Student Research in Chemistry

Student Research Enhances the Antibacterial Effectiveness of a Common Sugar Alternative

Ariel Richards ’23 carries out research that helps develop drugs from compounds produced by organisms through the College’s Mentored Advanced Project program and the American Society of Pharmacognosy’s Summer Research Fellowship.

Hernandez, Hewitt, and Paek on the PNNL campus.

Academics

Hewitt Recognized as Outstanding Intern

Michael Hewitt ’20 recognized by DOE as outstanding intern.

Nora and Ben place a greek vase in a spectrometer machine

Chemical Connections: Classics and Chemistry Collide with Research on Greek Vase

What’s the connection between olive oil, an ancient Greek vase, and X-ray fluorescence analysis? That’s exactly what Nora Madrigal ’19 and Ben Hoekstra ’19 sought to find out from a research project in their Chemistry 358: Instrumental Analysis class.

Students present their research posters to faculty and guests.

Completion of a Mentored Advanced Project (MAP) is a core requirement of a chemistry major. Most MAPs in the chemistry department take place during the summer. Some of these MAP research experiences lead to presentations and publications, such as the ones listed on this page.

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2021

*Brunet, C., *Gemrich, E., *Biedermann, S., Jacobson, P., Schilling, K., Jones, C., Graham, A.M. (2021) Nutrient capture in an Iowa farm pond: Insights from high-frequency observations. Journal of Environmental Management 299: 113647.

*Cook, B., Thatcher, D.L., Graham, A.M., Wanamaker, A.D., Denniston, R.D., Gillikin, D.P., Asmerom, Y., Polyak, V., and C.C. Ummenhofer. A 2500-year record of hydroclimate variability as evidenced by last ablation analysis of trace elements and stable isotopes in Portuguese stalagmites. 55th Annual Meeting of North-Central Section of the Geologic Society of America. April 18-20, 2021, online. Poster.

*Dixon-Anderson, K. W. and Lyons, L. J. “NMR diffusion studies of organosilyl ester and sulfone electrolytes for applications in lithium-ion batteries at higher salt concentration,” Symposium on Innovative Chemistry and Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage, Division of Energy and Fuels, American Chemical Society Meeting, San Antonio, TX (virtual), April, 2021, poster.

*Hewitt, M.A., Hernandez, H., and Johnson, G.E., "ESI-MS Identification of the Cationic Phosphine-Ligated Gold Clusters Au1-22: Insight into the Gold-Ligand Ratio and Abundance of Larger Clusters," J. Am. Soc. Mass. Spectrom. 2021, 32,1, 237-246.

*Sharpe, S. and Lyons, L. J. “NMR diffusion studies of organosilyl ester and sulfone electrolytes for applications in lithium-ion batteries at low salt concentration,” Symposium on Innovative Chemistry and Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage, Division of Energy and Fuels, American Chemical Society Meeting, San Antonio, TX (virtual), April, 2021, poster.

2020

*Hewitt, M. A., Hernandez, H., Johnson, G. E. "Light Exposure Promotes Degradation of Intermediates and Growth of Phosphine-Ligated Gold Clusters," J. Phys. Chem. C 2020, 124, 3396-3402.

*Hua, J., *Tran, T., *Chien, J., and Trimmer, E.E., "Kinetic Characterization of Mutant Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Enzymes Leu277Ala and Leu277Ile," poster presented by J. Hua* at the Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, (Chicago, IL), October 24, 2020 (virtual).

*Liu, Z., *Chien, J. and Trimmer, E.E., "Kinetic Characterization of Mutant Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Enzyme Phe184Ala," poster presented by Z. Liu* at the Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, (Chicago, IL), October 24, 2020 (virtual).

*Pan, Y., *Tetrick, M., *Li, R., *Seng, J.U., and Trimmer, E.E., “The Role of Ser26 in the Catalysis of E. coli MTHFR," poster presented by Y. Pan* at the Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, (Chicago, IL), October 24, 2020 (virtual).

