First name,Last name,Preferred title,Overview,Position,Department,Individual
Raymond,Carroll,Distinguished Professor,,Distinguished Professor,Statistics,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n032647a0
Donald,Darensbourg,Distinguished Professor,"The fundamentally interesting and challenging chemistry associated with carbon dioxide, coupled with its high potential as a source of chemical carbon, provides adequate justification for comprehensive investigations in this area. In our research program we have attempted to establish a clearer mechanistic view of carbon-hydrogen, carbon-carbon, and carbon-oxygen bond forming processes resulting from carbon dioxide insertion into M-H, M-C, and M-O bonds.
Relevant to the latter process our research has addressed the utilization of carbon dioxide in the development of improved synthetic routes for the production of polycarbonates. The hazardous and expensive production process currently in place industrially for these materials involves the interfacial polycondensation of phosgene and diols, accentuates the need for these studies. Although we and others have made significant advances in the synthesis of these useful thermoplastics from carbon dioxide and epoxides much of the fundamental knowledge concerning the reaction kinetics of these processes is lacking, due in part to the practical challenges associated with sampling and analyzing systems at elevated temperatures and pressures. This information is needed for making this process applicable to the synthesis of a variety of copolymers possessing a range of properties and uses. Our studies are examining in detail the mechanistic aspects of metal catalyzed carbon dioxide/epoxide coupling reactions employing in situ spectroscopy methods. For this purpose Fourier-transform infrared attenuated total refluctance (FTIR/ATR) spectroscopy is being utilized. Other related investigations involve the development of structural and reactivity models for the industrially prevalent double metal cyanide catalysts(DMC) used in polyethers and polycarbonate synthesis from epoxides or CO2/epoxides, respectively.",Distinguished Professor||Faculty Affiliate,Energy Institute||Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n06bf3bf8
Guoyao,Wu,Distinguished Professor,"Dr. Wu teaches graduate courses in protein metabolism and nutritional biochemistry. He conducts research in protein and amino acid metabolism at molecular, cellular, and whole body levels . The animal models used in his research include cattle, chicks, pigs, rats, sheep, fish, and shrimp. He has also conducted research on amino acid nutrition in humans.",Faculty Fellow||University Faculty Fellow||Distinguished Professor||Senior Faculty Fellow||Distinguished Professor,Veterinary Integrative Biosciences||Animal Science||Texas A&M AgriLife Research||Texas A&M AgriLife Research||Nutrition,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n169f9a74
Peter,Santschi,Distinguished Professor,"Research interests include a broad range of topics in Marine and Environmental Chemistry, including the role of natural nanoparticles in the biogeochemical cycling of trace substances, tracer applications using radioactive and stable isotopes, relationships between trace element and natural organic matter biogeochemistry, and the importance of exopolymeric substances and hydroxamate siderophores for trace element binding and removal from natural waters. That involves learning from new techniques, approaches and concepts that are used in related fields and applying them to solve questions in biogeochemistry and environmental science. Current themes of research are: Trace element speciation and cycling. Tracer applications in natural water systems using stable and radioactive isotopes. Sediment-water and particle-water interactions, with emphasis on colloids. Natural organic matter geochemistry. Metal-organic matter binding. Mobility of radioactive and toxic trace contaminants in surface waters, sediments and ground water. Applications of atomic force microscopy, accelerator, thermal ionization, and gas chromatography mass spectrometry in marine and environmental chemistry and geochemistry.",Distinguished Professor,Marine Sciences,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n2b3d402d
Robert,Chapkin,Distinguished Professor,"Research in the Chapkin lab focuses on dietary/microbial modulators related to the prevention of cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases.
Our central goal is to (1) understand cancer chemoprevention at a fundamental level, and (2) to test pharmaceutical agents in combination with dietary/microbial (countermeasures to the Western diet) to more effectively improve gut health and reduce systemic chronic inflammation. Since diet influences gut microbiota composition and metabolite production, to unravel the interrelationships among gut health and the structure of the gut microbial ecosystem, we are in the process of evaluating (using transgenic mouse, Drosophila models and humans) how the gut microbiome modulates intestinal cells, innate immune cells and tumors. As part of this endeavor, we are modeling at the molecular level the dynamic relationship between diet and gut microbe-derived metabolites which modulate chronic inflammation and the hierarchical cellular organization of the intestine, e.g., stem cell niche.",Distinguished Professor||Professor,Biochemistry and Biophysics||Nutrition,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n3fbb59f8
Tadhg,Begley,Distinguished Professor,"The Begley Group is interested in the mechanistic chemistry and enzymology of complex organic transformations, particularly those found on the vitamin biosynthetic pathways. We are currently working on the biosynthesis of thiamin, molybdopterin, pyridoxal phosphate and menaquinone. Our research involves a combination of molecular biology, protein biochemistry, organic synthesis and structural studies and provides a strong training for students interested in understanding the organic chemistry of living systems and in pursuing careers in biotechnology, drug design or academia.
