Chemical EducationDr. Martha J. Kurtz

Critical Thinking Skills Assessment through Community-based Inquiry

Secondary Science Classroom Practice related to Elements of Effective Science Instruction

Effectiveness of STEP Program in recruiting and retaining STEM majors

Environment-based Integrated Learning in K-12 Schools

Misconceptions in Science

Current Research Interests:

Chemical Education Research

Knowledge and skills developed through education research Human subjects protocols

Qualitative and quantitative research methods

Controlling variables in studies of human behavior

Applied statistics

Understanding of effectiveness of various teaching strategies

Sorey R esearch Group

Key Terms for our research:•Research-based Guided Inquiry Approach •Environmental Measurement Technology •Teaching and Learning Curriculum and Educational Models•Student Development of Instrumentation via Inquiry•Student Affordances of Measurement Technology in the Lab

•Ease of Use through Knowledge of Instrumentation•Interpretation of data (Graphical Display and math modeling)•Discovery through unexpected results•Confirming the validity of their data•Making predictions about their analytes•Checking for error

Timothy L. Sorey, PhD.Central Washington University

soreyt@cwu.edu

Students in my research program develop, implement, and assess inquiry based chemical science laboratory curricula that utilize computer-based measurement technologies for K-20 laboratories. Depending personal interest, a student may develop, implement, and assess either a research project that focuses on the effectiveness of a pedagogical teaching/learning model orcreate a computer-based instrument that measures the chemical properties/dynamics of a molecule or chemical system.

Gen Chem students learn and apply basic electronics to light an LED.

Ni(NH3)6 2+

PChem students add NH3 to Ni-PADA complex and calculate the dynamic equilibrium, Keq.

Ni-PADA(pyridine-2-azo-p-dimethylaniline)

Curriculum development example for Physical/Inorganic Lab

Curriculum development example for General Chemistry

Legend to Apparatus:

(a) Removable LED light source (b) Sample Cell (c) Standard Cell (d) Stationary Polarizer Film (e) Rotating Polarizer Film (f) Phototransitor (g) Stepper Motor (h) Data Acquisition (i) Computer

Note: Dashed lines

Top View

Side View

(a)

End View

(a)

(c)

(c)

(b)

(a)

(f)

(g)

(g) (g)

(d) (e)

(f)

(e) (d) (c) (b)

Power Supply

Power Supply

(h)

(i)

(End View)

(f)

(h)

(i)

This is the “End View” that is drawn from a perspective behind the stepper motor, (g), towards the Rotating Polarizer Film, (e).

(e)

Research student example of development and test of computer-based instrument1) Schematics of comparison polarimeter 2) Build and test of instrument for change in phase (Φ) between

the standard and sample polarimeter cells

Sorey Research Group – (continued)

Delta Phi(ΔΦ)

Concentration (g/10mL)

-0.0211 0.00

0.117 0.50

0.285 1.00

0.367 1.50

0.555 2.00 -0.1 0.4 0.9 1.4 1.9-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

f(x) = 0.280810794723841 x − 0.0201555982606377R² = 0.990327001592991

Concentration (g/10mL)

Del

ta P

hi

Delta Phi versus Concentration - D-Fructose

3) Calibration and validation with D-Fructose0.00g/10mL D-Fructose 2.00g/100mL D-Fructose

Timothy L. Sorey, PhD.Central Washington University

soreyt@cwu.edu

Why Natural Products?Track record of successDiscovery processHigh-demand skillsField work component

Rationale for Selection of Organisms of InterestEcological: suspected chemical defenses or communication

Geographic: “extreme” or difficult to access environments

Taxonomic: infrequently or never before studied

Ethnographic: traditional or folklore uses

We have been heavily focused on the chemistry of the plant genus Dalea, after investigating many different genera using the above rationale.

Current projects:Dalea formosa Status:manuscript ready for submission. 7 new and 1 known compound(s).Activity: antifungal and related.Collaborator: Marcin Kolaczkowski (Poland).

