Analytical Chemistry Research
Take a Tour!
Take a tour of the chemistry department facility.View More
Analytical Chemistry Research
Development of a Biosensor
Student Researcher: Jonathan Shue
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Lyman Rickard
Aptamers will be modified so that they will bind to a gold surface. Once the aptamers have been bound, they will be characterized according to the concentration of their binding, how uniform their binding is, whether or not there is a pattern or relationship between the binding mechanism and whether the aptamer binds via the 5' end or the 3' end, etc. Investigation will be conducted as to the electrochemical response of the bound aptamers. By furthering the research on aptamers, it is hoped that ovarian cancer markers that are more sensitive and location-specific than current cancer markers are can be synthesized in the future.
Development of a Biosensor
Student Researcher: Sarah Geiger
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Lyman Rickard
The purpose of this research project is to develop a biosensor used to detect disease markers. The initial design will bind aptomeres to a thin film of gold which will attract the disease markers being detected. Electrochemical techniques will be used to determine the effectiveness of the sensor. Characterization techniques such as atomic force microscopy and use of aptomere tagging will be used to analyze the sensor. This sensor will then be developed and improved upon to increase its effectiveness.
Investigation of Electrochemical Plating Processes
Student Researcher: Sarah Rogers
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Jeremiah Mbindyo
Electroplating of surfaces is a process that can be done for various reasons such as corrosion prevention, enhancing conductivity and for decorative purposes. Central the chemistry of electroplating is the formulation and stabilization of chemical baths that contain a salt of the metal to be plated. Successful electroplating operations require carefully controlled conditions to achieve the desired results and maintain reproducibility. Analytical investigation of the processes used generates more insight into how chemically the process can be improved over time. This investigation will explore the analytical testing and quality control measures needed in electroplating operations, with a goal of improving sustainability of the processes. Techniques to be investigated include titrimetric, spectrophotometric and hydrometric analysis.
