黑洞社区

黑洞社区 Assistant Chemistry Professor Katie Mitchell-Koch has received two prestigious grants totaling nearly $545,000.

Both grants were awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

One of the research projects -- $368,000 for "Unraveling Connections Among Biomolecular Structure, Interfacial Solvent Dynamics and Conformational Dynamics" -- focuses on the movement of solvent molecules around enzymes.

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. Enzymatic catalysis depends on protein motion, which is facilitated by motion of solvation layers at the protein interface.

Working with Virginia Tech Professor Vinh Nguyen, the knowledge gained in the research will provide fundamental insight into biomolecular function and the link between solvation environment and enzyme catalysis. That could result in lower energy costs and more efficient production of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

The research also provides valuable opportunities and resources for interdisciplinary training and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students.

Mitchell-Koch and Nguyen have a strong track record of training undergraduate and graduate students, including those from underrepresented groups in STEM, and their outreach efforts include middle school and high school students.

Mitchell-Koch was also one of 30 researchers in the United States to receive funding this week from the NSF鈥檚 Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).

She was awarded $176,284 for her research at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) with collaborator Kami Hull, a professor in the UIUC School of Chemical Sciences.

The work focuses on characterization of chemical syntheses carried out by rhodium and iridium catalysts. The catalytic reactions are used to create complex molecular architectures, like those in drug candidates and pharmaceuticals.

Mitchell-Koch uses computational chemistry to understand reaction mechanisms to enable new reactions or fine-tune processes for more efficient chemistry.

The grant will enable the two research groups to work side-by-side for close collaboration between theory and experiment, and Mitchell-Koch will take part in training and resources available at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at UIUC.

She and Hull will also be active with the Women Chemists Committee and the Bonding with Chemistry Camp for Girls.

Leadership for women in STEM will be modeled at Wichita State as well, including outreach through the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference for middle school girls.

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