Chemist Rasika Dias is using a National Science Foundation grant to develop chemical processes and technologies based on a better understanding of how metals like gold, silver, mercury, and zinc bind with organic compounds for chemical reactions.
Dr. Dias is a professor and chair of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department.
Physics Assistant Professor Yue Deng has received a NASA grant to study how space weather such as solar flares affects electrodynamics in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Her research could help operators of near-Earth satellites, air traffic radar, and electricity grids better safeguard their systems from bursts of radiation and energetic particles.
With a grant from the National Science Foundation, chemistry and biochemistry Assistant Professor Brad Pierce is exploring enzymes that regulate human biology. His research has uncovered characteristics that could be used to identify a predisposition to conditions such as heart disease, diabetic ulcers, and certain types of cancer.
Bioengineering Associate Professor Kytai Nguyen has received a $1.4 million National Institutes of Health grant to create a nanoparticle system to strengthen arterial walls following angioplasty and stenting procedures that treat coronary arterial disease. Dr. Nguyen recently was named a fellow of the American Heart Association.