Research Interests of the Chemistry Department
Investigative research lies at the heart of all of the experimental sciences. In chemistry, research can take many forms, from synthesizing compounds to building computational models or gathering and analyzing data using a wide variety of instruments and techniques. If you are interested in learning more about what chemists really do, joining a research group and taking on an independent research project is an excellent place to start!
| Analytical | Biochemistry | Inorganic | Organic | Physical | Polymer |
| Machado Opdahl Rolfhus |
Grunwald Weaver |
Bryan Kirsch McGaff |
Czerwinski Monte Mortell |
Beyer Kirsch Loh |
Miller |
Analytical Chemistry
Dr. Ressano DeSouza-Machado
I am seeking to develop capabilities to measure absolute molecular weights and "sizes" of macromolecules in solution. The macromolecules could be biological in nature such as proteins, or man-made as polymers. To elucidate the information, we will employ multiangle light scattering (MALS). I would also like to extend an invitation to those students who would like to tinker with instrumentation, to work with me in improving our current offerings as experiments in upper level chemistry courses. E-mail me for additional information.
Dr. Aric Opdahl
Interests: Chemistry at surfaces and interfaces; surface spectroscopy and microscopy; biosensor design; mechanical behavior of thin films; molecular assembly at interfaces. For additional information e-mail Dr. Opdahl.
Dr. Kris Rolfhus
My research interests are focused in environmental chemistry, particularly the geochemical cycling and reactivity of toxic heavy metals with significant human health effects such as mercury and arsenic. Currently, I am working with Canadian scientists to evaluate the effects of hydroelectric reservoir creation and seasonal flooding events on the microbial synthesis of methylmercury, a potent human neurotoxin. I am also studying the speciation and distribution of mercury in Lake Superior and its tributaries, as well as in the Voyageurs National Park region of northern Minnesota. These metals exist in extremely small quantities in the environment, such that contamination-free sample collection and analytical techniques are applied, as well as the use of a dedicated "clean room" facility. For additional information, e-mail me, or visit my website.
Return To Top
Biochemistry
Dr. Sandy Grunwald
My research program focuses on the study of the relationship between metalloproteins. The current project is characterizing the relationship between the iron-storage protein, ferritin, and iron-containing protein, nitrogenase, in the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii. Since I use bacteria as a model system to study meltaaloproteins, this project is well-suited for students interested in biochemistry or microbiology. E-mail me for additional information.
Dr. Todd Weaver
Research in my laboratory is focused in two main areas. The first area of research uses the hemolysin system from Proteus mirabilis to characterize the activation of bacterial toxins during pore formation. The overall goal of this project aims to characterize the structural differences between the secreted (active) and non-secreted (inactive) forms of hemolysin A. The second area of research aims to characterize the recruitment of low-barrier hydrogen bonds during enzyme catalysis. We have numerous mutant forms of fumarase C and in the process of collecting steady-state kinetic and X-ray diffraction data on each form. E-mail me for additional information.
Return To Top
Research Interests of Faculty in the Biochemistry Major Program
Inorganic Chemistry
Dr. Jeff C. Bryan
My research interests involve the design and synthesis of new inorganic compounds that may also serve as radiopharmaceutical. Radiopharmaceuticals are compounds labeled with a radioactive element. the radioactivity can be used for diagnostic procedures much like x-rays, or as a therapeutic agent to kill tumor cells. The compound surrounding the radionuclide can be carefully crafted so that it concentrates in specific areas of the body. Current efforts include the preparation of new rhenium and technetium compounds from aqueous solutions, and design of novel ligands for strontium, yttrium and indium. For additional information, e-mail me or drop by my office in 441 Cowley Hall.
Dr. Janet Kirsch
My research uses different computational techniques to answer fundamental questions about the bonding in solids and on surfaces. I am particularly interested in developing explanations, based on bonding theories, for the ways in which different surfaces reconstruct. E-mail me for additional information.
Dr. Rob McGaff
Research in my group is focused on finding rational synthetic routes to extended solid-state compounds in response to technological demands for such materials. We concentrate on the synthesis of transition metal compounds that are constructed by linking metal atoms with multifunctional ligands, which are chemical entities that can attach to two different metals at the same time, thus connecting them. We are particularly interested in nitriles and borate fragments as potential ligands for linking transition metals, concentrating especially on rhenium, nickel, copper, platinum, vanadium, and chromium. E-mail me for additional information.
