Research Areas
organic; organometallic; synthesis
Research in our lab is directed at the development of new synthetic methodology to address difficulties in target-oriented synthesis. To control specificity, nature has evolved enzymes that perform chemical reactions with exquisite chemo- diastereo- and enantioselectivity. Our goal is to develop new small molecule catalysts that exhibit synthetically useful levels of selectivity in new chemical transformations. The significance of this work lies in its application to synthesis. Particular attention is given to bioactive natural products with interesting molecular architecture, wherein the objective is to develop efficient synthetic strategies that facilitate extensive structural modifications to probe biological activity. Students in our group will be exposed to the full repertoire of reactions and learn the analytical skills to plan, execute, and optimize reaction sequences.
Research Areas
biochemistry; organic; synthesis
Structurally complex natural products, such as the medicinally relevant antibiotics vancomycin and erthromycin, are biosynthesized by large, macromolecular enzyme assemblies. These assemblies frequently orchestrate difficult and interesting chemical transformations t construct diverse molecular scaffolds. Our research group will use the tools of synthetic organic chemistry, enzymology and structural biology to dissect the mechanism of these systems. A detailed understanding of the biosynthesis of natural products will be extended to the development of new synthetic methodology and to the engineering of biological systems to produce novel molecules with desired properties.
Research Areas
nanochemistry; organic; polymer; synthesis
Research in my laboratory uses organic synthesis, physical organic chemistry, spectroscopic methods, and computation to design, prepare, and study novel organic molecules that show unique and useful behavior. In this context we are particularly interested in predicting and controlling properties that emerge when individual molecules aggregate, by weak noncovalent interactions, in solution. The phenomenon is called “self-assembly,” and it is a process borrowed from nature to achieve complexity rapidly and reversibly (e.g., assembly of the DNA duplex or binding of a receptor to its enzymatic target). It is also the central theme of supramolecular chemistry, an established field that studies chemistry “beyond the molecule.” Our specific areas of interest and expertise include: stereoelectronic effects in supramolecular chemistry, construction of novel donor-acceptor molecules with useful electronic or optical properties, functional molecules (for materials and/or sensing applications) from biorelevant building blocks, and molecular-based strategies to novel therapeutics.
Research Areas
biochemistry; biophysical; organic; physical; polymer; theoretical
Professor Colina was a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was previously a faculty member at Simán Bolívar University and joined the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University as Associate Professor in January 2007. She won the 1999 Award for Outstanding Teaching Achievement (at the Assistant Professor level) at Simán Bolívar University, as well as several other awards from the Venezuelan’s National Committees from the Development of Higher Education and for the Academic Advancement.
Coray has several international collaborations and has presented the results of her research globally in more than 100 national and international conferences. She has published over 51 papers (including conference proceedings).
Research Areas
organic
One of the main goals that I have is to improve the educational experience that our students have in organic chemistry. As faculty coordinator of the organic chemistry laboratory program, I have the opportunity to introduce students to the many exciting aspects of organic chemistry while reinforcing the material they learn in their lecture courses. I am also interested in designing laboratory experiments that help students see how organic chemistry is connected to other aspects of their lives, including health and well-being, medicine, and materials.
Research Areas
biochemistry; organic; physical; research faculty
Dr. Eddy earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from Oberlin College, where he carried out biophysical studies under the guidance of Professor Manish Mehta to understand mechanisms of solvent-induced mechanisms of polypeptide structural changes observed by solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
During his PhD, Dr. Eddy worked in the laboratory of Professor Robert Griffin in the Department of Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). There, his research focused on the development of techniques to study the structures and activities of membrane proteins in native-like environments using solid state NMR spectroscopy. In particular, Dr. Eddy used magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR to study the structure and activity of the human voltage dependent anion channel (VDAC) directly in a lipid bilayer environment that mimicked the cellular membrane.
For his postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Eddy worked jointly in the laboratories of Professor Raymond Stevens and Nobel Laureate Kurt Wüthrich at The Scripps Research Institute. Dr. Eddy’s postdoc work developed novel methods for studying function-related dynamics of human G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in solution by NMR.
Dr. Eddy came to the University of Florida in the fall of 2018. His lab studies the structures and activities of human GPCRs in contexts that closely mimic the cellular environment and also directly in cells. The focus of the lab is to apply an integrative structural biology approach to unravel the effects of the cellular environment on GPCR function in cells.
Awards
2014 NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (declined)
2014-2017 American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Research Areas
nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; organic; scientist
Applications of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is the most powerful method for elucidation of the structure of organic compounds, and most of our research involves collaborations in which we find out what compounds have been obtained in a particular reaction, or isolated from a natural source. We use dynamic NMR and molecular modeling to study the conformational equilibria of small molecules. Other applications are based on the measurement of diffusion coefficients by NMR.
