Old Dominion University Chemistry & Biochemistry Dept

1. Old Dominion UniversityChemistry & Biochemistry Dept Graduate program

2. Home to the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department, the four-story Alfriend Chemistry building, constructed in 1967, houses classrooms and laboratories for both teaching and research.

3. Our PhD in Chemistry program, in its fifth year, is moving the department towards its goal of national recognition as a premier graduate facility. Areas of specialization within the graduate program include analytical chemistry, biochemistry, environmental chemistry, marine chemistry, materials chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry. Click on the link below to view our Graduate Program offerings. Department of Chemistry And Biochemistry Dr. Craig Bayse is our Graduate Program Director. mailto:cbayse@odu.edu Val De Costa is our Graduate Program Assistant. mailto:vdecosta@odu.edu

4. The research laboratories in the Alfriend Chemistry building were substantially renovated in 1996 to accommodate our rapidly expanding research programs. Students of all degree levels will use these facilities for research as they learn from highly talented, nationally known researchers on the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department faculty.

5. Dr. Patrick Hatcher, a renowned geochemist and leader of the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, established in 2006 by the Virginia General Assembly, leads an initiative to create biodiesel fuel from algae. He and his colleagues have developed an algae-growing farm as a demonstration facility in Spring Grove, Virginia.

6. Dr. Hatcher and his research group have pioneered new analytical approaches to studying the transformation of plants to natural organic matter in terrestrial and aquatic systems.

7. Dr. Hatcher’s research laboratories are housed in the adjacent Physical Sciences building, opened in 2009, along with the College of Sciences Major Instrumentation Cluster (COSMIC) which he directs.

8. Susan Hatcher is the COSMIC manager and oversees the operation of a $1.3 million 12-Tesla fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer and two ultra-shielded 400MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers (NMR). Susan Hatcher and Pat Hatcher Junyan Zhang (back left) & Mahasilu Amunugama (back right)

9. The big move of the FTICR Mass Spectrometer magnet (about 9,000 pounds) to the new Physical Sciences building.

10. Dr. X. Nancy Xu is an internationally recognized leading researcher in nanoscience and nanotechnology, and ultrasensitive analysis. She and her research group have been developing cutting-edge nanobiotechnology and ultrasensitive detection technologies to explore living systems at the single-cell and single-molecule level. Her research team aims to invent novel technologies for better understanding of fundamental biomedical sciences, disease development, as well as early diagnosis and detection of cancers.

11. Dr. Xu’s research group has state-of-the-art single-molecule, single-cell and single nanoparticle imaging tools, which are housed both in the Alfriend Chemistry building and also in the New Physical Sciences building. Images of single gold and silver nanoparticles.

12. Dr. Richard Gregory directs the advanced polymer electronics, photonics, and soft materials characterization lab. This lab houses state of the art thermal characterization equipment, spin coaters for this electronic film preparation, rheometers, modulated and differential scanning calorimeters, dynamic mechanical analyzers, thermal gravimetric analysis instrumentation and electrochemical analyzers.

13. Dr. Mopper’s current research areas include the impact of photo-chemical processes on oceanic and global carbon cycling, the study of free radicals (e.g., OH radicals) and stable species (e.g., H2O2) and their reactions in natural waters, the characterization of humic substances in natural waters, the production of surface active polysaccharides by organisms and their role in surface microlayer and particle formation in natural waters, and the development/adaptation of analytical techniques for trace organics, total and dissolved organic carbon, and photo-chemically formed species in natural waters.

14. Dr. John R. Donat's research interests include the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay, the speciation and concentrations of trace metals in estuarine, coastal, and oceanic waters and the factors affecting them; trace metal-phytoplankton interactions; and development & application of analytical methods for trace metal analysis in aquatic chemistry.

15. Dr. Lesley Greene’s research group studies the determinants of protein structure, function, folding and stability using cutting-edge techniques in molecular biology, protein chemistry, biophysics and bioinformatics. Their studies also include the investigation of amyloid fibril formation and the relationship to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Her research group is also pioneering the modeling of protein structures as network systems. Their work involves a multidisciplinary approach in collaboration with engineers, physicists, mathematicians, computer scientists and biologists.

