Chemistry
Faculty Mentor: Tomoko Fujiwara
Faculty Mentor’s Department: Chemistry
Contact Information: 901-678-5558; tfjiwara@memphis.edu
Project Description: The Fujiwara group develops biomedical materials using synthetic and natural polymers for a variety of applications such as drug delivery systems, biodegradable implants, and body sensors. Our multidisciplinary research projects involve organic and polymer synthesis, characterization of molecular-level and nano-scale structures, analysis of chemical and physical properties, and biological evaluations.
Requirements for Student Applicants: Chemistry or Biomedical Engineering majors; Amount of coursework completed will determine suitable project choices; Completion of General Chemistry I or higher required.
Application or Interview Process: Cover letter (brief statement of your motivation and interest), Interview
Hours per Week the Student Will Work: 10-15 hrs
Starting Date: Anytime
Faculty Mentor: Nathan DeYonker
Faculty Mentor's Department: Chemistry
Contact Information: (901) 678-2029; ndyonker@memphis.edu
Project Description: My research group focuses on computational chemistry with three major research thrusts: 1) We explore the electronic structure of inorganic and organometallic molecules relevant to origin-of-life processes, informing experimental spectroscopists and synthetic chemists, and broadening theoretical understanding of small, radical inorganic molecules. 2) We use Density Functional Theory to propose mechanisms of complex inorganic and organometallic chemical reactions, related to catalysis and environmental chemistry. 3) We utilize bioinformatics and cheminformatics techniques in a quantum chemistry context to automate, simplify, standardize, and validate the construction of QM, QM/MM, and ONIOM enzyme models.
Requirements for Student Applicants: Student applicants need to have earned a B+ or better in both CHEM 1110 and 1120.
Application or Interview Process: Email to set up and interview.
Starting Date: Any time
Method of Compensation: Volunteer opportunities are always available. Academic credit opportunities are available for Chemistry and Biochemistry majors. Paid positions are infrequently available and first require at least one semester of volunteer or for-credit research.
Faculty Mentor: Xiaohua Huang
Faculty Mentor's Department: Chemistry
Contact Information: xhuang4@memphis.edu; 901.326.1665
Project Description: The goal of this application is to develop a single vesicle technology (SVT) for exosome surface protein profiling based on surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) imaging in conjunction with direct molecular exosome capture from diluted biofluids. Single exosome profiling of surface proteins would provide unprecedented insight into biological events and invaluable information for biomarker discovery. It can probe tumor-derived exosomes in the presence of abundant non-tumor exosomes, providing sensitive, precise, and quantitative information superior to bulk methods. However, single exosome protein profiling is challenging due to the small size and low abundance of antigens on individual exosomes as well as the difficulties in isolation of pure exosomes for downstream analysis. To address the technical challenges, we use highly sensitive and specific SERS nanotags to label and image exosomal surface proteins. We have developed a surface chemistry that can molecularly capture exosomes directly from diluted biofluids based on exosomal CD81 marker expression. Our method only requires microliter of extremely diluted plasma (typically 100-fold dilution), which is over 150 times less than the bulk enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Due to the advantages in simplicity, sensitivity, efficiency, and sample consumption, the SERS-SVT, if successful, would substantially improve the analytical performance for molecular characterization of exosomes for cancer research and accelerate the progress in the exosome field in terms of biomarker discovery and clinical translation. Our SERS-SVT will be developed and tested for breast cancer diagnostics through the following three aims: 1) Develop and optimize SERS-SVT methodologies for single exosome protein profiling; 2) Characterize and validate SERS-SVT with cell-derived exosomes in the breast cancer model; and 3) Apply SERS-SVT to examine the potential of exosomes for cancer diagnostics at different stages using HER2-positive breast cancer as the disease model.
Requirements for Student Applicants: Students with background in chemistry, biology, and biomedical engineering fit to our research.
Hours per week the student will work: flexible, but 2 - 4 h per week is fine.
Application Process: Students should submit a resume and will be interviewed