2019

*Compton, J.S., *Peterson, C.A., *Dervishogullari, D., and Sharpe, L.R., "Spray Pyrolysis as a Combinatorial Method for the Generation of Photocatalyst Libraries," ACS Comb. Sci. 2019, 21, 6, 489-499.

*Guo, R., Trimmer, E.E., and Marzluff, E.M., "Effect of Concentration and Mutation on the Conformational Dynamics of MTHFR," poster presented by R. Guo at the National American Chemical Society Meeting, (Orlando, FL), March 31-April 4, 2019.

Lyons, L.J., *Beecher, S., *Cunningham, E., *Derrah, T., *Su, S., *Zhu, J., Usrey, M., Peña-Hueso, A., Johnson, T., West, R., “Enhanced Lithium-ion Transport in Organosilyl Electrolytes for Lithium-ion Battery Applications,” MRS Communications, 2019, 9(3), 985-991.

Lyons, L.J., *Beecher, S., *Cunningham, E., *Derrah, T., *Sharpe, S., *Su, S., *Yoon, S., *Zhu, J., Usrey, M., Peña-Hueso, A., Johnson, T., West, R. “Organosilyl Nitrile and Organosilyl Nitrile/Carbonate Blends for Lithium-ion Battery Applications,” Materials Research Society Spring Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, April 24, 2019, poster ES01.05.03.

Lyons, L.J., *Derrah, T., *Sharpe, S., *Yoon, S., *Beecher, S., Usrey, M., Peña-Hueso, A., Johnson, T., West, R., “Enhancing Ionic Conductivity with Fluorination in Organosilyl Solvents for Lithium-ion Battery Electrolytes,” MRS Communications, 2019, 9(3), 1-6.

*Parrish, K. A., King, M., Ligare, M. R., Johnson, G. E., Hernandez, H. "Role of sterics in phosphine-ligated gold clusters," Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2019, 21, 1689.

Trimmer, E.E., *Du, S., *Tetrick, M.G., *Pan, Y., *Li, R., *Seng, J.U., *Chien, J., *Sanchez, J.S., and *McWilliams, B., “Exploring a Proton Relay Mechanism in the Folate Half-Reaction of E. coli Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR)," poster presentation by E. E. Trimmer at the 2019 Gordon Research Conference on Enzyme, Coenzymes, and Metabolic Pathways, (Waterville Valley, NH), July 21-25, 2019.

2018

*Beecher, S., *Derrah, T. and Lyons, L.J., “Ionic Conductivities and Ion Dissociation in Silyl Nitrile Electrolytes with LiPF6 and LiTFSI Salts for Applications in Lithium-ion Batteries,” 255th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, March 18, 2018, INOR 346, poster.

*Brunet, C. and Graham, A.M. 2018. Nutrient processing and storage in agricultural streams and ponds as revealed by high frequency observation. 255th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana. Poster.

*Cunningham, E. and Lyons, L.J., “NMR Diffusion Studies of LiTFSI/Organosilyl Electrolytes,” 255th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, March 18, 2018, INOR 356, poster.

*Derrah, T. and Lyons, L.J. “NMR diffusion studies of ions and solvent in Organosilyl nitrile electrolytes with LiPF6 for application in lithium-ion batteries,” Midwest Regional ACS Meeting, Ames, IA, October 15, 2018, poster 150.

*Du, S., *Tetrick, M.G., *Li, R., *Chien, J., and Trimmer, E.E., “Kinetic Characterization of Mutant Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Enzymes His273Ala and His273Gln," poster presented by S. Du* and M.G. Tetrick* at the Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, (Chicago, IL), October 20, 2018.

*Kanzler, C.R., Lian, P., *Trainer, E.L., *Yang, X., Govind, N., Parks, J.M., and Graham, A.M. (2018). Emerging Investigator Series: Methylmercury speciation and dimethylmercury production in sulfidic solutions. Environ. Sci. Process. Impacts 20: 584-594.