16. Dr. Bala Ramjee’s research group is broadly interested in the interfacial area of nanomaterials and organic synthesis. They are currently probing ligand effects in the synthesis and dynamics of nanoparticles towards fundamental studies and applications in catalysis and sensing.

17. Dr. Jennifer Poutsma’s research group uses computational chemistry to study organic reactions and biological molecules. Current projects include identifying the mechanism of the Schmidt reaction and various analogues, determining the source of binding cooperativity in R67 dihydrofolate reductase, and understanding how modifications affect the binding of PNA to DNA or RNA.

18. Dr. Mao’s research group is interested in development and applications of advanced solid-state NMR techniques for research in biogeochemistry and environmental chemistry. Currently, his group is investigating non-covalent interactions of organic contaminants with soil and sediment organic matter.

19. Interactive collaborative research is a strong focus of the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry with such departments as Ocean, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Biological Sciences, Physics, and Engineering. Old Dominion University's Applied Research Center (ARC) consists of an interdisciplinary team of researchers working on scientific and technological problems in the areas of thin films, laser and plasma applications, materials technology, and the emerging fields of nanotechnology, biomedical engineering, sensor science and technology, and MEMS.  Projects at the Center are sponsored by federal agencies, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and various industries and national labs. State of the art instrumentation is available to Old Dominion University researchers and graduate students – some of which can be seen in the next three slides.

20. SEM JEOL JSM-6060LV • Accelerating Voltage: 5 – 30 kV • Imaging Mode: High vacuum for regular samples • Low vacuum for biological samples • Resolution:3.5 nm (HV mode) 4.0 nm (LV mode) • Magnification: 30x – 300,000x • EDS Unit: Thermo Electron NORAN System SIX • Modes: Point analysis Line analysis Elemental mapping

21. TEM JEOL JEM-2100F • Accelerating Voltage: 200 kV • Electron Gun:ZrO/W(100) field emission • Resolution:0.23 nm (point-to-point) 0.10 nm (lattice) 0.20 nm (STEM) • Spot Size:2-5 nm (TEM mode) 0.5-2.4 nm (analytical mode) • Magnification:MAG mode: 2,000x – 1,500,000x Low MAG mode: 50x – 6,000x • Image Mode:High resolution Bright field Dark field • CCD Camera: Gatan SC1000 ORIUS CCD camera (11 megapixel) • EDS Unit: Oxford INCAx-sight EDS detector • Modes: Point analysis Line analysis Elemental mapping

22. AFM Veeco Dimension 3100

23. Collaborative regional research opportunities are also available – NASA – Home, U.S. Navy, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and with a number of local industries – Morphix Technologies, U.S. Amines, BASF. The Thomas Jefferson Lab National Accelerator Facility, a center for both basic research and applied research, is just a short distance away in Newport News. As a user facility for scientists worldwide, it’s primary mission is to conduct basic research of the atom's nucleus at the quark level.

24. We encourage prospective students to meet our faculty and staff by arranging a visit to tour our facilities and to discuss the great opportunities that careers in the chemical sciences can provide. Don’t miss out on the many area attractions while visiting Old Dominion University. Norfolk offers a host of cultural events including Harborfest which is one of numerous events hosted by Norfolk’s Waterside Festival Marketplace. Contact the Department Manager, Alicia Herr, aherr@odu.edu to arrange a visit to our campus. Request more Information for our graduate program – Old Dominion University

25. The main campus is just a short drive from the popular Virginia Beach oceanfront and the historic triangle comprising Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. Virginia Is For Lovers - Vacation in Virginia - Beaches, Mountains, History and More

26. Join the many graduates from our program who have gone on to a diversity of professions in the chemistry and biochemistry fields – industrial, government, forensic and clinical laboratories; education; technical writing. A number of our graduates have moved on to medical school, dental school, and pharmacy school. The June 2008 issue of Chemical and Engineering News reports that “In 2007 the average starting salary for all new bachelor’s graduates was $37,500, and those for Masters and Doctoral graduates were $50,000 and $70,000 respectively.” Graduate Admissions | Old Dominion University | Norfolk, VA