Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Rebecca Roesner And Advancing Diversity In The Chemical Sciences, Ryan Denham

Interviews for WGLT

Rebecca Roesner, chair and professor of chemistry at Illinois Wesleyan University, has earned the Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences for her work furthering diversity and inclusivity. Professor Roesner spoke about the award, and her part in helping to promote diversity in the sciences with Ryan Denham from WGLT Radio.

Manori Perera And Problems For Automobiles During Sub-Zero Temperatures, Eric Stock

Interviews for WGLT

Eric Stock,WGLT Radio, spoke to Professor of Chemistry Manori Perera about the hazards that sub-zero temperatures create for automobiles.

Rebecca Roesner, 2017 Dougan Award Presentation, Brian Brennan, Iwu Chapter Of The Aaup, Illinois Wesleyan University

Dougan Award Winners

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Lewis Acids On The Baeyer-Villiger Oxidation Reaction, Suchana Chaulagain, Samridh Gupta, Ram Mohan, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Lewis Acid Catalyzed 1,4 Hosomi-Sakurai Addition Of Allyl Groups To Chalcones And Other A, B-Unsaturated Compounds, Jack Roireau, Brian Worby, Ram Mohan, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Lewis Acid Catalyzed Synthesis Of Dihydrobenzopyrans, Ian Taylor, Ram Mohan, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Studies Into Addiction Of Grignard Reagents To Conjugated Aldehydes And Ketones, Zachary Kinney, Ram Mohan, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Instrumentation For Determining Prebiotic Species In The Interstellar Medium, Lydia Rudd, Ben Lamm, Kevin Roenitz, Manori Perera, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Oral presentation abstract.

Quantification And Scavenging Ability Of Antioxidants In Bottled Tea, Jennifer Prochotsky, Manori Perera Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Bottled tea is made from brewed leaves of the Camelia sinensis plant. These leaves contain molecules called polyphenols that have aromatic rings with many alcohol groups. Different fermentation processes of the leaves lead to different types of tea, including black, oolong, green, and white tea. The polyphenols present in bottled tea have antioxidant properties, which have been seen to prevent certain types of diseases. Antioxidants work by stabilizing highly unstable free radicals, which are missing an electron in their orbital. Different studies have concluded contradictory results about which type of tea contains the highest quantity of antioxidants. There has been …

Detection And Quantification Of Lead And Copper In Firearm Harvested Ground Venison Intended For Human Consumption, Chris Crown, Manori Perera Faculty Advisor, Given Harper Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Most White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Illinois are harvested with firearms that use lead or copper shotgun slugs or muzzleloader bullets, which may fragment when they strike bone. Lead is a neurotoxin to both humans and animals that scavenge deer that have escaped from hunters, and excess amounts of copper ingestion can impair lipid and DNA function. In a preliminary study in 2014, packets of ground venison from firearm and bow hunters in Illinois were x-rayed, and six out of ten firearm-harvested packets contained possible metal fragments. The purpose of this study is to utilize Anodic Stripping Voltammetry …

Vanadium Substituted Polyoxometalates, Jennifer Bjorklund, Samuel Kim, Rebecca Roesner, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Synthesis And Screen Of A Proline-Rich Combinatorial Library Towards The Identification Of Sickle Cell Hemoglobin Polymerization Inhibitors, Laura Steenberge

Honors Projects

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder that affects the hemoglobin within red blood cells. A point mutation in the gene coding for the β-subunit of hemoglobin allows the mutant chain to interact with a hydrophobic pocket of another hemoglobin in a deoxygenated environment, causing polymerization of the proteins. This creates the characteristic sickle-shape of the diseased blood cells that can clog capillaries, leading to tissue damage and cell death. Currently, there are limited options for those affected with sickle cell disease. The research to be presented is focused on discovering peptides that can interact with the mutated hemoglobin and …

Roesner To Receive National Teaching Award, Kim Hill

News and Events

No abstract provided.

The Development And Characterization Of Dual Electrodes For Use With Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy, Colleen Leonard, Melinda Baur, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) utilizes electrode probes that can be positioned just abutting cells and can detect the presence of small quantities of chemicals known as neurotransmitters. In order to detect neurotransmitter release from PC12 cells, used as model neurons, the electrode must be positioned very close to the cell surface to detect the change in current that accompanies the oxidation/reduction of the neurotransmitters released. The peaks in current were analyzed in order to detect differences in release mechanisms, such as slow or fast-release. Furthermore, dual electrodes were made and characterized in order to monitor two different locations on a …

The Art And Science Of Living In The Present (Text And Video), Rebecca Roesner

Honorees for Teaching Excellence

No abstract provided.