*Li, A., *Wang, J., and Trimmer, E. E., “pH-dependent studies of the reductive half-reaction of E. coli methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase,” poster presented by A. Li* at the National American Chemical Society Meeting, (New Orleans, LA), March 18-22, 2018.

*Lyu, N. and Mobley, T.A., “Theoretical Exploration of (Un)expectedly Small Aldehyde 3JHH Values: An NBO Perspective” Poster 50, SMASH NMR Conference, Philadelphia, PA, September, 2018.

*Mehltretter, K., Graham, A.M., Marzluff, E. Herbicide fate and transport in an agricultural watershed. American Chemical Society Midwest Regional Meeting. October 21-23, 2018, Ames, Iowa. Poster.

Minelli, M., *Hart-Cooper, W., *Sinnwell, J. G., *Blumberg, D. T., Guzei, I, Spencer, L. C., Saucedo Vazquez, J. P., Solano Peralta, A., Sosa Torres, M., "Synthesis, structure, and characterization of molybdenum(VI) imido complexes with N-salicylidene-2-aminothiophenol," Polyhedron 146 (2018) 26-34.

*Pan, Y., *Li, R., *Seng, J.U., and E.E. Trimmer, “Kinetic Characterization of Mutant Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Enzymes Ser26Ala and Ser26Thr," poster presented by Y. Pan* at the Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, (Chicago, IL), October 20, 2018.

*Peng, L. and Mobley, T.A., “Dynamic NMR Investigation of Asymmetric 195Pt Satellites of Hydride in Stannylphosphine Complexes,” Poster 11, SMASH NMR Conference, Philadelphia, PA, September, 2018. [This poster was awarded the 2nd place in poster prize competition at conference.]

*Sharpe, S. and Lyons, L. J. “Alternative electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries: Organosilyl nitrile replacements for carbonate solvents,” Midwest Regional ACS Meeting, Ames, IA, October 15, 2018, poster 135.

*Smith, K. and Graham, A.M. 2018. Mercury methylation and bioaccumulation in an Iowa terrace-fen complex. 255th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana. Poster.

*Su, S. and Lyons, L. J. “Mono-fluorinated organosilicon nitrile compound as an additive in LiPF6 carbonate blend electrolytes,” Midwest Regional ACS Meeting, Ames, IA, October 15, 2018, poster 428.

Trimmer, E.E., *Li, R., *Du, S., *Pan, Y., *Tetrick, M.G., *Seng, J.U., *Chien, J., *McWilliams, B., and *Sanchez, J.S., “Exploring a Proton Relay Mechanism in the Folate Half-Reaction of E. coli Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR)," oral presentation by E. E. Trimmer at the 2018 Gordon Research Conference on Enzyme, Coenzymes, and Metabolic Pathways, (Waterville Valley, NH), July 22-26, 2018.

Trimmer, E.E., *Li, R., *Du, S., *Pan, Y., *Tetrick, M.G., *Seng, J.U., *Chien, J., *McWilliams, B., and *Sanchez, J.S., “Exploring a Proton Relay Mechanism in the Folate Half-Reaction of E. coli Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR)," poster presentation by E. E. Trimmer at the 2018 Gordon Research Conference on Enzyme, Coenzymes, and Metabolic Pathways, (Waterville Valley, NH), July 22-26, 2018.

*Wadle, A. and Graham, A.M. 2018. Microtopographic control of groundwater geochemistry and Hg methylation in a river floodplain. 255th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana. Poster.

*Wang, J., E. E. Trimmer, E.E., and Marzluff, E.M., "Conformational analysis of MTHFR mutants with folate substrate binding utilizing H/D exchange and mass spectrometry," poster presented by J. Wang* at the National American Chemical Society Meeting, (New Orleans, LA), March 18-22, 2018.

