Faculty

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Christopher LaFratta, Director

Education
2010 NIH TEACRS Post-Doctoral Fellow Tufts University
2006 PhD Chemistry University of Maryland College Park 
2001 BS Chemistry University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 
 
Courses

• Science of Modern Technology (CHEM 126)
• Basic Principles of Chemistry I (CHEM 141)
• Basic Principles of Chemistry II (CHEM 142)
• Physical Chemistry (CHEM 311)
• Analytical/Physical Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 350)
• Nanochemistry (CHEM 471)

 
Research Interests
Our group is interested in developing new tools to fabricate devices and perform chemical analysis at the microscale.
 
Specific Projects
1) We are improving the resolution of direct laser writing (DLW) lithography using a 532 nm laser by using chemical additives and also by incorporating a second near-IR laser. 
2) We are investigating the use of DLW to pattern the electrochemical growth of metals. 
3) We are combining DLW and conventional lithography to take advantage of their benefits while minimizing the shortcomings of each.

Current Lab Members
Tahmid Siddique ('22)
Kris Tulloch ('23)
Anders Dollard ('23)
Nasif Hossain ('23)
Nafis Farhan ('23)
 
Lab Alumni
Cecily Rosenbaum ('21) PhD Program U. Washington (Seattle)
Frank Rybicki ('21) Bard MAT, Chem Engineering Program PhD Tufts
Vishrut Tiwari ('22) Columbia 3+2  Operations Research
Stella Schneeberg ('21) PhD Program U. Vermont
Curtis Sirkoch ('20) Columbia 3+2 Chem. Eng., PhD program Earth and Environmental Engineering Columbia
Xiaofei Guo ('19) PhD Program U. Washington (Seattle)
Kyle Zigner ('19) Masters Program Mech. Eng. BU
Sarah Morris ('19) Lab tech, Newport, RI
Matthew Murphy ('18) employed Baltimore
Praiz Anyanwu ('18) PhD Program U. Washington (Seattle)
Garret Clifton ('17) TG Therapeutics, Inc.
Miles Lim ('17) PhD program UCLA
Zhe Mei ('16) PhD Yale
Paul Lawrence ('16) PhD Tufts
Eric Will ('16) employed
Ayda Gonzalez ('16) Masters Emory
Olja Simoska (’15) PhD UT Austin, Prof. Univ. South Carolina
Hannah Otto (’15) employed
Shuyi Weng (’15) PhD Northwestern (Mathematics)
Jasper Williams (’14) PhD UC San Francisco
Ian Pelse (’14) PhD Georgia Tech
Clare Wheeler (’14) employed
Miles Ingram (’14) Wyss Institute Harvard Medical School
Min Shinn (’14) PhD Biophysics Univ. Washington (St. Louis)
Eric Reed (’13) MD SUNY Upstate Medical University
Jose Luis Falla (’13) Masters Physics UC Boulder
Andres Medina (’13) Masters Mechanical Engineering Columbia
Tiago Moura (’13)  McKinsey & Company
Youseung Kim (’12) DO Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine
Yi (Brian) Liu (’12) PhD Chemistry Georgia Tech
Sebastien Cendron (’11) Masters at Tufts University

Publications
(undergraduate co-authors are in bold)
31. Rosenbaum C., Murphy M., Lawrence P., Sirkoch C., Scheeberg S.R., Morris S., Zigner K., Richman E., Anyanwu C., Will E., Wheeler C., Reed E., LaFratta C.N.* International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, 2022, Int. J. Extrem. Manuf. 4 (2022) 035001. (link)

30. Coffey B., Clough L., Bartkus D.D., McClellan I.C., Greenberg M.W., LaFratta C.N., Tanski J.M., Anderson C.A.* ACS Omega, 2021, 6(42), 28316-28325. (link)

29. Baldacchini T., LaFratta C. N., Malinauskas M. Metrology and Process Control. Edited by Tommaso Baldacchini. Three-Dimensional Microfabrication Using Two-Photon Polymerization 2^nd Ed. 2020, 197-228. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. (link)

28. Richman E.J., Chou Y.-T., Deng Y., Kaelbling L., Liang Z., McAlaine G., Miller C., Selesnick M., LaFratta C.N.*, and Cadden-Zimansky P.* Optical Materials Express 2019, 9(9), 3871-3877. (link)

27. Lim M., Guo X., Grunblatt E. L., Clifton G. M., Gonzalez A. N., LaFratta C. N.* Augmenting Mask-Based Lithography with Direct Laser Writing to Increase Resolution and Speed. Optics Express 2018, 26 (6), 7085-7090. (link)