Thiamin pyrophosphate plays a key role in the stabilization of the acyl carbanion synthon in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. The biosyntheses of the thiamin pyrimidine and thiazole are complex and are different from any of the characterized chemical or biochemical routes to these heterocycles. We are particularly interested in cellular physiology and the mechanistic enzymology of thiamin biosynthesis. As an example of one of the complex transformations on this pathway, the figure below shows the structure of the pyrimidine synthase catalyzing the complex rearrangement of aminoimidazole ribotide (left) to the thiamin pyrimidine (right).",Distinguished Professor,Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n498aa35b
Marcetta,Darensbourg,Distinguished Professor,"Bio-inspired Catalysts for Hydrogen Production: The ultimate, home-run, goal of our work is to synthesize and develop a robust, highly active hydrogen-producing catalyst comprised of earth-abundant transition metals within a ligand environment that is inspired by the biological Figure 3hydrogenase (H2ase) enzyme active sites. Progress in precise structural modeling of the illusive ""rotated"" structure displayed in the as-isolated, mixed-valent FeIIFe state in the past decade has permitted in depth analysis of electronic structure by Mo ssbauer, EPR (ENDOR), and computational chemistry. New electrocatalysts for hydrogen production: The connection between the Fe(NO)2 unit and the Fe(CX)3 (X = O or N) unit found in hydrogenase enzyme active sites offers opportunity for design of new catalysts, one of which is shown. In this regard we explore the ability of N2S2 metal complexes to bind as metallodithiolate ligands to various metal acceptors. The properties of such complexes vary The connection of these to light harvesting molecules for dye sensitized, sacrificial electron donor, hydrogen production is also of interest. When Iron Meets Nitric Oxide: Good Chemistry, Intriguing Biology. The affinity of iron for diatomic molecules, O2, CO, N2, and NO, is central to the most important of life processes, including those of human physiology. Figure 6In this research area we target synthetic chemistry involving dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNICs) that serve as biomimetics of products of FeS cluster degradation by excesses of NO, or as derived from the chelatable iron pool (CIP) in cells. The electronic ambivalence of the DNIC unit is expressed in the ease with which it interconverts between oxidized and reduced forms, {Fe(NO)2}9 and {Fe(NO)2}10, respectively (Enemark/Feltham notation), and serves as impetus to explore analogous reactions known to involve the CuII/CuI redox couple. The accessory ligands which stabilize one redox level over the other, including N-heterocyclic carb",Distinguished Professor||Faculty Affiliate,Energy Institute||Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n6f445741
Karen,Wooley,Distinguished Professor,"Our research activities combine organic syntheses, polymerization strategies and polymer modification reactions in creative ways to afford unique macromolecular structures, which have been designed as functional nanostructures, polymer systems having unique macromolecular architectures, and/or degradable polymers. The emphasis is upon the incorporation of functions and functionalities into selective regions of polymer frameworks. In some cases, the function is added at the small molecule, monomer, stage, prior to polymerization, whereas, in other cases, chemical modifications are performed upon polymers or at the nanostructure level; each requires a strategic balance of chemical reactivity and the ultimate composition and structure.",Distinguished Professor,Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/n7d5d2fbd
Marlan,Scully,Distinguished Professor,,Distinguished Professor||Faculty Affiliate,Physics and Astronomy||Energy Institute,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na2a37577
Frank,Raushel,Distinguished Professor,"Enzymes catalyze a remarkable variety of chemical reactions with extremely high rate enhancements and very selective substrate specificity. The research efforts in our laboratory are directed towards a more complete understanding of the fundamental principles involved in enzyme-catalyzed chemistry and the dependence on protein structure. The pursuit of this information will provide the framework for the rational and combinatorial redesign of these complex molecules in an effort to exploit and develop the properties of enzyme active sites for a variety of chemical, biological, and medicinal uses. The techniques that we are using to solve these problems include steady-state and stopped-flow kinetics, NMR and EPR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and the synthesis of inhibitors and suicide substrates. We are also using recombinant DNA methods to construct new proteins with novel catalytic properties. These efforts are currently being directed to the reactions catalyzed by phosphotriesterase and enzymes involves in the degradation of lignin and the metabolism of novel carbohydrates from the human gut microbiome.
The phosphotriesterase enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of organophosphate insecticides and other toxic organophosphate nerve agents. We have discovered that the active site of this protein consists of a unique binuclear metal center for the activation of water. We are now investigating the structure and properties of this metal center as a model system for the evolution of enzyme structure and function. Toward this end we have mutated the active site of this enzyme in a research project to create novel enzymes with the ability to detect, destroy, and detoxify various chemical warfare agents such as sarin, soman, and VX. The Raushel laboratory is also engaged in a large scale research project that is focused on the development of novel strategies for the discovery of new enzymes.",Distinguished Professor,Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na84f2fec
M. Katherine,Banks,President,,President||Distinguished Professor,Civil Engineering||Office of the President,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/na92cc165
Stephen,Safe,Distinguished Professor,The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a nuclear helix-loop-helix transcription factor which forms a ligand-induced nuclear heterodimer with the AhR nuclear translocator (Arnt) protein. Research in this laboratory is focused on the molecular mechanism of crosstalk between the AhR and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathways in which the AhR inhibits estrogen-induced gene expression. The antiestrogenic activities of some AhR agonists are also being developed as drugs for clinical treatment of breast and endometrial cancers in women. Research on estrogen-dependent gene expression in various cancer cell lines is focused on analysis of several gene promoters to determine the mechanisms of ERa and ERb action. This includes several genes that are activated through interactions of the ER with Sp1 protein and other DNA-bound transcription factors.,Distinguished Professor||Distinguished Professor||Syd Kyle Chair,School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences||Biochemistry and Biophysics||Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/nb20fdbd9
Kim,Dunbar,Distinguished Professor,"Research in the Dunbar group spans topics in synthetic, structural and physical inorganic and bioinorganic chemistry. The use of a range of tools including spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, magnetometry, electron microscopy, mass spectrometry and electrochemistry reflect the breadth of problems under investigation.",Distinguished Professor,Chemistry,https://scholars.library.tamu.edu/vivo/display/ndd473437