Chemistry Research Experiences for Undergraduates

Analytical Chemistry

Polymer surface chemistry for drug delivery applications

In our laboratories, the chemical analysis of polymer surfaces1 is used to define and drive the successful development of polymer based devices that are used for wound healing, tissue scaffolding and drug delivery devices2, 3 using hydrogel polymers4 and biodegradable materials for active proteins and peptides5, 6. A current collaboration with Professor Libuse Anna Bobek of the Department of Oral Biology involves the study of the antifungal activity of a series of short (< 14 amino acids) peptides derived from the salivary protein mucin7. Undergraduate students build on their experiences to determine peptide structure using infrared, NMR and mass spectrometry. They then formulate the peptide in biodegradable and hydrogel polymer4 matrices, and perform in-situ structural analysis. Finally students determine the composition of the mixtures at the surface, and follow the release kinetics in vitro; correlating these results with assay results for peptide activity and antifungal activity.

Environmental analytical chemistry in collaboration with WNY communities

Community based chemical analysis has involved over 100 undergraduates since it's inception in 19968. A good example is the study of soil contamination at a local school district, Lewiston Porter Schools9, where a team of undergraduate and graduate students, including chemistry, public health, anthropology, geology and geography students worked together with the school staff (grounds, teachers), parents (PTA), school board members, community members and staff from the US Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) to define a sampling plan for soils on the schools campus. UB students and the community worked together to analyze the soils and create geographic maps of the soil contamination using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis. Among eight ongoing studies, undergraduate students in the REU program will learn community based cooperation, public communication of science, environmental analysis methods, interpretation of analytical data, GIS and the need for collaboration across a broad set of disciplines.

References

1. A. M. Piwowar and J. A. Gardella, Jr., "Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometric analysis of polymer tertiary structure in Langmuir monolayer films of poly (dimethyl siloxane)", Analytical Chemistry 2007, 79, 4126-4134.

2. Joseph A. Gardella Jr., Heather M. Maciejewski and Mara B. Huber, "Service Learning in urban, high needs schools: Building from science education to the University at Buffalo/Buffalo Public Schools Partnership", Chapter in Service Learning with Government Partners, David Redlawsk and Thomas Rice, Editors, Jossey Bass, in press, 2008.

3. Joseph A. Gardella Jr., Tammy M. Milillo, Gaurav Sinha, Gunwha Oh, David C. Manns, and Eleanor Coffey, "Linking advanced public service learning and community participation with environmental analytical chemistry: lessons from case studies in Western New
York", Chapter in Service Learning with Government Partners, David Redlawsk and Thomas Rice, Editors, Jossey Bass, in press, 2008.

4. Joseph A. Gardella, Jr., Tammy M. Milillo, Gaurav Sinha, David C. Manns and Eleanor Coffey, "Linking Community Service-Learning, and Environmental Analytical Chemistry", Analytical Chemistry, Feature Education Article, 2007, 79 (3), 811-18.

5. T. M. Milillo and J. A. Gardella, Jr., "Spatial statistics and interpolation methods for TOF SIMS imaging", Applied Surface
Science, 2006, 252, 6883-6890.

6. Daniel J. Hook, Paul L. Valint, Jr., Lu Chen and Joseph A. Gardella, Jr., "Quantitative and High Mass ToF-SIMS Studies of Siloxane Segregation in Hydrogel Polymers Using Cryogenic Sample Handling Techniques", Applied Surface Science, 2006, 252, 6679-82.

7. Christine M. Mahoney, Jinxiang Yu, Albert Fahey and Joseph A. Gardella Jr., "SIMS Depth Profiling of Polymer Blends with Protein Based Drugs", Applied Surface Science, 2006, 252, 6609-14.

8. Changsik Ha and Joseph A. Gardella, Jr., "The Surface Chemistry of Biodegradable Polymers for Drug Delivery Systems", Chemical Reviews, 2005, 105, 4205-4232.