26.  LaFratta C. N., Baldacchini T.*  Two-Photon Polymerization Metrology: Characterization Methods of Mechanism and Microstructure.  Micromachines. 2017, 8, 101 doi:10.3390/mi8040101 (link)

25. LaFratta C.N.*, Simoska O., Pelse I., Weng S., Ingrams M.  A Convenient Direct Laser Writing System for the Creation of Microfluidic Masters. Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, 2015, 19(2), 419-426. (link)

24. LaFratta C.N.*, Lie L.  (2015). Making Two-Photon Polymerization Faster. Tommaso Baldacchini (Ed.) Three-Dimensional Microfabrication Using Two-Photon Polymerization.  Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. (link)

23. LaFratta C.N.*  (2015). Nanoreplication and Surface Processing.  Robert Liska (Ed.) Nano- and Microstructuring Using Multiphoton Lithography.  Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. (link)

22. LaFratta C.N.*, Pelse I., Falla J.L., Liu Y., Palacios, M.A., Manesse M., Whitesides G.M., Walt D.R.*,  Measuring Atomic Emission from Beacons for Long-Distance Chemical Signaling.  Analytical Chemistry, 2013, 85(19), 8933-8936. (link)

21. LaFratta C.N.* Optical Tweezers for Medical Diagnostics. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. 2013, 405, 5671-5677. (link)

20. Manesse M., Phillips A.F., LaFratta C.N., Palacios, M.A., Hayman R.B., Walt D.R.* Dynamic Microbead Arrays for Biosensing Applications. Lab on a Chip. 2013, 13, 2153-2160. (link)

19. LaFratta C.N.*, Jain S.S., Pelse I., Simoska O., Elvy K. Using a Homemade Flame Photometer to Measure Sodium Concentration in a Sports Drink. Journal of Chemical Education. 2013, 90, 372-375. (Published in Quantitative Chemical Analysis 9th ed. by D.Harris) (link)

18. Jain S.S.*, LaFratta C.N., Medina A., Pelse I. Analysis of Proflavine DNA Binding using a Handheld Fluorimeter.  Journal of Chemical Education. 2013, 90, 1215. (link)

17. Morrison G.*, Thomas S., LaFratta C.N., Guo J., Palacios M.A., Sonkusale S., Walt D.R., Whitesides G.M., Mahadevan L.*, Robust Error Correction in InfoFuses. Proceedings of the Royal Society A. 2012, 468, 361-377. (link)

16. Palacios, M., Benito-Peña, E., Manesse, M., Mazzeo, A., LaFratta, C.N., Whitesides, G.M., and Walt, D.R.* Infobiology by printed arrays of microorganism colonies for timed and on demand release of messages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 2011, 108, 16510-16514. (PNAS top 10 stories of 2011, highlighted in Science, the March 2012 issue of National Geographic Magazine, and dozens of other media outlets) (link)

15. LaFratta C.N., Huh S.P., Mallilin A., Riviello P.J., Walt D.R.* Visualizing Fluorescence: Using a Homemade Fluorescence “Microscope” to View Latent Fingerprints on Paper. Journal of Chemical Education. 2010, 87, 1105-1107. (link)

14. Thomas S.W., Chiechi R.C., LaFratta C.N., Webb M.R., Lee A., Wiley B.J., Zakin M.R., Walt D.R., Whitesides G.M.* Infochemistry and Infofuses: Chemical Storage and Transfer of Coded Information. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 2009, 106(23), 9147-9150. (highlighted: Chemical & Engineering News June 1, 2009) (link)

13. Deiss F., LaFratta C.N., Symer M., Blicharz T.M., Sojic N., Walt D.R.* Multiplexed Sandwich Immunoassays using Electrochemiluminescence Imaging Resolved at the Single Bead Level. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2009, 131(17), 6088-6089. (link)

12. Webb M.R., LaFratta C.N., Walt D.R.* Chromatically Resolved Optical Microscope (CROMoscope) – A Grating-Based Instrument for Spectral Imaging. Analytical Chemistry. 2009, 81(17), 7309-7313. (highlighted in Analytical Chemistry, August 4, 2009) (link)

11. LaFratta C.N., Walt D.R.* Very High Density Sensing Arrays. Chemical Reviews. 2008, 108(2), 614-637. (link)

10. LaFratta C.N., Fourkas J.T.*, Baldacchini T., Farrer R.A. Multiphoton Fabrication. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 2007, 46(33), 6238-6258. (~500 citations) (link)