*Xia, R., Mobley, T., and Sieck, S., “Conformational analysis of alpha-substituted chalcones” Poster 1536, 255th National American Chemical Society Meeting, March, 2018.

*Yoon, S. and Lyons, L.J. “Ionic conductivities of fluorinated organosilicon and carbonate blend electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries,” Midwest Regional ACS Meeting, Ames, IA, October 15, 2018, poster 153.

*Zhu, J., Lyons, L.J. and Hernandez, H., “Computational studies of LiPF6 salt dissociation in organosilicon nitrile electrolytes,” 256th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 22, 2018, COMP, poster.

*Zhu, J. and Lyons, L.J. “NMR Measurements of Ion and Solvent Transport for Organosilicon Nitrile Electrolytes,” 255th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, March 18, 2018, INOR 355, poster.

*Zuo, C.,* Jolly, A.L., *Satzer, D.I., *Nikolova, A.P., *Cao, S., *Sanchez, J.S., Ballou, D.P. and Trimmer, E.E. March 15, 2018. "A Role for Glutamine 183 in the Folate Oxidative Half-Reaction of E. coli Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase." Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 642, 63-74.

2017

*Beecher, S., and Lyons, L.J. “Measuring lithium and fluorine diffusion in electrolytes for use in lithium-ion batteries with PFG-STE NMR,” 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, April 4, 2017, INOR 917, poster.

*Cunningham, E. and Lyons, L.J. “NMR Diffusion Studies of LiTFSI/Organosilyl Electrolytes,” Midstates Physical Sciences Symposium, University of Chicago, Chicago, Nov. 4, 2017, poster 2.03.

*Dervishogullari, D., *Sharpe, C.A., and Sharpe, L.R. "LaFexCo(1-x)O3 Thin-Film Oxygen Reduction Catalysts Prepared Using Spray Pyrolysis without Conductive Additives", ACS Omega 2017, 2, 7695-7701.

Graham, A.M., *Cameron-Burr, K.T., *Hajic, H., *Lee, C., *Msekela, D., and Gilmour, C.C. (2017) Sulfurization of dissolved organic matter increases Hg-sulfide-DOM bioavailability to a Hg-methylating bacterium. Environmental Science and Technology 51: 9080-9088.

*Hocharoen, S., Mobley, T.A., and Gilbert, K. “Synthesis and structural characterization of (dppp)PtHSnPh3,” Poster CHED 1142, 253rd National American Chemical Society Meeting, March, 2017.

*Jeon, C.K., Trimmer, E.E., and Marzluff, E.M., “Characterization of MTHFR oligomers utilizing H/D exchange coupled with LC-MS”, poster presented by C. K. Jeon* at the National American Chemical Society Meeting, (San Francisco, CA), April 2-6, 2017.

*Kanzler, C. and Graham, A.M. (2017). Sulfide-induced abiotic methylmercury transformation. 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, California. Poster.

*Li, A., *Wang, J. and Trimmer, E. E., “pH-dependent studies of the reductive half-reaction of E. coli methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase”, poster presented by A. Li* at the Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, (Chicago, IL), October 14, 2017.

*Li, R., and Trimmer, E.E., “Importance of Ser26 in the folate half-reaction of E. coli MTHFR”, poster presented by R. Li* at the National American Chemical Society Meeting, (San Francisco, CA), April 2-6, 2017.

*Lopez, S. and Graham, A.M. (2017). Mercury cycling in an Iowa terrace fen. 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, California. Poster.

*Schmiechen, A. and Mobley, T. A. “Synthesis and crystal structure of (dppe)PtH(SnPh3),” Poster INOR 376, 253rd National American Chemical Society Meeting, March, 2017.

*Treichel, M., *Ortiz, C.A. and Lyons, L.J., “Impedance studies of silyl/carbonate electrolyte blends,” 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, April 4, 2017, INOR 904, poster.