Chemistry Students Named Collegiate Scholars, Tia Patsavas

News and Events

No abstract provided.

Mohan Invested As Hess Professor Of Chemistry, Kim Hill

News and Events

No abstract provided.

Laughlin '14 Selected As Nsf Scholar, Mallika Kavadi

News and Events

No abstract provided.

Development And Characterization Of Multi-Functional Probes For Use With Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy, Jiwon Lee, Colleen Leonard, Melinda Baur, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Using Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) with electrode probes that make simultaneous current and impedance measurements is useful for analysis of biological substrates. The current and impedance measurements are both dependent upon the proximity to a surface.

Experiments with the single carbon fiber electrodes show that the impedance measurements are independent of the current and applied potential. In order to detect neurotransmitter release from a cell, the electrode must be positioned very close to the cell surface. Impedance-based positioning eliminates the need for addition of biologically toxic redox mediators to position the electrode. Furthermore, it was found that multiple carbon fiber …

Four Named To Endowed Professorships, Kim Hill

News and Events

No abstract provided.

Jaggi To Address Honors Convocation, Katherine Filippo

News and Events

No abstract provided.

Student Named Acs Scholar, Mallika Kavadi

News and Events

No abstract provided.

Iron (Iii) Tosylate Catalyzed Synthesis Of 3,4-Dihydropyrimidin-2(1h)-Ones/Thiones, Ram Mohan, Jacob Starcevich, Thomas Laughlin

Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Iron(Iii) Tosylate Catalyzed Acylation Of Alcohols, Phenols, And Aldehydes, Ram Mohan, Neil Baldwin, Anna Nord, Brendan O’Donnell

Scholarship

Iron(III) p-toluenesulfonate (tosylate) is an efficient catalyst for acetylation of alcohols, phenols, and aldehydes. The acetylation of 1° and 2° alcohols, diols, and phenols proceeded smoothly with 2.0 mol % of catalyst. However, the reaction worked well with only a few 3° alcohols. The methodology was also applicable to the synthesis of a few benzoate esters but required the use of 5.0 mol % catalyst. Aldehydes could also be converted into the corresponding 1,1-diesters (acylals) under the reaction conditions. Iron(III) tosylate is an inexpensive, and easy to handle, commercially available catalyst.

A Discovery-Oriented Approach To Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis, Brian Brennan, Matthew Bockman, Christopher Miedema

Scholarship

In this discovery-oriented laboratory experiment, students use solid-phase synthesis techniques to construct a dipeptide containing an unknown amino acid. Following synthesis and cleavage from the polymeric support, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry is employed to identify the unknown amino acid that was used in the peptide coupling. This experiment, performed in two, 3-h laboratory periods, provides an opportunity for students to learn the technique of solid-phase peptide synthesis and to critically evaluate data that they generate in the laboratory. The experiment is suitable for second-semester organic chemistry students as they learn methods for the formation of amide bonds or upper-level biochemistry students …

Fluorescent Studies Of Peptidic Hemoglobin Binding Ligands, Chris Brackett, Brian Brennan, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Scanning Electrochemical Microscopic Imaging Of Taste Cells, Aaron Moore, Melinda Baur, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Synthesis Of A Thirty Member Macrocycle For Use In Host-Guest Chemistry, Keith A. Lehuta, Rebecca Roesner, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis, Elisabeth Sonta, Brian Brennan, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Monitoring The Electrochemical Activity Of Biological Samples Using Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy, Erica Woodall, Melinda Baur, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

The goal of the project is to develop the Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) as a tool to study the biological effects of oxidative damage on rat pheochromocytoma cells (PCI2 cells). SECM is a useful tool for the analysis of biological samples because the ultramicroelectrode tip of the probe can detect the presence of electrochemically active compounds such as neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine and norepinephrine, while simultaneously characterizing the topography of the cell. The topography of the cell was determined by maintaining a constant distance between the tip of the electrode and the surface of the cell. In the collector mode, the …