9. LaFratta C.N., Li L., Fourkas J.T.*  Rapid, in-line, non-interferometric auto- and cross-correlator for microscopy.  Optics Express 2006, 14(23), 11215-11221. (link)

8. LaFratta C.N., Lim D., O’Malley K., Baldacchini T., Fourkas J.T.* Direct Laser Patterning of Conductive Wires onto 3-D Polymeric Microstructures. Chemistry of Materials. 2006, 18(8), 2038-2042. (link)

7. LaFratta C.N., Li L., Fourkas J.T.* Soft-Lithographic Replication of Microstructures with Closed Loops. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. 2006, 103, 8589-8594. (highlighted in Materials Today August 2006 and Analytical Chemistry September 2006) (link)

6. Farrer R.A., LaFratta C.N., Li L., Praino J., Naughton M.J., Saleh B.E.A., Teich M.C., Fourkas J.T.* Selective Functionalization of 3-D Polymer Microstructures. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2006, 128(6), 1796-1797. (link)

5. Bayindir Z., Sun Y., Naughton M.J., LaFratta C.N., Baldacchini T., Fourkas J.T., Stewart J., Saleh B.E.A., Teich M.C. Polymer Microcantilevers Fabricated via Multiphoton Absorption Polymerization.  Applied Physics Letters. 2005, 86(6), 0641051. (link)

4. Baldacchini T., Pons A.C., Pons J., LaFratta C.N., Fourkas J.T.*, Naughton M.J. Multiphoton Laser Direct Writing of 2-D Silver Structures. Optics Express. 2005, 13(4), 1275. (link)

3. LaFratta C.N., Baldacchini T., Farrer R.A., Fourkas J.T.*, Teich M.C., Saleh B.E.A., Naughton M.J. Replication of Two-Photon-Polymerized Structures with Extremely High Aspect Ratios and Large Overhangs. Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 2004, 108(31), 11256. (cover article) (link)

2. Baldacchini T., LaFratta C.N., Farrer R.A., Teich M.C., Saleh B.E.A., Naughton M.J., Fourkas J.T.* Acrylic-Based Resin with Favorable Properties for Three-Dimensional Two-Photon Polymerization. Journal of Applied Physics. 2004, 95(11), 6072. (highlighted in The Boston Globe, Popular Science, and Discover Magazine) (link)

1. Bessette R.R.,* Medeiros M.G., Patrissi C.J., Deschenes C.M., LaFratta C.N. Development and Characterization of a Novel Carbon Fiber Based Cathode for Semi-Fuel Cell Applications. Journal of Power Sources. 2001, 96(1), 240-244. (link)

 

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Craig M. Anderson

Education

• Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec. Thesis: Solution and Structural Chemistry of Ruthenium Imidazole Complexes. Advisor: André L. Beauchamp.
• M.Sc., Organometallic Chemistry, Western University, London, Ontario. Thesis: Reactivity of Dimethylplatinum(II) Complexes. Advisor: Richard J. Puddephatt.
• B.Sc., Honours Chemistry, Western University. Thesis: Studies of a Trinuclear Platinum Cluster. Advisor: Richard J. Puddephatt.

Courses

• Basic Principles of Chemistry (Chemistry 141)
• Basic Principles of Chemistry (Chemistry 142)
• Principles of Chemical Analysis (Chemistry 301)
• Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (Chemistry 312)
• Chemistry of the Environment (Chemistry 130)
• Forensic Chemistry (Chemistry 135)
• Organometallic Chemistry (Chemistry 431)
• Experiments in Chemistry
• Environment and Disease (Biology 121)
• Organic Chemistry I (Chemistry 201)
• Advanced Techniques: Synthesis (Chemistry 360)

Research Interests
We are interested in the study of transition metal complexes with general applications towards bioinorganic and catalytic systems.
Examples of current projects:

• The synthesis of new platinum complexes with chiral and heterocyclic ligands. The study of the oxidative addition reactions of alkyl halides, such as MeI, to the new orthometallated platinum complexes which contain chiral sites in order to determine the stereoselectivity of such reactions.
• The design and synthesis of new ligands in order to produce bis-orthometalled platinum complexes. Such complexes have applications as OLEDs and light harvesting devices.
• The synthesis of di- and multi-nuclear complexes of platinum, iron, and/or ruthenium using bridging ligands containing nitrogen, sulphur or phosphorus and determining their reactivities with biomimetic molecules. It is speculated that the new complexes will have anti-tumor properties.

