Speaker's Bureau

The faculty blisted below are willing to give a lecture on their work at one or more colleges in Georgia, Our overall goal is to promote scientific education and awareness among students and faculty in Georgia state colleges. To inquire about the Speaker's Bureau please contact Don Harden.

Dr. Al Baumstark, Georgia State University
"Dimethyldioxirane Chemistry: Epoxidation and CH Insertion Reactions": Dimethyldioxirane is a three-membered ring containing a hydroperoxide group. It is used in both industry and the academic laboratory to effect mild oxidations. Professor Baumstark will share his recent studies in this area.
"Oxygen Atom Transfer Reactions of Peroxides and Hydroperoxides": Hydrogen peroxide, H-O-O-H, is familiar to many as a solution used to sterilize minor cuts and abrasions. Compounds with an O-O linkage can participate in a variety of oxygen transfer reactions. Professor Baumstark will outline the chemistry of this class of molecules.
Dr. David Boykin, Georgia State University
"Dicationic DNA Minor Groove Binders as Antimicrobial Agents: From the Bench to Clinical Trials.": Follow Dr. Boykin's chemical and technical adventures in taking a drug from the laboratory to clinical trials in Africa.
Dr. Jeff Dean, University of Georgia
"Multicopper Oxidases and their Role in Iron Metabolism"
Dr. Dabney Dixon, Georgia State University
"Microbicides: New Approaches to the AIDS Epidemic.": New approaches to the AIDS epidemic are urgently needed. Microbicides, topical creams designed to prevent the initial infection, are an area of active research. Dr. Dixon will outline the work of the Georgia State/Emory team in this area.
Dr. Dale Edmondson, Emory
"Experimental Challenges to Defining the Assembly and Catalytic Role of Mo-Pterin Cofactor in Xanthine Dehydrogenase.": Xanthine dehydrogenase is a molybdenum hydroxylase that is important as a protective agent against cellular oxidative damage. Dr. Edmondson will discuss his mechanistic studies on this enzyme.
Dr. Giovanni Gadda, Georgia State University
"Biochemical Studies on Bacterial Choline Oxidase: a Flavin-Dependent Enzyme Involved in Bacterial Responses to Hyperosmotic Stress.": Choline oxidase is an FAD-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the four electron oxidation of choline to glycine betaine, one in a limited pool of intracellular compounds that provide resistance against hyperosmotic stress. Prof. Gadda will share the most recent advancements on the structure-function relationships of this enzyme by using biochemical, mechanistic, structural, and mutagenesis approaches.
Dr. Kathryn Grant, Georgia State University
"Selective Cleavage of Peptides Promoted by Metal Ions: A Combinatorial Approach.": The selective cleavage of peptides is a continuing technical challenge in biochemistry. Dr. Grant has developed new metal-based reagents that cleave peptides. The selection has been done using combinatorial technology and data taken in microplates. Join her to find out how this new technology works.
Dr. Karl Hagen, Emory
"Synthetic Models of Non-Heme Iron Enzymes - Solution Reactivity.": Substantial information on the structure and reactivity of metal co-factors in proteins has come from work on models. Dr. Hagan will discuss his work on non-heme iron models.
Dr. Dr. Boi Hanh (Vincent) Huynh, Emory
"Application of MÃssbauer Spectroscopy to the Study of Enzyme Mechanism.""
Dr. Mark Mitchell, Clark Atlanta University
"Chemistry on Nano-dimensional Metal Oxide Surfaces - Adsorption and Reaction for Environmental Applications": Metal oxides play an important role in the science of catalysis, whether as catalyst supports for more reactive species, or as the active participants themselves. Nano-dimensional metal oxide particles or small supported domains can be particularly reactive. Applications of these materials to environmental problems are discussed.
Dr. Gigi Ray, State University of West Georgia
"NMR and Molecular Modeling Studies on Microperoxidases: Models for Enzyme Catalyzed Oxidation by Peroxidase Heme Proteins"
Dr. Robert A. Scott, University of Georgia
"X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Metallobiomolecules. The Outskirts of Structural Biology.": X-Ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS) allows one to look at the atoms immediately surrounding a metal atom. It is an important technique for structural studies of metalloproteins. Dr. Scott will discuss his recent work on metalloproteins and other metal-containing biomolecules.
Dr. Lucjan Strekowski, Georgia State University
"Chemistry of the Anionically Activated Perfluoroalkyl Group in Organic Synthesis.": For the future organic chemist: Dr. Strekowski will outline how his group uses the perfluoroalkyl group in organic synthesis. He will concentrate on the use of this group in the synthesis of molecules with biological and pharmacological activity.
"Novel Near-Infrared Dyes: Synthesis and Application.": Near-infrared dyes have a wide variety of applications, from biochemistry through forensic science. Dr. Strekowski will detail both the syntheses and applications of these molecules which have a rapidly increasing number of practical uses.
"Antagonism of Immunostimulatory CpG-Oligodeoxynucleotides by 4-Aminoquinolines and Other Weak Bases.": The effect of chemicals on the immune system can be very complicated. Join Dr. Strekowski as he highlights the way in which one specific chemical class interacts with the immune system.
Dr. Anne O. Summers, University of Georgia
"Bacterial Mercury Metabolism from Atoms to Ecosystems.": Mercury is an important environmental pollutant. Join Dr. Summers for a tour of the metabolism of mercury in a variety of different settings.
Dr. Binghe Wang, Georgia State University
"Delivering Peptide and Peptidomimetic Drugs Across Membrane Barriers": Many biologically active peptides and peptidomimetics do not make good drug candidates because of their poor pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical properties that prevent them from being absorbed into the systemic circulation. Professor Wang will discuss these problems and potential chemical solutions to these problems.; Molecular recognition is the foundation of all living processes. Through the study of the chemical basis for molecular recognition, spectroscopic sensors can be designed and synthesized, which can be used for the detection of analytes of biological significance.; Cell surface carbohydrate structures are known to be characteristic markers for different types of cells and different bacterial strains and species. Fluorescent sensors for unique biomarker carbohydrates can be used for human diagnosis and the sensitive detection of pathogens related to human health and biowarfare. Professor Wang will discuss the potential applications of targeting these unique biomarkers.; Malignant transformation is often associated with alteration of cell surface carbohydrates. The expression or over-expression of certain carbohydrates, such as sialyl Lewis X (sLex), sialyl Lewis a (sLea), Lewis X (Lex) and Lewis Y (Ley), has been correlated with the development of certain cancers. These cell surface carbohydrates can be used for cell-specific identification and targeting of carcinoma cells. Professor Wang will discuss research in his group that attempts to take advantage of these biomarkers for early cancer detection.; One key component in solid phase synthesis, which is widely used in combinatorial chemistry, is the availability of unique linkers that are stable under reaction conditions and labile when need to be cleaved. Professor Wang will discuss work in his group in developing such unique linkers.
Dr. Jenny Yang, Georgia State University
"Design of Calcium Binding Proteins with Medical Applications".: Calcium is a key element in vivo, important in a variety of biological processes including cell adhesion and signal transduction. Dr. Yang will discuss her work in the design of new calcium binding proteins.
Dr. Cynthia G. Zoski, Georgia State University
"Applications of Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy.": Microscopy is becoming an increasing important technique in chemistry. Dr. Zoski will outline her work on microscopy using electrochemical techniques.