Biochemistry research involves understanding and evaluating chemistry and its application to the structure and composition of living organisms and their chemical reactions and relationships. Our faculty are involved in research that includes the study of molecular biology, enzymology, metabolic pathways and biochemical structures and sequences and includes the following specific research areas: mechanistic enzymology of redox enzymes, with a specific interest in flavin-dependent enzymes; heme uptake by pathogenic bacteria; chemical properties of biomolecules using an interdisciplinary approach that extends into the fields of inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and molecular biology; transition of metal-containing proteins and protein-based free radicals and their medical relevance using a combination of biochemical, genetic, structural and biophysical spectroscopic tools; and the chemical, biological, material and environmental role of calcium and calcium-binding proteins.

Biophysical chemistry includes research involving both chemical and biological systems and their structures. Our faculty are involved specifically in research that covers biomolecular transport with an emphasis on diffusion, viscosity and electrophoresis; in the determination of structure, dynamics and function of biological macromolecules; the application and development of theoretical and computational methods in biological functions; simulations of key biological processes of relevance to DNA replication and repair; and the structure and interaction properties of nucleic acids.

Faculty use a variety of techniques based in physical chemistry to understand and probe biological systems. Included among these techniques are spectroscopic methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance and x-ray diffraction.

A solid cyber infrastructure for research computing thrives and includes high-performance computing, grid computing, data storage and visualization. With a growing body of academic and scientific researchers, including faculty and Ph.D. students, from many disciplines as well as from other universities, Georgia State continues to build a diverse and powerful supercomputing grid. The Chemistry Department has a robust history of leveraging computational methods to conduct research.

Organic chemistry deals with the structure, properties and reactions of organic compounds and other materials that contain carbon and involves the study of chemical reactions. Chemistry faculty conduct scientific studies on the chemistry of DNA, proteins and carbohydrates.

Chemistry Education Research investigates research questions around the teaching and learning of chemistry. These questions are examined through a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods. Researchers in chemistry education explore a broad range of areas, including students' understanding of chemistry concepts and the barriers (cognitive and affective) that impeded their mastery of chemistry content. Chemistry education research also includes the development of instruments that measure cognitive and affective constructs that affect students learning in chemistry. Of additional importance is how the findings of chemistry education research can lead to the transformation of chemistry education environments, curricula and pedagogy. Our research is grounded in a deep knowledge of the discipline and methods adapted from science education, educational psychology and cognitive science.

The following faculty members have courtesy appointments in Chemistry. Their research is interdisciplinary and spans chemistry as well as Geosciences., Nutrition, or Physics.

The following faculty members are of great repute to our department. They have served the students and faculty diligently in the course of their careers.