Awards and Funding:

2017-2022; $245,922  CHE-1665435, "RUI: Metal complexes with Benzothiophene and/or NHC ligands: Synthesis and Applications" has been funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms B Program of the Chemistry Division of the NSF (http://www.nsf.gov/chem).

2014-2017; $216,000  CHE-1362858, "RUI: Cyclometalated Platinum Complexes Having Selective Reactivity and Applications in Catalytic, Photophysical, and Bio-Organometallic Systems " has been funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms B Program of the Chemistry Division of the NSF (http://www.nsf.gov/chem).

2011-2016; $60,000.  Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award. "Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of Hetero-Multinuclear, Anti-Cancer, Metal Complexes."

2011-2014; CHE-1058936  $198,000.  "RUI: Selective C-H and C-X Bond Activation to Platinum(II) and Reactivity of the Cyclometalated Complexes ,"  has been funded by the Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms Program of the Chemistry Division of the NSF (http://www.nsf.gov/chem).

Publications (2012– )
asterisk (*) indicates corresponding author; bold indicates undergraduate author

• Belle Coffey, Lily Clough, Daphne D. Bartkus, Ian C. McClellan, Matthew W. Greenberg, Christopher N. LaFratta, Joseph M. Tanski, and Craig M. Anderson.* Photophysical Properties of Cyclometalated Platinum(II) Diphosphine Compounds in the Solid State and in PMMA Films. ACS Omega 2021, 6 (42), 28316–28325. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.1c04509
• Craig M. Anderson,* Belle Coffey, Leslie Morales, Matthew W. Greenberg, Matthew Norman, Michael Weinstein, Garrett Brown, Joseph M. Tanski. Platinum Complexes from C−H Activation of Sterically Hindered [C^N] Donor Benzothiophene Imine Ligands: Synthesis and Photophysical Properties. ACS Omega 2020, 5 (41), 26855-26863. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.0c03993.
• Craig M. Anderson*, Garrett Brown, Matthew W. Greenberg, David Yu, Nellie Bowen,* Rahma Ahmed, Melissa Yost-Bido, Alina Wray.  Stereoselective C-X And Regioselective C-H Activation to, and Selective C(sp²)-C(sp³) Reductive Elimination from, Platinum Compounds With Thiophene-Derived Ligands. Tetrahedron Letters, 60, (43), 151156, 2019,  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tetlet.2019.151156
• Craig M. Anderson*, Claudio Mastrocinque, Matthew W. Greenberg, Ian McClelland, Leila Duman, Nathaniel Oh, Francesco Mastrocinque, Michael Pizzuto, Kaylynn Tran, and Joseph M. Tanski. Synthesis, Characterization, and Photophysical Properties of bis-metalated Platinum Complexes with Benzothiophene Ligands.  Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, 880, 2019, 98-107.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jorganchem.2018.12.010
• Francesco Mastrocinque, Craig M. Anderson*, Adel Elkafas, Isabel Ballard, and Joseph M. Tanski. Synthesis, Characterization, and Photophysical Properties of Cyclometalated N-Heterocyclic Carbene Platinum(II) Complexes.   Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, 882, 2019, 10-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jorganchem.2018.10.026 ​​​​​​
• Swapan Jain*, Craig Anderson, Iden A. Sapse, Silvie H. Lundgren, Abigail K. Freer, Hang Hoang, Kyan Jain and Madeleine Breshears.  A ruthenium–platinum metal complex that binds to sarcin ricin loop RNA and lowers mRNA expression.  Chemical Communications, 54, 2018, 8987-8990.
• Craig M. Anderson*, Nathaniel Oh, Tedros A. Balema, Francesco Mastrocinque, Claudio Mastrocinque, Danielle Santos, Matthew W. Greenberg, and Joseph M. Tanski.  Regioselective C-H/C-X Activation of Naphthyl-Derived Ligands to form Six-Membered Palladacycles.  Tetrahedron Letters, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tetlet.2016.08.092
• Craig M. Anderson*, Matthew W. Greenberg, Lucia Spano, Labeeby Servatius, and Joseph M. Tanski. Regioselective Competition Between The Formation Of Seven-Membered And Five-Membered Cyclometalated Platinacycles Preceded by Csp2- Csp3 Reductive Elimination. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, 819, 2016, 27-36.
• Craig M. Anderson^*, Matthew W. Greenberg, Tedros A. Balema, Leila M. Duman, Nathaniel Oh, Asad Hashmi, Leah Ladner, Kyan Jain, David Yu, and Joseph M. Tanski.  Regioselective Formation of Six-Membered and Five-Membered Cyclometalated Platinum Complexes.  Tetrahedron Letters, 56, 46, 2015, 6352–6355.
• Craig M. Anderson*, Swapan S. Jain, Lisa Silber, Kody Chen, Sumedha Guha, Wancong Zhang, Emily C. McLaughlin, Yongfeng Hu, and Joseph M. Tanski.  Synthesis and Characterization of Water-Soluble, Heteronuclear Ruthenium(III)/Ferrocene Complexes and Their Interactions with Biomolecules  Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 145, 2015, 41-50.
• Craig M. Anderson*, Margarita Crespo*, Nicole Kfoury, Michael Weinstein, Joseph M. Tanski.  Regioselective C-H Activation Preceded by Csp2- Csp3 Reductive Elimination from Cyclometalated Platinum(IV). Organometallics, 2013, 32 (15), pp 4199–4207.
• Swapan Jain*, Craig Anderson*, Francesca DiRienzo, Isabelle R. Taylor, Kyan Jain, Sumedha Guha, Nushrat Hoque.  RNA binding and yeast growth inhibition by a Ru(III)-Pt(II) metal complex.  Chem. Commun., 2013, 49, 5031.
• Craig M. Anderson,* Isabelle R. Taylor, Michael F. Tibbetts, Jessica Philpott, Yongfeng Hu, and Joseph M. Tanski. Hetero-multinuclear Ruthenium(III)/Platinum(II) Complexes That Potentially Exhibit Both Antimetastatic and Antineoplastic Properties.  Inorg. Chem. 2012, 51, 12917−12924.
• Craig M. Anderson,* Michael A. Weinstein, James Morris, Nicole Kfoury, Leila Duman, Tedros A. Balema, Ava Kreider-Mueller, Perry Scheetz, Skylar Ferrara, Matteo Chierchia, Joseph M. Tanski.  Biscyclometalated platinum complexes with thiophene ligands.  Journal of Organometallic Chemistry, 723, 2013, 188-197.
• Margarita Crespo,* Craig M. Anderson,* Nicole Kfoury, Mercè Font-Bardia, and Teresa Calvet.  Reductive Elimination from Cyclometalated Platinum(IV) Complexes to Form Csp2- Csp3 Bonds and Subsequent Competition between Csp2 - H and Csp3 - H Bond Activation.  Organometallics, 2012, 31, 4401-4404.

