Dedicated to Teaching and Cutting Edge Research!

Welcome to Dr. Yu-Shan Lin, who will be joining the Chemistry Department as an Assistant Professor on August 1st. Her interests are in the area of theoretical and biophysical chemistry with a focus on elucidating the structural and functional roles of post-translational modifications on protein folding and in understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of how proteins manipulate their aqueous environment.  Dr. Lin's previous experience includes a postdoc in the Pande lab at Stanford University, graduate work in the Skinner group at the University of Wisconsin, and an undergraduate degree from National Taiwan University.

Prof. Charles Sykes and his group have achieved two major breakthroughs this year, demonstrating the world’s first single molecule electric motor (see Nature Nanotechnology, BBC, MSNBC, New Scientist) and discovering that adding individual palladium atoms to copper converts this inexpensive metal into an active and ultra-selective hydrogenation catalyst (see Science).  Sykes has been named a Beckman Young Investigator, Cottrell Scholar, recipient of an NSF CAREER Award, and a Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar. His research group focuses on imaging, characterizing and manipulating matter at the atomic-scale with an emphasis on catalysis, chirality, and directed molecular motion.

The first wet chemical analysis on Mars, lead by Prof. Samuel Kounaves as a Phoenix mission Co-I and his Tufts research team, has revealed an alkaline soil containing a variety of soluble minerals including perchlorate, altering the way we view Mars' geochemistry and its potential to support life. Kounaves is also using "extreme analytical chemistry" to unravel mysteries about Earth's environment and life in the Antarctic Dry Valleys, Death Valley, and deep ocean thermal vents. See C&EN, NYTimes, WGBH, and NOVA Now.

Prof. Arthur Utz and his group have accomplished the long-standing goal of exerting bond-selective control over heterogeneous catalysis. The work extends strategies for laser-based chemical control from the gas phase to surface reactions important in industrial catalysis and materials deposition. It also reveals the rates and pathways for energy flow during methane activation, which is rate limiting in the industrial production of H₂. For more see C&EN and Science.

Giving proteins Teflon-like properties by inserting fluorinated amino acids into them has been one of Prof. Krishna Kumar's on going research goals. Recent studies by his research team have shown that fluorination of biologically active antimicrobial peptides is an effective strategy for improving their stability and antimicrobial therapeutic value.  In addition to antibiotics, Kumar's work includes the design of fluorinated drug delivery systems and potential cancer drugs. For more see C&EN and Drug Discovery News articles.