Dalea searlsiae Status: Isolation and characterization nearly complete. 3 new and 5 known compounds.Activity: Antibacterial and antiinsectan.Collaborators: Eric Foss (CWU, Biology) and Patrick Dowd (USDA-ARS, Peoria, IL).

Dalea ornata Status: Early stages of purification of extracts.Activity: Anti-hookworm and antibacterial.Collaborators: Blaise Dondji and Eric Foss (CWU, Biology).

Psorothamnus emoryi (Dalea emoryi)Status: Early stages of purification.No associated activity to date…

Belofsky Research

Thomas Research Group: Effects of Environmental Factors on Mitochondrial Function and Reactive Oxygen Species Generation

4 e-

1 e- O2· −

H2O2

· OH

Fe2+

• Cellular respiration and ATP synthesis• Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)• Antioxidant and Repair processes• Cell Signaling• Apoptosis: Cell Death

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

-500 0 500 1000 1500 2000

H2O

2 µ

M

Time (s)

Mitochondrial Energetics & ROS

Aerobic organisms have engineered antioxidant defenses against ROS

Superoxide Dismutase (MnSOD) 2O2.- + 2H+ H2O2 + O2

Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) GSH = intracellular thiolH2O2 + 2 GSH 2 H2O + GSSG

Glutathione Reductase NADPH, H+ + GSSG 2 GSH + NADP+

Nicotinamide Nucleotide TranshydrogenaseNADH, H+ → NAD+ + NADPH, H+

facilitates GSH recycling and removal of H2O2

General IsolationScheme

Plant Material (70-230 g)

extraction EtOAc, MeOH, or n-BuOH

crude extract

VLC silica gel

% EtOAc in hexane % MeOH in CH2Cl2

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 0% 100%

fractions of interest combined

Sephadex LH-20 Chromatography3:1:1 hexane-toluene-MeOH

combined similar fractions

pure compound(s)

silica gel chromatographylinear gradient(s) MeOH in CH2Cl2 and/or EtOAc in hexane

Methods and results Examples of new flavanoids found…

OHO

OCH3

O

OOH

sedonan A - from D. f ormosa

O

O

H

H

HH

HO

HHH

OH

OH

H

unnamed new compound - from D. searlsiaeStructure determination of unknown compounds

Extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopyRecent upgrade of our own 400 MHz instrument to run advanced 2D experiments like HSQC & HMBC

High resolution mass spectrometrySent to the University of Iowa

We continue to find new, interesting and active compounds from this plant genus!

Kroll Lab: Graded Expression of Transcription Factors Regulates Neocortical Arealization

Graded Expression: A gene being turned on in a high to low gradient.

Transcription Factors: Class of proteins that regulate the turning on and off of specific genes

Neocortical Arealization: The process of dividing the neocortex into functional units

The neocortex of all mammalian specieshave four primary areas, the Motor (M), Somatosensory (S1), Visual (V1), and Auditory (A1)

The sizes of these areas are different in different individuals………Why?

Kroll Lab: Graded Expression of Transcription Factors Regulates Neocortical Arealization

Altering the concentration gradients of any of these transcription factors results in predictable changes in the size of neocortical areas:

normal Emx2 reduced Emx2

change in gradient

change in area sizes

The big question now are: 1) How are these boundaries established2) How do these transcription factors transmit positional information within the cells

but, there are always clear boundaries separating the areas

We are attempting to answer these questions by finding the proteins to which these transcription factors interact.

Fabry Research GroupDesign and Synthesis of Novel Enzyme Inhibitors

My research group is interested in addressing biologically and medically important questions. The focal point of our research is the design and synthesis of small molecule inhibitor scaffolds against therapeutically important enzymes. Our goal is to find orally active inhibitors that could become lead compounds for further drug discovery. During this process, we are developing new and improving already known synthetic chemistry methodologies. To achieve our goals we use all the modern tools of medicinal chemistry and organic synthesis.