Trimmer, E.E., *Li, R., “Importance of Ser26 in the folate half-reaction of E. coli MTHFR,” poster presentation by E. E. Trimmer at the 2017 Gordon Research Conference on Enzyme, Coenzymes, and Metabolic Pathways (Waterville Valley, NH), July 16-21, 2017.

*Van Helten, S., *Lopez, S., *Smith, K., *Wadle, A., and Graham, A.M. 2017. Geochemical controls on methylmercury production in shallow alluvial groundwaters in the Cedar River floodplain. 13th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant, Providence, Rhode Island, Poster.

*Van Helten, S. and Graham, A.M. (2017). Spatiotemporal variability in MeHg production in a restored oak savanna floodplain. 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, California. Poster.

*Vande Stouwe, O. and Lyons, L.J. “Ionic conductivities of LiClO4 polymer electrolytes for lithium-ion battery applications,” 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA April 3, 2017, CHED 1720, poster.

*Zhu, J. and Lyons, L.J. “NMR Measurements of Ion Transport for Organosilicon Nitrile Electrolytes,” Midstates Physical Sciences Symposium, University of Chicago, Chicago, Nov. 4, 2017, poster 1.26.

2016

*Dixon-Anderson, I., *Robinson, T. and Lyons, L.J., “Ionic conductivities of silyl and carbonate blend electrolytes,” 251th American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, CA March 15, 2016, INOR 851, poster.

*Li, A., and Trimmer, E.E., “pH-dependent studies of the reductive half-reaction of E. coli methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase”, poster presented by A. Li* at the Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, (Chicago, IL), October 1, 2016.

*Li, F. and Lyons, L.J., “Ionic Conductivity Studies of Organic Ether, Carbonate and Silyl Solvent Blends for Applications in Lithium-Ion Batteries,” 128th Iowa Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, Grand View University, Des Moines, IA, April 22, 2016, Chemistry P44, poster.

*Li, R., and Trimmer, E. E., “Importance of Ser26 in the folate half-reaction of E. coli MTHFR”, poster presented by R. Li* at the Midwest Enzyme Chemistry Conference, (Chicago, IL), October 1, 2016.

*Mulligan, C. and Lyons, L.J. “Organosilyl electrolyte conductivities, lithium transference numbers, and solvation shells via PFG-STE NMR diffusion experiments and their application in lithium-ion batteries,” 251th American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, CA March 15, 2016, INOR 866, poster.

*Treichel, M. and Lyons, L.J., “Impedance Studies of Silyl/Carbonate Electrolyte Blends,” Midstates Physical Sciences Symposium, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, Nov. 5, 2016, poster 27.

2015

*Flannery, L. and Lyons, L.J., “NMR diffusion of Ions in Organosilicon Solvents Containing a Nitrile Blended with Various Carbonates,” Midstates Physical Sciences Symposium, University of Chicago, Nov. 14, 2015, poster.

*Gnirke, J., *Bakhira, M.I. and Lyons, L.J. “Improved lithium ion transference numbers in electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries with organosilyl and fluorosilyl solvents,” 249th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Denver, CO March 24, 2015, INOR Poster 712.

*McGraw, V., *George, N., and Lyons, L.J. “Ionic conductivity studies of lithium electrolytes with organosilyl and carbonate solvent blends,” 249th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Denver, CO March 24, 2015, INOR Poster 713.

*Viquez-Rojas, C. and Mobley, T. A. “Experimental and theoretical studies investigating the effect of solvent on 1JWH in Cp2WH2,” Poster INOR 265, 249th National American Chemical Society Meeting, March 22, 2015.

*Zuo, C., *Jolly, A.L., *Satzer, D.I., *Sanchez, J.S., *Cao, S., *Nikolova, A.P., Ballou, D.P., and Trimmer, E.E., “A Functional Role for Glutamine 183 in the Folate Oxidative Half-Reaction of E. coli Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase,” poster presentation by E. E. Trimmer at the 24th Enzyme Mechanisms Conference (Galveston, TX), January 4-7, 2015.

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