Our faculty members conduct research in a number of interesting areas. Contact information for the faculty is available on this page.
Alphabetical Listing
Understanding the chemistry and biology of peptides and proteins and developing new approaches for manipulating these properties with purposefully designed small organic molecules. Employing chemical synthesis and combinatorial chemistry as well as spectroscopic and biophysical methods to accomplish these aims. Projects include:
- Development of peptidomimetics for the treatment of Diabetes Mellitus
- Development of therapeutic agents for biodefense against bacterial infection
Nanoporous metal oxides, which includes zeolites and related molecular sieves as well as layered materials. Projects include the preparation, modification and application of molecular sieves in areas ranging from catalysis to chemical sensors. Zeolite supported catalysts and host/guest materials include immobilized enzymes. Pulsed laser deposition and electrostatic deposition are used to prepare molecular sieve films and fibers respectively as part of an effort in membranes for gas separation, photovoltaics and fuel cells.
Nanotechnology, photonic crystals, sensors and actuators, ferroelectrics, novel forms of carbon (especially carbon nanotubes), and conducting polymers; Solid-state reactions, electrochemical processes and devices; Materials with unusual mechanical properties; Design, synthesis, and application of materials with novel electrical, optical, or magnetic properties
Designing monolayers with specific intermolecular interactions within the monolayer structure; design of molecular level sensors and switches; in collaboration with the NanoTech Institute at UTD, we are attempting to prepare single walled carbon nanotubes through an organic synthesis approach.
Affiliated Faculty
Dr. Bulla's research interests are in the area of invertebrate and microbial molecular biology with particular focus on the biochemical and biophysical characterization of insecticidal toxin receptors in insects.
United Technologies Research Center
Using an integrative approach, the Dieckmann Lab utilizes protein design to create simple model systems. These systems provide insights into the functioning of more complex biological systems, or yield new bio/nano hybrid materials.
molecular mechanisms of membrane trafficking in eukaryotic cells and applications of molecular and cell biology to the emerging field of bionanotechnology.
The main research thrusts of Prof. Ferraris' group are on electroactive polymers. In the past few years, Ferraris' group has contributed significantly to the scientific literature on various issues regarding electrochromics, electrochemical capacitors, light emitting polymers, membranes for gas separations, polymeric solar cells, and fuel cell membranes.
Associate Professor, UT Southwestern
- electronic materials with an emphasis on dielectrics (low-K, high-K, and gate dielectrics other than SiO 2)
- field emission materials, thin-film getters, and spacer materials
- organic electronics
Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are one of the two hallmark lesions of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and their accumulation has been used to assess the severity of the disease. They are composed of paired helical filaments (PHF), a form of amyloid resulting from the aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Our laboratory has found that peptides as short as 3-6 amino acids are able to initiate the formation of twisted filaments, similar to PHF. We believe that these short amyloid-forming peptides provide an excellent model for studying the structural basis of PHF and amyloid, in general.
Current research in the Musselman Group has 4 emphases with a microscopy theme in common. Projects include:
- Mechanisms of contrast and limits of contrast resolution in scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images of molecular adsorbates
- Peptide/single-walled carbon nanotube interactions explored using STM and atomic force microscopy (AFM)
- Fabrication and testing of polymer-based mixed-matrix membranes for gas separations
- Development and testing of high temperature proton exchange membranes for fuel cells
Responsibilities include scheduling, cryogen maintenance, instrument training, managing user accounts, troubleshooting, handling software updates and running pilot studies.
The focus of the Nielsen Lab is on the study of self-assembly. We currently focus on computer simulations of peptide solubilization of single wall carbon nanotubes, on theory and simulations for colloidal nanoparticles, and on the calculation of surface tension at nano-interfaces.
Dean Novak's focus is polymer research and projects in materials chemistry, including macromolecular chirality, optical switches and molecular machines.
Our research goals include elucidating the intracellular response and fate of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), and advancing the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of SWNTs. Our areas of expertise include the characterization of SWNT materials, the reproducible preparation of purified SWNT samples, and the development of direct and label-free measurements of SWNTs inside living cells and tissue.
Our chemistry group at UT Dallas is involved in the design of novel MR imaging agents that are responsive to physiology and metabolism.
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High relaxivity Gd3+-based agents that respond to binding events in vivo.
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Slow water exchange paramagnetic complexes that introduce MR contrast by a novel mechanism called chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST). Paramagnetic CEST agents are now widely referred to a PARACEST agents.
Research program is centered around the synthesis and coordination chemistry of novel classes of macrocyclic receptors with applications that range from catalysis to medicine to materials science. Specific research areas include:
- The "Wurster's" Crowns - Redox-Active Macrocyclic Receptors
- Novel Lipophilic Hosts/Oligomeric Metal Complexes for use in Cancer Therapy/Diagnosis
- Macrocycle Synthesis and Coordination Chemistry
- Supramolecular Chemistry: Organic Host-Guest Systems
- Bioinorganic Chemistry
Synthesis, mechanism, structure/property relationships, and applications of polymeric materials and composites including:
- fluoropolymers from aromatic trifluorovinyl ethers
- polyarylenes from bis-ortho-diynyl arenes
- renewable resource polymers
- functional nanocomposites
- photonic and electro-optical materials
Development of functional polymeric materials for organic electronics and medical applications. The research projects include:
- Novel semiconducting polymers for organic electronics
- Tailoring of organic/inorganic interface in organic field effect transistors (OFETs) and photovoltaic devices
- Block-copolymers containing semiconducting polymers and liquid crystalline polymers as electronic materials with tunable opto-electronic properties
- Stimuli-responsive aliphatic polyesters
The listed research projects are interdisciplinary thus allowing the students to gain experience in organic/polymer chemistry and materials science.
Organic chemistry lecturer.
Associate Dean for Research & Interdisciplinary Programs
- Conductive transparent coating research and their applications for displays and transparent electronics circuits
- Novel synthesis study of nano size particles and their applications study for use in electronics or energy devices
- Atmospheric, continuous growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using PECVD
- Bio and chemical sensor research: DNA and Methanol detection utilizing carbon nanotubes (CNTs)
- High temperature membrane research for hydrogen and methanol fuel cells
- Hydrogen storage research using catalytic dehydrogenation/hydrogenation of organic molecules
- Imprint mask study using less than 30nm design rule
Affiliated Faculty
- Advanced Carbon Nanomaterials: Nanotubes, Fullerenes,
- Photonic Crystals and Negative index materials
- Conjugated polymers and Molecular Organic solids
- Organic Light Emitting Devices
- Plastic solar cells
- investigating fundamental structure-property relationships of nanomaterials at bulk and single molecular level
- exploring their applications in:
- bioimaging
- catalysis
- energy conversion
- Updated: March 26, 2012
