Biological Chemistry
Research focuses on elucidating the structures and mechanisms of action of diverse moieties, including nanoparticles, small molecules, natural products prepared via total synthesis, metalloenzymes, and metals, in biological systems; connecting such knowledge to disease state and disease diagnosis and treatment; developing and utilizing cutting-edge chemical analytical tools to understand cellular makeup and control cellular behavior and function; and utilizing innovative methodologies to unravel intricate protein and lipid dynamic processes involving changes in structure as well as electronic state. Theoretical contributions shed new light on our understanding of dynamic chemical and biological processes.
Biological Chemistry Research Areas:
Bioinorganic Chemistry
Electronic structure and spectroscopy • metal regulation • protein crystallography • diagnostics • therapeutics • bioprogrammable materials • quantitive imaging and probe development • metalloenzyme structure and function • inorganic physiology • biological proton transfer
Hoffman, Meade, Mirkin, O'Halloran, Rosenzweig
Bioorganic Chemistry
Molecular mechanisms of action, design and syntheses of bioactive small-molecules • neurodegenerative diseases • proteomics • bioorganic chemistry • natural product bio- synthesis and discovery • cell adhesion
Farha, Gianneschi, Kelleher, Kelley, Mrksich, Nguyen, Scheidt,
Stupp, Thomson, Zhang
Biophysical Chemistry
Electronic, magnetic, and structural properties of metalloenzymes using advanced electron spin resonance (EPR) and X-ray absorption/scattering techniques • electronic structure and dynamics of photosynthetic proteins during energy and electron transfer • utilizing quantum coherent effects in biohybrid materials • lipid bilayer-nanoparticle interactions • protein folding
Chen, Geiger, Gingrich, Hoffman, Kelley, Odom, Rosenzweig, Tempelaar, Wasielewski
Theory & Computation
Fundamental treatment of coherence processes • highly accurate wave function methods • time-dependent dynamical studies • control of chemical reactions • structure and function of biological membranes
Gingrich, Olvera de la Cruz, Schatz, Seideman, Szleifer, Tempelaar
Total Synthesis & Method Development
Natural product synthesis • alkaloids • polyketides • polycyclic molecules • organocatalysis • asymmetric catalysis • organometallic chemistry • polymers • new reaction discovery and development
Dichtel, Kalow, Malapit, Marks, Nguyen, Scheidt, Thomson