Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Combination Nanomedicines For Cancer Therapy, Noureen Siraj

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Nanomedicines derived from combination ionic nanomaterials (INMs) offer synergistic therapy for effective treatment of cancer. This approach addresses the limitations of conventional treatment options and offers active targeting of tumors due to EPR effect

Study Of Solvent-Free, Microwave-Assisted Ring-Opening Reactions Of Phenyl Glycidyl Ether With Azoles, Marygrace Mcafee, Joshua Pack, Brian Walker

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Literature precedent supports that microwave-assisted organic synthesis can afford fast, high-yield, and efficient synthetic pathways, often comparable to or better than traditional heating methods. Building on this, our work utilizes microwave-assisted synthesis for the epoxide ring opening of phenyl glycidyl ether through nucleophilic addition, aiming to create both pyrazole and imidazole derivatives. These heterocyclic azole compounds have been shown to be important due to their presence in many natural products, as well as their anti-fungal and other pharmacological activities. We are exploring the use of microwave irradiation under neat (solvent-free) conditions, focused on a streamlined approach to minimize time, energy …

Women In Stem Conference, Maryann Rettig, Sara E. Hubbard Ph.D

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Analysis of BPA Leaching from Feminine Hygiene Products into Simulated Vaginal Fluid using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry

Maryann Rettig and Sara E. Hubbard, Ph.D.

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical compound commonly used to produce several plastics and epoxy resins. Recently, BPA has also been detected in feminine hygiene products. Because of a structural resemblance to estradiol, BPA can act as an endocrine disruptor, which has linked BPA to several health complications such as cancer development, reduced fertility, and early puberty. In recent summer research at Ouachita Baptist University, it was determined that fluorescence spectrophotometry could be used to monitor BPA leaching over …

Room Temperature Phosphorescence Material For Use In Low-Cost Lighting Technology, Mujeebat Bashiru

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Light is a key element in our daily lives. An environment with eye catching navigation to offices, lecture halls and buildings is very essential in a high citadel of learning since the campus will always be occupied by students or diverse group of people trying to make way into their respective destination. Herein, the goal of the project is to investigate multifunctional carbazole compounds with ease of tunability to design, develop, and characterize (including basic understanding of the essential chemical and physical phenomena), using prompt and inexpensive methods. More specifically, photodynamic properties of newly designed carbazole-based cored compounds with room …

Combination Chemo-Pdt Ionic Nanomedicines As Enhanced Therapeutics For Cancer, Samantha Macchi

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Cancer remains as one of the leading causes of death in humans worldwide. Nanotechnology has made great strides in improving treatment for the disease. This work describes a simplistic approach to design self-assembled combination nanomedicines. A facile one-step ion exchange reaction is utilized to combine a chemotherapeutic (phosphonium) cation and photodynamic therapeutic (porphyrin) anion. An aqueous nanomedicine is prepared from the hydrophobic ionic combination drug via a single-step reprecipitation method. Upon conversion to ionic combination drug, improved photophysical properties of porphyrin were observed. These characteristics subsequently led to increased photodynamic therapeutic activity of nanomedicines—explained by greater singlet oxygen quantum yield. …

Surface Area Enhancement Of Doped Carbon Materials Via Novel Freeze-Pore Methodology, Iris Denmark

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Supercapacitors are one of today’s growing means of alternative energy. They are portable, produce much higher capacitance than traditional capacitors, and operate under lower voltages than that of batteries. Herein, we have synthesized a series of supercapacitor materials from sodium lignosulfonate, otherwise known as lignosol, which are co-doped with phosphorus and nitrogen. The materials are synthesized utilizing a green and time-efficient microwave irradiation process. Subsequently, these materials have been optimized by utilizing a novel process by which surface area and electrochemical properties is enhanced by freezing of their porous surface. Materials undergoing this method have shown significant increase in BET …

Women In Stem, Dyandra M. Johnson

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

My poster is about the life of Katherine Johnson, its a summary of her achievements, educational background, and her family life. The purpose of my poster is to provide information about this amazing woman that was apart of STEM. I've found that she had accomplished a lot through using Mathematics, and how she contributed so much to NASA.

Carrier-Free Chemo-Ptt/Pdt Ionic Nanomaterials For Combination Cancer Therapy, Samantha Macchi

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Herein, we describe a carrier-free combination nanodrug for treatment of cancer. In this work, we combined a photothermal compound and a chemotherapeutic drug using ionic liquid chemistry. We utilized a facile, one-step metathesis approach to replace the counter cation of a near infra-red (NIR) dye (photothermal agent) with a chemotherapeutic cation to synthesize an ionic material-based combination cancer therapy drug to deliver multiple mechanisms simultaneously. The nanodrugs were developed by using a reprecipitation method. The detailed photophysical properties of this new combination therapy molecule was investigated in ethanol solution as well as in nanoparticles forms in aqueous media. The singlet …