Research Initiation Award: High-resolution electronic spectroscopy of inter/intra-molecular interactions on biologically relevant molecules

Winston-Salem State University, Winston Salem NC

Investigators

Abstract

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) Research Initiation Awards (RIAs) provide support to STEM junior faculty at HBCUs who are starting to build a research program, as well as for mid-career faculty who may have returned to the faculty ranks after holding an administrative post or who needs to redirect and rebuild a research program. Faculty members may pursue research at their home institution, at an NSF-funded Center, at a research intensive institution or at a national laboratory. The RIA projects are expected to help further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness, to improve research and teaching at his or her home institution, and to involve undergraduate students in research experiences. With support from the National Science Foundation, Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) will conduct research on the structures of biomolecules which are key to understanding processes in biological systems. The research is a collaborative project with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This project will enhance WSSU's research capabilities and the educational experiences of undergraduates. Students will receive mentoring, training and research experiences at WSSU and NIST. The research and educational efforts are expected to expand the participation of groups underrepresented in STEM and support WSSU's vision and mission of strengthening and broadening the participation of underrepresented groups. This goals of the research are to: 1) Explore the direct connection between geometry and chemical reaction dynamics by studying the conformational preferences for photon induced intramolecular formation in Tryptophan methyl ester; 2) Measure the atomic displacements and changes in electronic distributions that occur in a peptide bond when it is linked by hydrogen bonds to a molecule, specifically the model system of 3-indole propionic acid-H2O; 3) Examine the influence of hydrogen bond formation with water in the reversible tautomerization reaction involving oxindole-H2O in the presence of light; 4) Probe the influence of hydrogen bond formation with water on the inter-molecular dynamics of m-methoxyphenol; and 5) Determine the intramolecular potential energy surface that governs the motion of an alkyl functional group such as -CH3 moiety attached to the N site in N-methylcarbazole and discern how this motion is affected when the assembly is radiated with light. The project will strengthen WSSU's undergraduate students' preparation in advanced spectroscopy technology, and thus, will have a significant impact on WSSU and its commitment to producing more graduates with competencies and degrees in STEM fields. Research will be conducted at WSSU and NIST.