Chemistry & Biochemistry

Chemistry and Biochemistry

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B. Mikael Bergdahl
Associate Professor
Program Area: Synthetic Organic, Bioorganic
Research interests: The main focus of my research is the syntheses and subsequent evaluation of biologically active target compounds having effects against various forms of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and infectious diseases. Azaspirene, a member of the pseurotin family, represents a novel and unique anti-cancer agent, extraordinary in its ability to inhibit angiogenesis. Rather than destroying cancer cells via conventional chemotherapy and radiation, azaspirene turns off blood supply signals sent out by the tumor cells. My research is to develop the means to chemically make azaspirene and a library of hybrid pseurotin analogs with potential properties against cancer or arthritis. My research intertwines development of specifically new methodology in organic synthesis and new strategies toward relevant target molecules, e.g.Streptogramin type antibiotics, Epothilone analogs, and Cytotoxic Alkaloids (Micromide).
Office: GMCS 213G
Email: bbergdahl@mail.sdsu.edu
Website: http://www.chemistry.sdsu.edu/faculty/index.php?name=Bergdahl

Headshot of Professor Carl Carrano

Carl Carrano
Professor of Chemistry
Program Area: Bioinorganic Chemistry
Research Interests: Bioinorganic chemistry, these extend from models for zinc, molybdenum and non-heme iron metalloprotein active sites, to design of metal complexes as artificial restriction enzymes for molecular biology to the mechanisms of iron transport and storage in microorganisms to the design and synthesis of new metallodrugs to the study of isotopic fractionation of iron in microorganisms.
Office: GMCS-209
Office Phone: (619)594-5929
E-mail: carrano@sciences.sdsu.edu
Website: http://www.chemistry.sdsu.edu/faculty/Carrano/

Thomas E. Cole
Associate Professor
Program Area: Organic Chemistry
Research Interests: exploration and development of organometallic chemistry of the transmetallation of organic groups between metals and boron compounds
Office: CSL 210A
Office Phone: 619-594-5579
E-mail: tcole@sciences.sdsu.edu

Andrew L. Cooksy
Professor, Physical Chemistry, Associate Director of Computational Sciences Research Center
Program Area: Physical Chemistry
Research Interests: Reactive intermediates in combustion, interstellar chemistry, chemical synthesis, and biochemistry; investigated by laser spectroscopy and spectroscopic theory, and by computational quantum mechanics. Molecular free radicals are crucial to the chemistry of combustion, the upper atmosphere, polymerization, and interstellar molecular clouds, and also figure in many biochemical electron transfer processes. We are interested in the physical and chemical properties of these molecules, particularly those containing conjugated π-electron systems, such as HC3O and C4H and the biochemical quinones, because the delocalized orbitals can confer surprising dynamic and reactive properties to these systems.
Office: CSL 307, 312
Office Phone: 619-594-5571
E-mail: acooksy@sciences.sdsu.edu
Website: http://www.chemistry.sdsu.edu/faculty/Cooksy/

Headshot of Douglas Grotjahn

Douglas Grotjahn
Professor, Graduate Admissions, University Copyright and Patent Committee, University Conflict of Interest Committee, General Member of the Moores UCSD Cancer Center
Program Area: Organic, organometallic, catalysis, bio-organometallic
Research Interests: We are contributing to innovation and understanding in catalysis, clean energy production, nanotechnology, and medicine.
Office: CSL 205
Office Phone: 619-594-0231
E-mail: grotjahn@mail.sdsu.edu
Website: http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~erdogan/welcome.html

Gustafson

Jeff Gustafson
Assistant Professor
Program Area: Organic
Research Interests: 
Research in the Gustafson group strives to apply innovative chemical strategies towards complex biological problems. Ongoing projects focus on three main areas (a) The development of chemical methodologies that enable the enantioselective synthesis of complex molecules; (b) The application of these methodologies to access new selective small molecule probes pertaining to aberrant protein phosphorylation; and (c) The design, synthesis and evaluation of small molecule vanadate complexes as phosphatase inhibitors.
Office: CSL 208
Email: jgustafon@mail.sdsu.edu
Website: http://www.chemistry.sdsu.edu/faculty/index.php?name=Gustafson