Organic SynthesisMedicinal Chemistry

Pharmacology

Dr. Levente Fabry-Asztalos; fabryl@cwu.edu; (509) 963-2887; SCI 302F

BOH

NR1

R2

B

HO

NHN

OHO

O

Ac-Ser-Leu-Asn-HN

Computer Modeling

Fabry Research GroupDesign and Synthesis of Novel Enzyme Inhibitors

Also, as a joint research effort with a computer science group we develop and extensively test new molecular modeling and computational chemistry techniques. This endeavor centers on molecular modeling, as well as computational intelligence techniques, which include neural networks, fuzzy systems, evolutionary computation, and biology inspired computational models.

Dr. Levente Fabry-Asztalos; fabryl@cwu.edu; (509) 963-2887; SCI 302F

Computer ModelingPharmacology

N

S

N

O

HN

NH

HN

O OH

O S

N

OR 2 = 0.7673

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

-1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5

log(Actual_IC50)

log

(Pre

dic

ted

_IC

50

)

Medicinal Chemistry

0

5

10

15

20

25

Atoms

Dis

tan

ce (

Å)

1D4Y to 1HPV1D4Y to 1HXB1D4Y to 1HXW1D4Y to 1MUI1D4Y to 1OHR1D4Y to 2BPX1HPV to 1HXB1HPV to 1HXW1HPV to 1MUI1HPV to 1OHR1HPV to 2BPX1HXB to 1HXW1HXB to 1MUI1HXB to 1OHR1HXB to 2BPX1HXW to 1MUI1HXW to 1OHR1HXW to 2BPX1MUI to 1OHR1MUI to 2BPX1OHR to 2BPX

Organic synthesis

Rivera Research GroupInvestigation of macromolecular complexes and theirinteractions with guest molecules.

Polyelectrolyte/surfactantComplex (PSC)

H2O

TiO2 (s)

Goals: To understand how the PSC interacts with guest molecules. Understand the effects of the structure of the guest molecule on the its interaction with the PSC. Understand the influence of different surfactants on the formation of the PSC.

Analytical Techniques Used: ATR-FTIR, UV-vis, quartz crystal microbalance, andsurface tension measurement.

200 250 300 350 400 450 500 5500

0.5

1

1.5

2

200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 6000

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

200 250 300 350 400 450 500

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

wavelength (nm)Con

straine

d Abso

rbance

Original Data Matrix

-

Matrix of Dye Spectra

=

Matrix with Dye removed- =

Since macromolecular systems are inherently complex multivariate data analysis techniques such need to be applied to the acquired data in order to fully understand the systems.

Example of a constraint applied to the UV-vis data set.

Diaz Research Group – electron migration and trapping in luminescent materials

Dr. Diaz’s research involves the study of electron-hole (e-h) pair transport and trapping in doped luminescent materials under vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) excitation. Excitation by VUV radiation leads to the formation of an e-h pair in the host. In order for luminescence to occur this e-h pair must be trapped by the rare earth dopant. However, the electron may also be trapped by bulk killers (impurities or defects), or it may be lost to surface states. In this figure YBO3 is the host and Eu3+ is the dopant. The purpose of our research is to quantify the fate of the e-h pair after absorption of a VUV photon takes place.

Above is another view of the process, which shows the electronic states involved. Once created, the e-h pair migrates through the lattice until it is trapped by killers or by a dopant. Dopant states are in blue, and loss to killers is indicated by the dashed line. The overall efficiency of host excitation once a photon is absorbed is given by hhost = ht*hqe, where ht is the transfer efficiency and hqe is the quantum efficiency of the dopant after the e-h pair is trapped. The transfer efficiency is then hhost/hqe. These quantities are determined spectroscopically via absorbance and excitation measurements – essentially comparing the amount of light the material absorbs to the amount of light emitted by the dopant after absorption.