Research Areas
organic; synthesis
Natural products are prized for the potential as pharmaceutical agents. A common bottleneck toward their application in disease treatment is their limited natural abundance and/or inefficient laboratory synthesis.
The Grenning research laboratory aims to design new complexity-generating chemical reactions inspired by bioactive natural products. This strategy will provide rapid access to a variety of structurally complex bioactive molecules with high step-economy. We plan to utilize the reactions developed to prepare collections of natural product inspired molecules and gain insight into their biological activities.
Research Areas
biochemistry; organic; synthesis
Research Areas
biochemistry; organic; research faculty
We integrate tools in organic synthesis, enzymology, molecular biology, andcomputational methods to unravel complex biomolecular interactions and events. One ofour interest areas is carbohydrate chemistry and biochemistry. For example we haveapplied kinetic isotope effects to understand glycosyltransferase mechanisms. A newproject area is focused on study of the biosynthesis of azasugars. These compounds arewell known glycosidase inhibitors that feature a nitrogen atom in the ring, rather thanoxygen. How and why these compounds are produced in bacteria and plants is an ongoingquestion we are investigating. In another project area, we chemically synthesize newprobes and use homology modeling to define structural, functional, and selectivityfeatures of the ligand binding domain within the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Thisis part of a long standing collaboration with Dr. Roger Papke of the University ofFlorida Pharmacology Department.
Research Areas
inorganic; nanochemistry; organic; organometallic; synthesis
Our research involves applications of organometallic chemistry to problems in materials deposition. Recent areas of research include chemical vapor deposition of inorganic films that are of interest for manufacture of semiconductor devices and OLEDs, organometallic precursors for electron beam-induced deposition of nanostructures, and precursors for photochemical metallization of thermally sensitive organic electronics.
Research Areas
organic; organometallic; polymer; synthesis
Our research group is focused on the synthesis and characterization of novel polymers. Two main research areas are explored.
The synthesis of new polymers from readily available biorenewable feedstocks with the specific intent of mimicking commodity thermoplastics. We use chemical approaches to innovate new polymers, focusing on the origin (birth), properties (life), and degradation (death) of eco-friendly and sustainable materials. By incorporating less-studied functional groups into the polymer chain, novel polymer behaviors can be effected. For example, water-degradable polymers can be constructed that do not require the more stringent conditions of biodegradation.
Prof. Miller appears on TV20 to discuss Plastics from Wood
The development of organometallic, single-site catalysts for the polymerization of olefins to polyolefins having novel structure and properties. The catalytic behavior of single-site catalysts can be precisely tuned to afford interesting and commercially promising materials from simple and inexpensive olefins. We target syndiotactic polymers, branched-polyethylene, elastomeric polyolefins, and a variety of copolymers that can only be achieved with carefully engineered organometallic catalysts.
Research Areas
organic
Research Areas
biochemistry; organic; research faculty
Natural Products Discovery, Biosynthesis, Enzymology, and Engineering
Our group works on discovering novel natural products from bacteria, understanding how they are made, and how they can be utilized and engineered for human health. Natural products are the most chemically and structurally diverse naturally-occurring small molecules, have diverse roles in nature, and are the most successful class of drugs. Genome sequencing projects revealed that bacteria possess the potential to create (essentially) an unlimited number of new natural products. These natural products require undiscovered pathways and enzymes to biosynthesize them, providing opportunities to biochemically characterize unique enzymes. Research in our group is very multidisciplinary; students receive training in microbiology, genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, metabolomics, chemistry, biosynthesis, and enzymology.
Education and Training
2003–2007: B.S. Biochemistry, Walla Walla University
2007–2013: Ph.D. (Chemistry), University of Utah (lab of C. Dale Poulter)
2013–2018: Postdoctoral Fellow, Scripps Research, (lab of Ben Shen)
Research Areas
organic; synthesis
Daniel Seidel is joining the faculty of the Department of Chemistry in August, 2017, as Professor of Chemistry. Professor Seidel has an international reputation in the area of synthetic organic chemistry, his interests focusing mainly on synthesis and catalysis with an emphasis on nitrogen containing compounds The broad interests of his research group are consistent with the Department’s initiative to increase visibility in the area of discovery chemistry. Dr. Seidel has published over 90 peer-reviewed papers. Among other honors, he has been an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, a Humboldt Research Fellow and a Fellow of the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science.
Research Areas
biochemistry; organic; synthesis
We develop new methods for asymmetric organic synthesis based on enzymes. These efforts include the discovery of novel enzymes by computational and experimental approaches, the development of strategies to rapidly assess their catalytic properties, their applications to organic synthesis and solving problems associated with reaction scale-up.