Return To Top
Organic Chemistry
Dr. Curt Czerwinski
My research interests are in the area of organometallic chemistry, specifically as related to the synthesis of molecules that mimic industrial catalysts and the discovery of new organometallic reactions. Organometallic chemistry targets the interface between organic chemistry, the study of carbon-based molecules, and inorganic chemistry, the study of metals like chromium, tungsten, and iron. Combining these two areas involves synthesizing new molecules that have metal-carbon bonds and exploring reactions otherwise unavailable in traditional organic or inorganic chemistry. My research group synthesizes air-sensitive organometallic molecules using equipment that allows for manipulation of chemicals without exposing them to air, and studies the structure and rearrangement mechanisms of these molecules using infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. E-mail me for additional information.
Dr. Aaron Monte
My research interests lie in two main areas of medicinal chemistry:
1. Structure-Activity Relationships (SAR) of Psychedelic Agents. Novel drug molecules are synthesized using standard organic chemistry methods with the goal of better understanding the structure and function of serotonin receptor proteins and the roles serotonin plays in normal brain biochemistry, mental dysfunction, and human consciousness in general.
2. Discovery of Novel Drug Molecules from Herbal Remedies. In this area we seek to extract, purify, and characterize the biologically active molecules (“drugs”) present in a variety of traditional medicinal plants. The ultimate goal is to discover new antibiotic, and other, drug therapies (interdisciplinary research with biology and microbiology departments). E-mail me for additional information.
Dr. Heather Mortell
My research interests lie in structural organic chemistry. (1) Effect of chirality on iron affinity in designed iron ligands (siderophores). Siderophores are biomolecules used by bacteria, fungi, and algae to obtain iron needed for growth. Native siderophores show extremely high association constants, which aid microbes in obtaining scarce ferric iron. However, little is known about the effect of chirality on binding affinity. My lab is designing synthetic siderophores to explore effects of chirality and other structural features on iron affinity. (2) I am also exploring the mechanism of action of Adriamycin®, a widely-used anti-tumor agent. Current mechanistic studies do not fully explain other observations about the activities of structural analogs; a new proposal about this drug's mechanism of action is under examination in my lab. E-mail me for more information.
Return To Top
Physical Chemistry
Dr. Keith Beyer
My research interests involve the formation of atmospheric clouds as governed by phase diagram thermodynamics. The formation of cirrus clouds in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere are my current interest. Cloud formation at this level impacts global climate and can have an impact on atmospheric chemical reactions through chemistry that occurs at the surfaces of these particles. My current NSF grant supports research on the impact of inorganic and organic chemicals on the freezing of particles that lead to cirrus cloud formation. E-mail me for additional information.
Dr. Janet Kirsch
My research uses different computational techniques to answer fundamental questions about the bonding in solids and on surfaces. I am particularly interested in developing explanations, based on bonding theories, for the ways in which different surfaces reconstruct. E-mail me for additional information.
Dr. Adrienne Loh
My research program is centered on peptide and protein structure and dynamics. The way that a given protein functions is governed by its shape (its structure) and the way that it moves (its dynamics). We are using short helical peptides as models of large proteins. Students in my group have the opportunity to synthesize the molecules of interest, then characterize the structure and flexibility of their peptides using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. For further information, e-mail me, stop by my office, 4016 Cowley Hall.
Return To Top
Polymer Chemistry
Dr. Paul Miller
The focus of my research is in the area of polymer chemistry. More specifically, my interest is in the physical and chemical behavior of polymer colloids (latexes) as well as their potential applications. By altering the chemical composition of the latex, we can "tune" the latex to be more or less compatible with certain substrates. Also, we can build catalytic sites into the latex particles, which can increase their activity and lead to new applications. Here at UW-La Crosse, my research is centered on using polymer latexes for drug delivery as well as for the catalytic neutralization of organic contaminants (chlorinated hydrocarbons, pesticides, etc.) in ground water. E-mail me for additional information.
Return To Top
“To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination
and marks real advance in science.” – Albert Einstein