Bard College Senior Research Project Advisees:

• Erin Miksic (2003-2004); N.P., Johns Hopkins; Employed Greenbank Birth Center, Greenbank Washington
• Mahmud Hussain (2004-2005); PhD, UPenn; Post-Doc, Broad/Harvard; Employed Lubrizol
• Amnon Herman (2005); Yeshiva School, Jerusalem
• Peter Milano (2005-2006); M.D., University of Florida; Employed Memorial Health Care
• James Morris (2006-2007); PhD, University of Rochester; Employed AgileBio
• Skylar Ferrara (2006-2007); PhD, Tulane; Post Doc, Univ Oregon
• Alexander Kuc (2007-2008); M.S., Columbia Univ.; Medical School St. George's
• Eber Wright (2008-2009); M.S., Georgetown Univ.; Medical School St. George's
• Nicholas Sharac (2008-2009); PhD, UC Irvine
• Ava Kreider-Mueller (2008-2009); PhD, Columbia; Lecturer Clemson University
• Paul Jordan (2009); PhD, Montana State
• Leah Ladner (2009-2010)
• Lisa Silber (2010-2011); M.S., LIU; Employed at Mt. Sinai
• Nicole Kfoury (2011-2012); PhD Candidate, Tufts Univ.
• Isabelle Taylor (2011-2012); PhD Candidate, UCSF
• Perry Scheetz;  PhD Candidate, Dartmouth Univ.
• Michael Weinstein;  M. Eng., Tufts Univ; Employed Pixelligent Technologies, Baltimore
• Matteo Chierchia; PhD Candidate, Boston College
• Leila Duman; PhD Candidate, University of Maryland
• Tedros Balema; PhD Candidate Tufts
• Matthew Greenberg, PhD Candidate Columbia University
• Kody Chen; Acupuncture School
• Julienne Sarabia
• Sumedha Guha
• Lucia Spano
• Nathaniel Oh
• Asad Hashmi