A second part of our research focuses on developing “smart” nanostructures that assemble and disassemble in response to environmental cues. This project is a collaboration with groups in the Department of Chemistry (Martin) and the Department of Anesthesiology (Dennis and Rogers). We combine our expertise in synthesis and biochemistry with our collaborators’ strengths in nanotechnology and medicine.
Research Areas
nanochemistry; organic; polymer; synthesis
We are interested in materials composed of well-defined polymers with selected functionality, composition, and molecular architecture. Particular focus is on water-soluble polymers that are stimuli-responsive. Such “smart” polymers have the ability to self-assemble or dissociate in solution in response to changes in their surroundings. Potential target applications include controlled and targeted drug delivery, surface modification, and self-healing materials. Our interests are at the interface of bio-, organic, nano-, and polymer chemistry, with particular focus on fusing the fields to prepare materials with synergistic properties.
1.Functional polymer synthesis and efficient polymer modification via specific and orthogonal methodologies. A significant effort is dedicated to devising new synthetic routes to functional macromolecules. In addition to relying on living/controlled radical polymerization techniques to prepare polymers of controlled molecular weight and retained end group functionality, highly efficient postpolymerization modification is required to incorporate functionality not easily included in monomer, initiator, or chain transfer agents. Many chemical transformations employed in organic synthesis do not demonstrate the same degree of efficiency and orthogonality when used for functionalization of high molecular weight macromolecules. Therefore, a significant effort in our group has involved the extension of “click chemistry” methodologies for functional polymer synthesis.
2.Stimuli-responsive water-soluble block copolymers. The solution behavior of polymers that exhibit “smart” behavior in aqueous media is being investigated. Responsive block copolymers can be induced to form micelles, vesicles, or gels, and may ultimately lead to new applications in controlled drug delivery, tissue engineering, and surface biocompatibilization.
3.Dynamic-covalent macromolecular materials. By constructing macromolecular assemblies with linkages that are reversibly covalent, we prepare new materials with the ability to adapt their structure, constitution, and reactivity depending on the nature of the surrounding environment. Reversibility being a key attribute, these systems offer versatility typically associated with supramolecular materials (dynamic rearrangement, self-assembly, self-repair, etc.), while maintaining the integrity and robust nature of covalently formed polymers. Materials constructed via covalent bonds that can be triggered to dissociate in response to specific chemical stimuli include smart nanoparticles, organogels, and self-healing coatings.
4.Smart polymer-protein bioconjugates. Modifying biological molecules with “smart” polymers provides a means to externally control the solubility and activity of proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids. Examples of such hybrid materials include polymer-protein conjugates in which the activity, stability, or solubility of the protein can be tuned by capitalizing on the responsive nature of the immobilized synthetic polymer.
Research Areas
organic; polymer; synthesis
The common theme that defines our research relates to synthetic polymer chemistry and how it might be used in creating well defined polymer structures. A large part of our work is devoted metathesis reactions, where the research has been mechanistic in nature. We immerse ourselves in the chemistry associated with creating new polymers, and we also find ourselves interested in modeling well known materials, like polyethylene, to better understand their behavior.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
University of Florida, Gainesville. George B. Butler Professor of Polymer Chemistry and Director, Center for Macromolecular Science and Engineering. Teaching, research, and administration related to organic and polymer chemistry. Research group pioneered acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization, engaged in synthesis of precision model polymers for polyolefins, biologically directed polymers, morphological investigation of fuel cell membrane polymers, preparation of latent silicon elastomer structures. Joined faculty as Associate Professor of Chemistry in 1984. ADMET reaction now found in textbooks, internationally recognized as an integral part of poly-mer chemistry. 110 Students (undergrad, grad, and postdoc) have passed through research group to date.
Akzo Nobel nv, American Enka Research, Enka, NC. 1973 – 1984. Research Department Head and Technical Director. Directed activities related to polymerizations and structure/property determinations – research in medical membranes, nylon, polyester & cellulose fibers, biopolymers, polymerization catalysis, conductive polymers, poly-mer decomposition, and NMMO solvents for cellulose. Employed in various positions within this Dutch & German corporation. Continuous consulting in Europe with Akzo Nobel and sister companies the past 25 years.
Promoted four times during this eleven year period (Research Department Head; Membrane Research Section Head; Research Scientist, Polymers; Senior Research Chemist) – served as Technical Director /Membrana, Inc. (an AKZO new venture in California), the last position I held prior to entering academics.
University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC 1975 – 1984 Adjunct Professor of Chemistry. Evening teaching of organic and polymer courses (two courses each year) while working at Akzo Nobel during the day.
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