Proposals in Progress

PI Xiaohu Xia (Chem), “Facile Removal of Surface Ligands from Supported Platinum-Group Metallic Nanocrystals,” American Chemical Society

PI Loredana Valenzano (Chem), “Bringing New Efficiencies in Petroleum Refining Processes: A Quantum Chemical Investigation of Novel Porous Materials and Metal Oxide Surfaces for Olefin and Paraffin Separation,” American Chemical Society

PI Lanrong Bi (Chem/BRC), “Buckyballs-Based Mitochondrial Drug Delivery System for the Prevention and Treatment of Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury,” US Department of Health and Human Services, NIH

PI Marina Tanasova (Chem), “Discovering Probes to Overcome Cancer Resistence to DNA Alkylating Chemotherapy by High Throughput Evaluation of Polymerase Inhibition,” US Department of Health and Human Services, NIH

PI Lanrong Bi (Chem/BRC) and Co-PI Qinghui Chen (KIP/BRC), “Target Mitochondrial Fusion Process: Engineering of a Nanoparticals-Based Mitochondrial Drug Delivery Platform,” US Department of Health and Human Services-NIH

PI Martin Thompson (Chem), “Development of a Biological Platform to Study Histone Modifications,” NSF

PI Lynn Mazzoleni and Co-PI Marina Tanasova (Chem), “Collaborative Research: The Role of Inorganic Salts in Functionalization and Fragmentation of Isoprene Oxidation Product—A Molecular-Level Investigation,” NSF

PI Tarun Dam (Chem), “Role of Glycoconjugate Scaffolds in Lectin Recognition,” NSF

PI Haiying Liu and Co-PI Ashutosh Tiwari (Chem), ” BODIPY-Based Ratiometric Near-Infared Fluorescent Probes for Zinc(II) and Active Oxygen Species,” NSF

Proposals in Progress

Haiying Liu (Chem), “Point-of-Care Rapid Detection by Label Free Cell and Nucleic Acid Assays,” Oakland Univeristy

Lynn Mazzoleni (Chem), “Collaborative Research: Nitrogen Partitioning and Evolution of Particulate Organic Nitrogen in Peat Fire Emissions,” National Science Foundation

Rudy Luck (Chem), “SusChEM: Using Abundant First Row Transition Metals to Accomplish Cross-Coupling for the Synthesis of Specific Drugs,” National Science Foundation

BRC Travel Awards for Fall 2014

The Biotechnology Research Center has announced its fall 2014 Travel Awards. The award recipients follow:
Post-doctoral Research Scientist Presentation
Sachin Teotia (Bio Sci), Plant and Animal Genome XXIII Conference (poster)
Lijun Zhang (Bio Med), TERMIS–AM 2014 (podium)

Graduate Student Presentations
Suntara Fueangfung (Chem), 248th ACS National Meeting and Exposition (poster)
Maria Gencoglu (ChE), 2014 AIChe Annual Meeting (podium)
Maryam Khaksari (ChE), SciX 2014 (podium)
Hao Meng (Bio Med), BMES 2014 Annual Meeting (poster)
Sandra Owusu (SFRES), IUFRO World Congress (poster)
Durga Pokharel (Chem), 248th ACS National Meeting and Exposition (poster)
Yu Wang (Bio Med), IEEE International Ultrasound Symposium (poster)
Jingtuo Zhang (Chem), 248th ACS National Meeting and Exposition (poster)<
Undergraduate Student Presentation
Mitchell Tahtinen (Bio Med), 2014 BMES Annual Meeting (poster)

In Print

Postdoctoral associate Shilei Zhu, graduate student Jingtuo Zhang, postdoctoral associate Jagadeesh Janjanam, graduate student Giri Vegesna, assistant professor Ashutosh Tiwari, professor Haiying Liu (Chem), et al. published a paper titled “Highly Water-Soluble BODIPY-Based Fluorescent Probes for Sensitive Fluorescent Sensing of Zinc (II)” in Journal of Materials Chemistry B. This paper has been named one of the Most Accessed Manuscripts for Journal of Materials Chemistry B for 2013.

Graduate students Giri K. Vegesna, Jianheng Bi, Jingtuo Zhang, postdoctoral associate Jagadeesh Janjanam, undergraduate student Connor Olds, Assistant Professor Ashutosh Tiwari, Professor Haiying Liu (Chem), et al published a paper titled “.pH-Activatable Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probes for Detection of Lysosomal pH Inside Living Cells” in Journal of Materials Chemistry B.

Professor Haiying Liu (Chem), et al. published a paper titled “Interfacial Charge Transfer Events of BODIPY Molecules: Single Molecule Spectroelectrochemistry and Substrate Effects” in Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics.

