Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Seminars

Spring 2021 

All Friday seminars will begin at 3:10 pm unless noted otherwise.

Wednesday, January 27 at 12:10 pm

Fourth Year Graduate Student seminar in Biochemistry with Ms. Alexandra Cheney.  The title of her talk is  "A Comprehensive and Integrative Analysis of Metabolic Dysfunction and Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis in Familial Dysautonomia.  Allie works in the labs of Profs. Valérie Copié and Frances Lefcourt.  

Friday, January 29 

Dr. David Heldebrant from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will present “How does Carbon Capture Work?”

Abstract: The world is undergoing a renewable energy revolution, though renewables cannot provide enough power for a fully carbon-free energy economy. The burning of fossil fuels will continue for the next two decades to meet our (still growing) energy demands, releasing gigatons of CO₂ into the environment. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (ICPP) has concluded that the removal of 20 gigatons of CO₂ per year from the atmosphere by the year 2050 will limit catastrophic warming by the year 2100. Carbon capture is a process that removes CO₂ before or after a fuel is burned to make power.  This talk provides an overview of carbon capture, with an emphasis on the technical challenges, the energy burdens, equipment costs, and most importantly the scale of carbon capture infrastructure.

Prof. Mike Mock host

Friday, February 12

Erik van Kuijk, MD, PhD, Professor & Chair, Ophthalmology & Visual Neurosciences at the University of Minnesota, will present  "Role of Prophylactic Zinc in Preventing in Severe Disease Progression from COVID-19.”   Professor Ed Dratz host.  Webex link to follow.

Friday, Feburary 19 

Dr. Teresa J. Bandosz, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The City College of New York

"Beyond Adsorption:  Exploring the Silent Aspect of Carbon Porosity"

Abstract:

In this talk we would like to provide an insight into our perspectives on the new applications of nanoporous carbons that were inspired by the graphene features and its presence in these carbonaceous materials. A significant advancement to the “new” science of the “old” nanoporous carbons is in their application as photocatalysts for water splitting, as gas sensors and  ORR and CO₂RR catalysts. In these applications both surface chemistry and porosity are crucial factors determining the specific performance. We will show an excellent gas sensing capability of carbons and their response selectivity. Photoactivity and  electron transfer reactions will also be addressed. The mechanism of the observed processes based on  an involvement of porosity will be proposed.

Our inspiration in the science of graphene combined with the comprehensive knowledge of activated carbons surface chemistry, texture, morphology and adsorptive/reactive adsorptive properties directed us to look at carbons from another perspective; from the perspective of nanotechnology. The results obtained by us and briefly addressed here are very new and many questions have arisen, and are left unanswered, and many approaches need improvements. One has to take into consideration that explaining the complex phenomena on nanoporous carbons is not easy owing to the combination of the porosity and surface chemistry effects. Practically either one cannot exist without another and they add up to that's specific and unique synergy provided only by these materials. One thing is certainly true:  “adventurous” graphene features can be found in nanoporous carbons and they deserve to be explored and used to their full extent.

Dr. Nick Stadie host

Friday, February 26

Ms. Nida Shaikh will present "Carbon Particulate Adsorption to Aqueous – Air Interfaces and Their Effects On Lipid Film Structure and Organization."  Nida is a fourth year graduate student in the laboratory of Professor Rob Walker.  

Friday, March 26

Dr. Wei-chen Chang , Assistant Professor of Chemistry at NC State University will present "Mechanistic Studies and Potential Application of Non-heme Iron Enzymes in Natural Product Biosynthesis." 

Abstract: Metalloenzymes catalyze a broad array of oxidative modifications that are involved in primary metabolism as well as natural product biosynthesis. Among diverse reaction types, C-N bond and C-C bond installation catalyzed by several iron and 2-oxoglutarate dependent enzymes represent novel transformations found in natural product biosynthetic pathways. Herein, a combinatorial approach is used to demystify the plausible reaction mechanisms. Furthermore, the insight obtained through mechanistic investigation leads to the discovery of repurposing these enzymes for the preparation of useful small molecules.

Prof. Jen DuBois host  

3:10 pm via WEBEX

https://montana.webex.com/montana/j.php?MTID=mbf32e407463b95e5193364eccddacbfe

Thursday, April 1

Ms. Angela Patterson will defend her PhD in Biochemistry beginning with a seminar titled "Investigating the Role of Allostery Through Changes in Protein Stability and Dynamics."  Angela works in the lab of Professor Brian Bothner.  

12 noon

WEBEX INVITE

Friday, April 2 -University Holiday

Monday, April 5

Mr. Jesse Peach will defend his PhD in Biochemistry beginning with a seminar titled "ANALYSIS OF COMPLEX SAMPLES BY MASS SPECTROMETRY LEADS TO INSIGHTS INTO SYSTEM DYNAMICS".  Jesse works in the lab of Professor Brian Bothner.

2 pm via WEBEX 

https://montana.webex.com/montana/j.php?MTID=m10e73bacd6c4d66df66ea558f610b4cc

Thursday, April 8

12:00 pm Katie Steward will defend her PhD in Biochemistry. Prof. Brian Bothner advisor.

Friday April 9

Mr. David Chen will defend his PhD in Chemistry beginning with a seminar titled “The Effects of Atomic Oxygen on Carbon-Silicon Systems in Extreme Environments."  David works in the lab of Professor Tim Minton

10:10 am 

WEBEX INVITE

Friday, April 9

Ms Erin Taylor will present a graduate student seminar titled "Lifting Graphene Out of 2D: Can We Synthesize a Missing Carbon Allotrope?" Erin is completing her 4th year as a graduate student in the lab of  Asst. Prof. Nicholas Stadie.

3:10 pm via WEBEX

https://montana.webex.com/montana/j.php?MTID=m7f524532a580c80ed306e8d5586e4346

Friday, April 16 -open

Friday, April 23 

Jonathan Schelbach, Dept. of Chemistry, Indiana University - Brian Bothner host 

Friday, April 30 

Profs.'  Robert Szilagyi and Nicholas Stadie