MRI: Acquisition of a 400 MHz NMR Spectrometer for Expanding Research and Research Training at San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University, San Francisco CA

Investigators

Abstract

An award is made to San Francisco State University (SFSU) to purchase a 400 MHz NMR spectrometer to expand research capacity and training at five non Ph.D. granting institutions: SFSU, San Jose State University, Sonoma State University, California State University East Bay, and Dominican University of California. The award will provide faculty, students, and staff researchers access to state-of-the-art instrumentation to expand research at the frontier of the chemical and life sciences. It will further support the ongoing institutional efforts to integrate high-level research into the teaching environment, providing students at some of the nation's most ethnically and culturally diverse universities with access to sophisticated instrumentation and research-enriched learning environments. The enhanced research capabilities provided by the award will also serve as a vehicle to attract students to STEM fields and to recruit dedicated faculty, thereby increasing the pool of teacher-scholars who are committed to unifying research and teaching. Hands-on training on the 400 MHz spectrometer will prepare undergraduate and Masters degree students for doctoral programs and professional careers by enabling them to develop the core competencies necessary for success in Ph.D. programs and in the rapidly-evolving, technically-driven workforce. Collectively, the award will provide our graduates with the skills to meet the challenges and prospects facing science professionals. The 400 MHz NMR spectrometer will be equipped with a multinuclear broadband fluorine observe probe, an ultra-high sensitivity multinuclear cryoprobe, a variable-temperature unit, and a sample changer, which will provide faculty, students, and staff members at primarily undergraduate institutions access to cutting-edge technology. It will enable the characterization of complex molecular structures, contribute to advancements in a myriad of research fields, and significantly enrich student education in NMR spectroscopy. Specifically, it will lead to new discoveries in the following keys areas of the chemical and life sciences: natural products chemistry; biological sciences; protein kinetics, dynamics and structure/function; biogeochemistry and crystal growth/materials chemistry. The state-of-the-art instrument will promote the careers of junior faculty, including underrepresented and female scientists, and foster important collaborations with investigators at research I institutions. It will support outreach to local industries and nearby colleges, providing them access to vitally important NMR equipment and training. Moreover, the 400 MHz system will be of great importance in supporting institutional research productivity, maintaining educational quality and outreach, attracting new faculty, and launching novel research directions. The exceptional sensitivity of the cryoprobe that provides high signal-to-noise ratios and drastically reduced experiment times, will transform research at the participating institutions by enabling faculty, staff and students to break new grounds in their scientific inquiries.