Chemistry Doctoral Student Suntara Fueangfung

Chemistry doctoral student Suntara Fueangfung (advisor: Associate Professor Shiyue Fang) was recognized at the Sigma Xi 2014 International Research Conference earlier this month. Fueangfung’s research poster presentation, “Purification of Synthetic Oligodeoxynucleotides via Catching by Polymerization,” was rated superior in the Chemistry Graduate Division.

The award for superior-rated presentations includes being nominated for membership by the Sigma Xi Board of Directors, payment of the initiation fee and the first year’s dues and a medal. Fueangfung will graduate from Michigan Tech this December.

For more information visit the Sigma Xi website.

Xiaohu Xia joins the Department of Chemistry as an Assistant Professor

Xiaohu Xia, PhD
Xiaohu Xia joins the Department of Chemistry as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Xia has a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a bachelor’s in biotechnology from Xiamen University in China.

Xia’s research interests are development of novel nanomaterials with well-controlled shapes and enhanced properties, and biomedical and catalytic applications of advanced nanomaterials. He has been published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Advanced Materials, and Frontiers of Physics.

Lake Superior’s History and Future

 

On Tuesday, Nov. 18, Professor Sarah Green, expert on Lake Superior, will lead a discussion titled “Lake Superior’s History and Future,” at the Carnegie Museum. Refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m., with the discussion following at 7 p.m.

The event is part of a monthly series of sessions on the Geoheritage and Natural History of the Keweenaw, at the Carnegie Museum in Houghton. The discussions are aimed at the general public, but discuss current research and science.

A New Biomimetic Approach to Superhydrophobic Nanocomposite Coating Materials Inspired by Natural Materials (Lotus Leaf and Duck Feather)

Soha M. Albukhari (Advisor: Dr. Patricia Heiden)

Doctoral Student, Department of Chemistry, Michigan Technological University

November  17, 2014 – 8:30 am – Fisher Hall, Room 126

Abstract:

This proposal describes a novel approach to create of superhydrophobic polymeric nanocoating materials, inspired by the water-repellant properties in two natural materials, lotus leaves and duck feathers. The process combines simple synthetic techniques with coaxial electrospinning and ultrasonication techniques to form a novel, reinforced superhydrophobic and self-cleaning coating on a glass substrate. To accomplish this we prepare a PMMA-grafted graphene suspension and a fluorinated silica nanoparticle suspension. These two fluids were used in coaxial electrospinning to produce a novel core-sheath nanofiber coating material with a dual superhydrophobic structure that mimics the critical structures in duck feathers and lotus leaves. These features are expected to give nanocomposite micro-nano core-sheath fibers that will impart superhydrophobic properties by increasing the water contact angle (CA) to more than 150º, and give a self-cleaning surface by having a water roll-off angle of less than 10º. These values are also expected to make the surface resistant to icing. Such a dual biomimetic structure has never been produced before, and by combining these features we will be able to study how these two differently functioning structures interact. The basic purpose of the PMMA-graphene core is to fill the air space in the micro-nano helix of the core-sheath nanocomposite by forming a cushion on the fiber-water interface, decreasing its surface wettability. Moreover, graphene electro-conductivity provides anti-icing properties and adds mechanical strength to the coating, so if the sheath layer fails, the graphene layer will still function independently. Studying this new dual-mimetic material may reveal new information about morphology and nanostructures that impart superhydrophobicity, which has value for coating applications such as airplane wings, sidewalks, car windshields, runways, and roads.

Title: Applications of Quantum Chemical Methods to Atmospheric Reactions

Dr. Heather A. Rypkema

Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences

University of Michigan

 

November 14, 2014  

3:00 pm Chemical Sciences Building~ Room 101

Abstract:

Quantum chemical methods have a broad-ranging capacity toward informing our understanding of molecular transformations in a variety of environments, including the chemistry of the atmosphere. Specifically, these applications include kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of chemical reactions, evaluation of competing reaction channels, and the theoretical validation of postulated chemical mechanisms. This presentation provides a survey quantum chemistry as applied to a number of atmospherically relevant studies. The full atmospheric oxidation profile of peroxyacetic acid predicts the likely fate of a prevalent atmospheric species while postulating a new source of reactive species not represented in current models. The direct and catalyzed hydration of formic acid and acetaldehyde provide a mechanism for the formation of hygroscopic molecules capable of initiating cloud formation and the production of SOA. Diabatic excited states can be used to predict the relative reactivity among atom-transfer reactions, which are particularly significant in a hydroxyl-rich environment. A mechanism for the proliferation of atmospheric hydroxyl radical through the atmospheric oxidation of cyclical alkanes provides a possible explanation for the discrepancy between predicted and measured OH levels in the troposphere. Cumulatively, these studies will demonstrate the diverse applications of theoretical quantum chemistry in enhancing our understanding of atmospheric chemistry.