Karen Beljan, BS '05, Environmental Engineering
Beljan, of Eden, New York, evaluated remediation alternatives to improve the water quality of Onondaga Lake, ultimately helping to develop a method to aerate the lake that would improve the water and ecosystem.
(Photo: KC Kratt, MFA '84)
Metal ion binding to structured sites in RNA and DNA oligomers are studied by using several techniques including laser-induced lanthanide luminescence spectroscopy, thermal melting experiments, CD spectroscopy and NMR spectroscopy. Our goals are to define which types of secondary structural motifs in nucleic acids form specific metal ion binding pockets. The role of these metal ion binding sites in mediating interactions of small molecules including drugs with RNA and DNA is under study. In addition, we are preparing new luminescent materials based on lanthanide-nucleic acide interactions for biosensor and biological imaging applications
Date Open: Jan 11, 2006 to Aug 15, 2009
Suggested Skill Set: This project can be pursued on many levels with different degrees of experimental sophistication. At the very least, students need to prepare solutions of the compounds of interest for spectroscopic studies. Generally, students will should have completed general and organic chemistry. Additional courses in physics, physical, inorganic chemistry and biochemistry are useful but not required.
Compensation: Credit
Professor(s): Janet R. Morrow (jmorrow@buffalo.edu)
Department: Chemistry
Address: 526 Natural Sciences Complex
Phone: 64568002152
Website: http://www.chem.buffalo.edu