NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in China

Lomont Justin, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds Justin Paul Lomont of the University of California Berkeley to conduct a research project in teh math and Physical Sciences area during the summer of 2013 at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, China. The project title is "Probing the Effects of Weak Intermolecular Interactions in Biologically Relevant Systems." The host scientist is Professor Jianping Wang. This project uses 2-dimensional infrared spectroscopy to study the effects of hydrogen bonding between carbon-hydrogen bonds (in sugars or amino acids) and oxygen atoms (in aqueous or organic solvents). 2-dimensional infrared spectroscopy is a nonlinear spectroscopic technique that can be used to study the time evolution of vibrational excitations in molecules. While the existence of these weak hydrogen bonds has been demonstrated previously, this work investigates the timescale on which these hydrogen bonds are broken and formed. The compounds being studied include simple amino acid and sugar monomers in aqueous solutions, as well as organic solvents. The results obtained are expected to be broadly applicable toward understanding the dynamics of biological macromolecular structures. Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, this collaboration promotes the sharing of expertise and ideas between the two research groups involved, with the hope of prolonged collaborations that extend beyond the duration of the summer program. Researchers from both groups benefit, both personally and professionally, from this international collaboration. The PI hopes to pursue additional international collaborations in the future, and this project helps to demonstrate the challenges and benefits of such endeavors. Upon completion of the project, the results of this research will be presented at the PI's host institution and are intended to be published in a peer reviewed journal.