IN GENERAL:

    My research concentrates on the interface of biochemistry and bioorganic chemistry with the practical applications of forensics, gerontology, and cancer studies.  In particular, I am interested in the detection of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in beverages, evaluation of DNA repair capacity in aging or cancerous human cells, and different educational aspects of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) studies.  I'm also involved in collaborative research dealing with the effects of drugs on insulin production in pancreatic cells, with the NMR studies of methyl-glycosides, and  with the single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT's) interactions with DNA.
    As a graduate and postdoctoral student, and later, as a teacher, I learned that it is extremely important to diversify one’s interests in research and, for the undergraduate level, to choose projects appropriate for young researchers that are expected to yield results and give a sense of completion and satisfaction.  Thus, I design short projects for my undergraduate students while achieving goals of long-term projects.

NEW PROJECTS AVAILABLE!

1) Development of a highly specific enzymatic assay for the date rape drug GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) detection. This involves purification of enzymes, cloning, antibody development, etc.  It's a huge project with all level positions available. Dr. MacKenzie (Biology) is collaborating in this project.

2) Study of DNA repair capacity in lymphocytes and its relevance to the aging process to cancer development in humans. We are in the process of buying instrumentation.  Literature research is appropriate.

3) Study of effects of novel drugs on insulin production levels by mouse and human pancreatic cells.  Dr. Kadima is a PI of this project.  We are helping her to determine the bioefficiency of extracts from plants from the DR of Congo and study the potential targets of these new drugs.

4)  Development of an external assay for the detection of cortisol levels in stressed animals.  It's a collaborative project with Drs. Chepko-Sade and MacKenzie (Biology).


5) Synthesis of DNA conjugates that might improve triplex DNA formation for a possible drug development.

6) Glycosidation of carbohydrates: H and C13 NMR and a simple glycosidation reaction; this may lead to a biochemistry laboratory experiment development. In collaboration with Dr. Bruch.

7) Development of a sequence of biochemistry labs involving Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH).

8) Purification of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT's) and their interaction with DNA. In collaboration with I. Ivanov (University of Tennessee).

9) Establishment of a new HPLC system and its application to size-exclusion chromatography for the biochemistry laboratory.

10) Work study.  If you qualify for it please see me or any other Professor. I'll be happy to help you to find a job in the department of Chemistry. We often need help, and working in this field looks great on your resume.


Long-term projects

I.  The development of rapid qualitative analysis for gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in casual drinks and biological fluids that can be used as a preventive measure or a detection assay following an assault or when treating an abuse case in an emergency care setting
       
    The proposed project is designed to prevent date rape by initiating the development of a publicly available, simple, but highly specific test for the presence of the drug GHB in beverages, prior to their consumption.  Additionally, this test might be used as a detection assay following an assault, or for the treatment of an abuse case in an emergency care setting.  Although tests have been developed for the detection of GHB in beverages or bodily fluids, they all use very expensive instrumentation and are not available to the general public.  The proposed project shall develop an assay that would specifically detect GHB by a simple color change of a test solution.
   
II. DNA repair capacity in human cells and its implications on aging and cancer development

    I have information about a grant to “stimulate and support investigator-initiated research that will provide data to enhance our understanding of the role of dietary modulators and nutritional factors in the molecular control of reactive oxygen species in initiation and progression of environmentally induced disease processes.”  I propose to study the capability of dietary antioxidants to inhibit or scavenge radical production in cells and tissues under various exposures to environmental agents, pro-oxidants, and antioxidants.  The exposure of cells to reactive oxygen species will be created by the UV irradiation of Rose Bengal.  I propose to study the DNA repair capacity in human lymphocytes under the conditions described above.  This project has huge implications and could be connected to the studies of aging in humans and the studies of cancer development in human cells with decreased DNA repair capacity.  The method of study has been recently developed by my collaborators to avoid radioactive labeling and involves measurements of luminescence.  It is my hope to start this of study of DNA repair capacity in human lymphocytes as soon as the new Science Building is constructed.

Short-term projects

    I.  The first one is a project that involved four students, each performing three different Grignard reactions, each starting with different bromoarenes, thus yielding 12 different secondary alcohols.  These were to be linked via a tether to the standard phosphoramidite and incorporated into DNA in order to improve its resistance to DNAses and increase binding to a duplex DNA.  If a student interested in bioorganic chemistry approaches me about research, this would be a project for him/her to tackle.


    II.  A second bioorganic project will involve the development of an interesting biochemistry lab that interfaces nicely with organic synthesis and the concepts of kinetic and thermodynamic control of reactions.  It requires NMR.  The project deals with a timed reaction of preparation of methyl glycosides from different carbohydrates in acidic media.  I have nice preliminary results and a collaborator who is willing to teach you to run NMR samples, if necessary.  This project is reasonably short and could yield a publication in the Journal of Chemical Education.
    
    III.  A student helped me about a year ago to begin working out problems with the size exclusion chromatography that we encountered in the undergraduate laboratory.  She did not finish the project.  This could be a third small project for a student interested in a short project that is very likely to give nice results for a local meeting or a poster.

    IV.  A class of 5 students was working on 2 short research projects in the biochemistry laboratory as part of their curriculum involving different aspects of kinetics, structure, inhibitors, and stability of alcohol dehydrogenase from different tissues and species.  ADH is known to be responsible for causing headaches to irresponsible individuals by converting ethanol from drinks to damaging acetaldehyde.  Students made group posters and wrote individual reports discussing their results and tried to prove that the results were reliable and reproducible.  There is a pedagogical advantage to experiments centered around one enzyme as opposed to published traditional experiments.  When a group of scientists make the decision to study a certain enzyme, they purify it, analyze it, and study its properties.  In this particular case, our undergraduates purify and “discover” the properties of ADH, an enzyme of great interest to them and perhaps to a wider audience.  The process of working with a single enzyme is similar to real-life situations that students are likely to encounter later in their careers.

V.  Have you heard of the nanotechnology?  It's a brand new hot area of research, and there is an urgent need of a rapid purification process for SWCNT's (single wall carbon nanotubes).  The interactions of these nanodevices with the single stranded DNA ( once the purification method is developed) is the topic of this exciting study.  This could be a long-term project as well.

If any of these projects piqued your interest, please schedule a meeting by sending me a quick note via e-mail.  I am interested in students who are strongly committed to completing a project.

 Last Updated 8/13/05