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Chris Harrison
Associate Professor
Program Area: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
Research Interests: The development and application of new separation techniques and systems is the primary focus of the research conducted in the Harrison Lab. Our work focuses on the utility and development of dynamic capillary coatings for CE separations. The need for dynamic coatings and an understanding of their function, is paramount in CE separations. The dynamic coatings allow for the control of the electroosmotic flow, a key factor in all CE separations whos magnitude and direction must frequently be altered to achieve a desired separation. We are studying the function of various capillary coatings, with a focus on novel compounds with unique chemistries, such as phosphonium cations. In addition to studying the fundamentals of electroosmotic flow optimization we are applying our knowledge to the separation of analytes including small ions, proteins, nanoparticles and whole blood cells.
Office: GMCS 213E
Email: charrison@mail.sdsu.edu
Website: http://www.chemistry.sdsu.edu/faculty/index.php?name=Harrison

Headshot of Professor Tom Huxford

Tom Huxford
Assistant Professor
Program Area: Biochemistry
Research Interests: understanding regulation in the transcription factor NF-kappaB signal transduction pathway.; IKK structure and function, Nuclear IkappaB structure and function.
Office: CSL 325A
Office Phone: 619-594-1606
E-mail: thuxford@sciences.sdsu.edu
Website: http://www.chemistry.sdsu.edu/faculty/Huxford/

Headshot of Associative Professor John J. Love

John J. Love
Associate Professor
Program Area: Biochemistry
Research Interests: The overall focus is protein design and engineering. Our initial engineering goal is to redesign, mutate and drive small proteins to self-assemble into complexes of specific structure (e.g. precise dimer formation)
Office: CSL 339A
Office Phone: 619-594-2063
E-mail: jlove@sciences.sdsu.edu
Website: http://www.chemistry.sdsu.edu/faculty/Love/

Headshot of Associate Professor David Pullman

David P. Pullman
Associate Professor, Undergraduate Adviser
Program Area: Physical Chemistry
Research Interests: The emphasis of our research is on unraveling the mechanisms by which molecules react on solid surfaces. Such reactions play a critical role in a variety of naturally occurring and technologically important processes, including the fabrication of modern electronic devices, heterogeneous catalysis, and corrosion. The viewpoint we take is that control and optimization of these surface reactions is best accomplished if details of the reactions are understood on a molecular scale.
Office: CSL 301
Office Phone: 619-594-5573
E-mail: dpullman@mail.sdsu.edu
Website: http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~dpullman/group/default.htm

Purse

Byron Purse
Assistant Professor
Program Area: Organic Chemistry
Research Interests: In the Purse Lab, we are interested in using molecular design and synthetic organic chemistry to create new molecules that can serve in practical applications and be used to study the fundamental relationships between molecular structure and properties. With new molecules in hand, we use the tools of modern physical organic chemistry to study their properties, including self-assembly, molecular encapsulation, fluorescence, and the ability of some of our molecules to functional as molecular probes or prospective medicines. Students working in the Purse Lab can expect to gain hands-on experience in current synthetic methodology, organic compound characterization, methods for studying the kinetics and thermodynamics of reactions and molecular complex formation (NMR, ITC, optical spectroscopy), and recently biochemistry!
Office: CSL 213
Email: bpurse@mail.sdsu.edu
Website: http://www.chemistry.sdsu.edu/faculty/index.php?name=Purse

Headshot of Diane Smith
Diane Smith
Associate Professor
Program Area: Analytical Chemistry
Research Interests: Electron transfer, proton transfer and hydrogen bonding; better understand different mechanistic paths through which electron and proton transfer can be coupled together in reversible organic redox reactions, with a particular emphasis on the role that hydrogen bonding is playing in these mechanisms.
Office: CSL 412A
Office Phone: 619-594-4839
E-mail: dsmith@sciences.sdsu.edu
Website: http://www.chemistry.sdsu.edu/faculty/Smith/

Headshot of Bill Tong

Bill Tong
Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
MBRS.IMSD Principle Investigator/Program Director
Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Program Area: Analytical Chemistry
Research Interests: Research in our laser laboratory is directed toward the application of novel nonlinear multiphoton laser spectroscopic methods in the development and understanding of new methods in laser analytical spectroscopy. Emphasis is placed on the understanding of fundamental principles and experimental observations of new spectroscopic phenomena. Integration of innovative nonlinear laser techniques and computer interfacing of high-precision instrumentation provides many advantages with new experimental possibilities over conventional laser spectroscopic methods in analytical problem solving.
Office: CSL 304
Office Phone: 619-594-2442
E-mail: william.tong@sdsu.edu
Website: http://www.chemistry.sdsu.edu/faculty/Tong