Once transfer efficiency data are collected they are modeled using the equation on the left. The transfer efficiency is simply the ratio of the rate of transfer to dopants (also called “activators”) divided by the combined rate of trapping by killers and activators. The multiplier Sloss is equal to 1 when no energy is lost to the surface, and approaches zero as more surface loss takes place. If transfer efficiency data are collected for a series of dopant concentrations, the /a b ratio and the value of Sloss can be determined. Theoretical curves are shown below on the left, while recent data on nanocrystalline YBO3:Eu3+ are shown on the right. With particle sizes > 500 nm no surface loss is observed, while at 25 nm more than 40% of absorbed energy is lost to the surface.

Diaz Research Group – electron migration and trapping in luminescent materials

Chemistry with

Computers

Yingbin Ge

17

Astrochemistry in Ice

Europa

Ganymede

Callisto

Si nanoclusters emit bright light

C3H8 + 1/2O2 C3H6 + H2O

Bulk silicon

Ptn

From water to water oxide to

hydrogen peroxide

My recent presentations and research interests are posted onhttp://www.cwu.edu/~yingbin/research.html

My CV including a publication list is posted onhttp://www.cwu.edu/~yingbin/cv/cv.pdf

My questions to you are which one of my papers or projects interests you the most and why?

2. Pollution Monitoring at Mt. Rainier and North Cascades National Parks (NPS)

• Precipitation• High elevation lakes

1. Iron in Aerosol Particles (NSF) – Implications on Global Climate and Human Health

• Crustal/Marine• Anthropogenic

Johansen Research - Current Projects

3. Chemistry of Faulty Wines• Analyses• Method development(Continuing Ed. And Biology)

Nature of the Work - ExamplesLaboratoryField

Solar SimulatorStudy photochemistry

in synthesized and ambient aerosols.

Aerosol CollectorCollect particles in 4 size fractions at sea and regionally.

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSISInstruments in

Chemistry, Geology, EMSLIC, Chemiluminescence FIA, ICPMS,

XPS

Chamberland Research Group: Synthetic/Medicinal Organic ChemistryWe Make New Molecules That Target Biological Systems

We Aim to be First!Current Research Projects

• Total synthesis of clavatadine A, a potent Factor XIa inhibitor (antithrombotic agent)• Total synthesis of b-carboline analogues, active against fungi, bacteria, and leukemia• Total synthesis of phidianidines A and B, active anti-cancer agents

Future Research Goals• Design, synthesize, and perform biological testing of clavatadine A and b-carboline

analogues to develop new, more effective medicines for thrombosis and cancer• Synthesize new natural products that are biologically active and structurally interesting• Computational chemistry research: the alpha effect vs. the anomeric effect…who wins?

Dr. Stephen Chamberlandchambers@cwu.edu; (509) 963-1126; SCI 302H

Substituted -Carbolines

NH CH3

Br

H3CO

OH

BrBr

O

O

NH

O

HO

HNH2N

NH

Clavatadine A

Chamberland Research Group: Synthetic/Medicinal Organic ChemistryClavatadine A project: First total synthesis of a new FXIa inhibitor

Factor XIIa

Factor XIa

Factor IXaFactor VIIIa

Factor VIIa Tissue Factor

Factor XaFactor Va

Thrombin FIIa

Fibrin

Intrinsic Pathway

(Propagation)

Extrinsic Pathway(Initiation)

Common Pathway

Platelet

VenousThrombus

ArterialThrombus

FXIIIa

The Blood Coagulation Pathway

inhibits

Clavatadine A

OH

O

OHO

Br

BrHN

O

NH

NH

H2N

Result: hemostasis vs. excess clotting and/or hemorrhage

• Carbamate formation between an azidoisocyanate and a dibrominated phenol as the key step

Br

OHBr

O

O

HN

NH

H2N

NH

Clavatadine A

Br

Br

HOC

O

NN3

OO

+

Br

Br

HO

OO

HO

OO

H3CO

OCH3

Br OMe

OC

O

NN3

N3 Cl

O

O OH

O OH

Clavatadine A binds to the FXIa

active site, then is

cleaved by the enzyme