine natural products for drug discovery
- Combinatorial mass spectrometry- and nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics
- Development of analytical methodologies for biotechnology and industrial applications
- Expansion of inclusivity in chemistry and science via expanded mentorship networks
Dr. Wendy Strangman
- Bacterial natural product chemistry and structure elucidation
- Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics
- Harmful algal bloom toxins and new bioactive compound discovery
- Dissolved organic matter cycling on coral reefs
- Medicinal plant extract pharmacokinetics
Dr. Sridhar Varadarajan
- Design and Investigation of site-specific DNA-damaging agents targeting cancer cells
- Developing the use of nuclear receptors for delivery of toxins to the DNA of cells
- Mechanistic investigations of DNA-damage induced cell toxicity
- Synthesis of anti-inflammatory compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases
Dr. R. Thomas Williamson
- Marine Natural Products Drug Discovery
- Development and application of new methods for molecular characterization with an emphasis on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
- Analytical method development for biotechnology and industrial applications
Dr. Antje Almeida
- Peptide-Lipid Interactions
- Antimicrobial Peptides
- Structure and Function of Lipid Bilayers
- Lipopeptide Design
Dr. Paulo Almeida
- Peptide-Lipid Interactions in Membranes
- Lipid-Lipid and Lipid-Cholesterol Interactions in Membranes
- Membrane-Active Peptides: Cell-Penetrating Peptides, Antimicrobial Peptides
- Membrane b-Barrel Proteins and Peptides
- Biophysical Education
Dr. Hee-Seung Lee
- Understanding the action of cell-penetrating and antimicrobial peptides against cell-membrane via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and developing efficient cargo-delivery peptides that can bring drugs to the interior of target cell
- Understanding the catalytic activity of the binding pockets in enzymatic proteins via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations
- Investigating the nature of chemical bonding involving Lanthanides and Actinides using density functional theory (DFT) method
- Understanding the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanisms of fluorescent ion sensors using time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) method to develop efficient metal ion sensors
- DFT studies of reaction mechanism, such as electrophilic radical addition to anamine
Dr. Mike Messina
- Computational quantum dynamics
- H atom tunneling in enzyme-catalyzed quantum dynamics
- The coupled electron-nuclear quantum dynamics of metal-mediated dihydrogen activation
- Development of Modules for the real-time visualization of laser-molecule interactions (UV, IR)
- Development of algorithms for solving the time-dependent Schrodinger equation for long-time non-adiabatic processes
Dr. Ying Wang
- Macromolecular condensation in biological systemsage-related and hereditary cataracts
- ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules
- Biopharmaceutical formulationsconcentrated therapeutic monoclonal antibody formulations
- mRNA lipid nanoparticle formulations
- dissolvable microneedle array patch (dMAP) delivery system
- Protein engineeringstructure-based design of pan-influenza vaccines
Dr. R. Thomas Williamson
- Marine Natural Products Drug Discovery
- Development and application of new methods for molecular characterization with an emphasis on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
- Analytical method development for biotechnology and industrial applications
Dr. Antje Almeida
- Peptide-Lipid Interactions
- Antimicrobial Peptides
- Structure and Function of Lipid Bilayers
- Lipopeptide Design
Dr. Andrew Andrews
- The role of histone chaperones in chromatin dynamics
- Histone acetyltransferases (Rtt109, p300 and CBP)
- Multiproduct enzymology
- Targeted quantitative mass spectrometry for enzymology
Dr. Thomas Coombs
- Organocatalysis (using small organic molecules to catalyze chemical reactions)
- Photochemical method development employing ultraviolet and visible light
- Exploration of novel applications for organic azides
Dr. Chris Halkides
- Synthesize covalent inhibitors against aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase
- Synthesize Trojan horse inhibitors to cross microbial membranes
- Use chemical modification to mimic a labile cysteine phosphate intermediate in protein tyrosine phosphatases
- Study the role of forensic errors in wrongful convictions
Dr. Hee-Seung Lee
- Understanding the action of cell-penetrating and antimicrobial peptides against cell-membrane via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and developing efficient cargo-delivery peptides that can bring drugs to the interior of target cell
- Understanding the catalytic activity of the binding pockets in enzymatic proteins via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations
- Investigating the nature of chemical bonding involving Lanthanides and Actinides using density functional theory (DFT) method
- Understanding the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanisms of fluorescent ion sensors using time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) method to develop efficient metal ion sensors
- DFT studies of reaction mechanism, such as electrophilic radical addition to anamine
Dr. Jeremy Morgan
- Student training in organic reaction development
- New catalytic methods for the synthesis of chiral, non-racemic organic molecules
- Discovery of small molecule pharmaceuticals for the treatment of human disease
- Understanding organometallic mechanism in enantioselective catalysis
Dr. Remington X. Poulin
- Investigating how natural products structure marine communities
- Leveraging ecological relevance of marine natural products for drug discovery
- Combinatorial mass spectrometry- and nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics
- Development of analytical methodologies for biotechnology and industrial applications
- Expansion of inclusivity in chemistry and science via expanded mentorship networks
Dr. Wendy Strangman
- Bacterial natural product chemistry and structure elucidation
- Mass spectrometry-based metabolomics
- Harmful algal bloom toxins and new bioactive compound discovery
- Dissolved organic matter cycling on coral reefs
- Medicinal plant extract pharmacokinetics
Dr. Sridhar Varadarajan
- Design and Investigation of site-specific DNA-damaging agents targeting cancer cells
- Developing the use of nuclear receptors for delivery of toxins to the DNA of cells
- Mechanistic investigations of DNA-damage induced cell toxicity
- Synthesis of anti-inflammatory compounds for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases
Dr. Ying Wang
- Macromolecular condensation in biological systemsage-related and hereditary cataracts
- ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules
- Biopharmaceutical formulationsconcentrated therapeutic monoclonal antibody formulations
- mRNA lipid nanoparticle formulations
- dissolvable microneedle array patch (dMAP) delivery system
- Protein engineeringstructure-based design of pan-influenza vaccines
Dr. R. Thomas Williamson
- Marine Natural Products Drug Discovery
- Development and application of new methods for molecular characterization with an emphasis on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
- Analytical method development for biotechnology and industrial applications
Staff Members
Three permanent staff members provide instrument training, maintenance and repair to CheIF.
| Instruments | Personnel | Office |
|---|---|---|
| NMR/MS | Remington Poulin | Dobo 1055A |
| Others | Richard Lancaster | Dobo 2003A |
| Technical Support | Edward Buddy (Ned) | Dobo 1051B |
For more information about how we can assist you, please drop by or e-mail one of the CheIF staff members directly. The NMR and MS facilities are locked at all time. Keys will be given to those who have trained.