Faculty Research Interest Department of Chemistry   William L. Alworth - Professor and Chair Bioorganic, Drug Metabolism, Carcinogens Larry D. Byers - Professor Enzyme Mechanisms and Inhibitors Harry E. Ensley - Associate Professor Organic Mark J. Fink - Associate Professor Organometallic, Main Group and Organosilicon Chemistry Michael F. Herman - Professor Physical, Theoretical, Polymers Brent D. Koplitz - Professor Physical, Lasers, and Materials Melvyn P. Levy - Professor Physical, Density Functional Theory, Quantum Chemistry Chao-Jun Li - Professor Organic Synthesis, Green Chemistry, Catalysis Joel T. Mague - Professor Inorganic, Organometallic, X-ray Crystallography Gary McPherson - Professor and Associate Dean (Principal Investigator) Spectroscopy of Self-Assembled Systems V. Ramamurthy - Professor Supramolecular, Organic and Solid State and Photochemistry Russell H. Schmehl - Professor Photochemistry, Electrochemistry, Light Harvesting, Sensors Mark Sulkes - Professor Physical, Laser Spectroscopy, Molecular Beams S. Thayumanavan - Assistant Professor Organic, Design & Synthesis, Biomimetic, Photonic Materials Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede - Assistant Professor Biophysical Chemistry, Protein Folding Department of Biochemistry   William H. Baricos - Professor Interested in mechanisms of disease. Using both in vivo and in vitro methods, he is investigating the potent ial role of proteolytic enzymes in renal pathophysiology. This work has focused on the glomerular extracellular matrix as a target for proteinase-mediated injury. Melanie Ehrlich - Professor Studying the role of mammalian DNA methylation (naturally occurring 5-methylcytosine) in oncogenesis and differentiation as well as mechanisms of illegitimate recombination of proto-oncogenes. The former study involves the characterization of a chromosomal rearrangements around the centromeric region of human chromosomes 1 and 16. These rearrangements are linked to breast cancer and Wilms tumor formation and to a rare human disease. The latter project centers on studying, by PCR, rearrangements at proto-oncogenes that contribute to lymphoproliferative cancers. Eugene Hamori - Professor Working in the field of molecular biology. He is currently studying the complex genomic organization of long DNA sequences using a novel representation method based on computer graphics that was recently developed in his research laboratory. Linda E. Hyman - Associate Professor Focuses her research on understanding the mechanism of eukaryotic messenger RNA 3' end formation. Using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system, she is examining the cis-acting sequences and trans-acting factors responsible for transcription termination and 3' end RNA processing. Jim D. Karam - Professor and Chair Studying the roles of RNA-binding proteins in the control of gene expression. Genetic and biochemical approaches are being used to determine how two bacteriophage T4 proteins, DNA polymerase and RegA protein, recognize specific nucleotide sequences on certain messenger RNA molecules and bring about the inhibition of their translation. Samuel J. Landry - Associate Professor (Principal Investigator) Focuses his research on protein folding and protein-protein interactions. In his laboratory, molecular biological and biophysical techniques including multi-dimensional NMR are employed to reveal structure/function relationships. Yu-Teh Li - Professor Centers his work on chemistry and catabolism of glycoconjugates. His research group has pioneered in the isolation and cloning of glycosidases for structural analysis of glycoconjugates. They have discovered several unique glycoconjugate cleaving enzymes. In collaboration with his wife, Dr. S.-C. Li, he is also working on inborn errors of glycoconjugate catabolism. Su-Chen Li - Research Professor Studying the inborn errors of glycoconjugate catabolism such as Tay-Sachs disease, Fabry's disease and Gaucher's disease. Her current work includes cloning, expression and over-production of the activator protein responsible for the catabolism of Tay-Sachs ganglioside, GM2. In collaboration with her husband, Dr. Y.-T. Li, her work also includes isolation and cloning of glycosidases capable of degrading glycoconjugates. Arthur J. Lustig - Associate Professor Studying the function of telomeres, specialized protein-DNA structures present at the end of the chromosome. James M. Nolan - Assistant Professor Studying ribozyme structure and function and RNA-protein interactions. He is using photochemical crosslinking and computer modeling to examine the structure of the ribonuclease P ribonucleoprotein complex. Richard H. Steele - Professor Emeritus In-Vivo Mechanisms for the generation and functional utilization of electromagnetic fields in biology. Roles of electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields in consciousness. Rune L. Stjernholm - Professor Interests Jen-sie H. Tou - Associate Professor Interested in the signal transduction pathways in inflammatory cells. Her current research is the study of glycerolipid synthesis in human neutrophils activated by bioactive lipids and cytokines, both of which are mediators of inflammation Joseph A. Vaccaro - Assistant Professor Interested in applying biochemical and biophysical approaches to understanding the molecular mechanisms of (i) enzymes involved in replication and signal transduction, (ii) drugs that target these processes, and (iii) drug resistance that may arise from the use of these drugs. William C. Wimley - Assistant Professor Interested in the fundamental principles that determine the structure and function of proteins in membranes. For example, he seeks to understand the sequence-structure relationships that are necessary for the prediction of membrane protein structure. He addresses these problems in vitro using biological peptides and peptide model systems which he studies with a variety of biophysical, spectroscopic and chemical methods. Department of Chemical Engineering   Daniel C. R. De Kee - Professor Rheology of synthetic and natural materials, constitutive equations, transport phenomena and applied mathematics. Richard Gonzalez - Professor Synthesis and characterization of supported metal catalysts, in-situ spectroscopic methods, reactions in organized media. Vijay T. John - Professor and Chair (Principal Investigator) Polymer-ceramic nanocomposites, bimolecular materials, templated materials synthesis, clathrate hydrate thermodynamics. Daniel J. I. Lacks - Professor Application of molecular theory and simulation to the study of materials and catalytic processes. Victor J. Law - Professor Parameter estimation in complex systems, approximate dynamic models using parameter relaxation, catalyst regeneration and recycling. Yunfeng Lu - Assistant Professor Nanostructured Materials, Sol-gel processing, low dielectric materials. Brian S. Mitchell - Associate Professor Nanostructured Materials, Fiber Technology, Materials Processing, Composites. Kim C. O'Connor - Associate Professor Animal-cell technology, organ and tissue regeneration, rocombinant protein expression. Kyriakos D. Papadopoulos - Professor Transport and stability in liquid-emulsion membranes, transport of multiphase systems through porous media, marine engine lubricants. Peter N. Pintauro - Professor Electrochemical engineering, membrane transport, organic electrochemical sythesis, environmental waste treatment.