Other Research Students:

• Ryan Mesina;  Employed at WSJ
• Karin Kram;  PhD, Columbia; Post-doc, USC, Faculty Cal State
• Samir Taveri; Grad School, UMDNJ  
• Nusrah Hussain;  PhD, UPenn;  Employed at Valspar
• Mihai Duduta;  Employed at 24M Technologies
• Marielle DuToit; PhD Candidate, Duke Univ., (Previously Pace Analytical)
• Nina Jankovic; PhD Candidate, Yale Univ.
• Emmanuel Krantz; Employed at Accenture
• Michael Levine; PhD, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences
• Seb Cendron; M.S., Tufts Univ.
• Thant Koko; PhD Candidate, Wisconsin Med. College
• David Goldberg
• David Yu
• Kyan Jain

×

Swapan Jain

Education

• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Boston University (2009)
  • Research Advisor:  Prof. Thomas Tullius
• PhD, Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology (2006)
  • Research Advisor: Prof. Nicholas Hud
• BS, Chemistry & Biology, Kennesaw State University (2001)
  • Research Advisors: Prof. Jennifer Powers and Prof. Kenneth Hughes

Courses

• Basic Principles of Chemistry I (Chem 141)
• Basic Principles of Chemistry  II (Chem 142)
• Biochemistry (Chemistry 390)
• Analytical and Physical Laboratory Techniques (Chem 350)
• Structure and Function of Nucleic Acids (Chem 441)

Research Interests

The focus of our research group is to understand the interactions of small molecule ligands with RNA and DNA.  Specifically, we are investigating the binding of transition metal complexes as well as purine analogs to RNA and the role that these molecules play in modulating RNA structure as well as genetic expression.

Research Projects

• RNA has a three-dimensional folded structure that parallels the complexity of proteins. Riboswitches are regions in mRNA that control genetic expression upon binding of ligands. Our goals in this project are to identify structural changes that occur at the single base level upon binding of ligands to RNA. Specifically, we want to take a closer look at mRNAs involved in the purine metabolic pathways.

• RNA interactions with transition metal complexes containing ruthenium, iron, and platinum are studied using a variety of chemical, physical, and biological tools with the pursuit of obtaining novel and effective chemotherapeutics.

Selected Publications (undergraduate authors underlined, Bard students denoted with *)

1. 2016:    Sunderland, J., Tao, X., Butrick, E., Keilich, L., Villa, C., Miecznikowski, J.R., Jain, S.S.  Investigation of liver alcohol dehydrogenase catalysis using an NADH biomimetic and comparison with a synthetic zinc model complex. Polyhedron, 114, 145-151.
2. 2015:   Jain, S.S., Sonavane, U., Uppuladinne, M., McLaughlin, E.C., *Weiqing, W., *Black, S., Joshi, R.R. “Structural Insights into the Interactions of xpt Riboswitch with Novel Guanine Analogues: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study” J. Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics  33 (2), 234-243.
3. 2015:    Anderson, C.M., Jain, S.S., *Silber, L., *Chen, K., *Guha, S., *Zhang, W., McLaughlin, E., Hu, Y., Tanski, J. “Synthesis and Characterization of Water-Soluble, Heteronuclear Ruthenium(III)/Ferrocene Complexes and Their Interactions with Biomolecules”. J. Inorganic Biochemistry 145, 41 - 50.
4. 2014:   Ingle, S., Azad, R., Jain, S.S., Tullius, T.D. “Chemical Probing of RNA using the hydroxyl radical at single-atom resolution” Nucleic Acids Research 42 (20), 12758 - 12767.
5. 2013:  Jain, S. S., Anderson, C. M., *Di Rienzo, F., *Taylor, I., *Jain, K., *Guha, S., *Hoque, N. “RNA Binding and Inhibition of Primer Extension by a Ru(III)/Pt(II) Metal Complex” Chemical Communications 49, 5031 – 5033. 
6. 2013:  Jain, S. S., LaFratta, C. N., *Medina, A., *Pelse, I. “Proflavine-DNA Binding using a Handheld Fluorimeter” J. Chem. Ed. 90, 1215-1217.
7. 2013:   Miecznikowski, J.R., Lynn, M.A., Jasinski, J., Jain, S.S., Buttrick, Drosdoski, Archer, Panarra, “Synthesis, Characterization, Density Functional Theory Calculations, and Activity of Tridentate NNN Zinc Pincer Complexes” Inorganica Chimica Acta 394, 310-321.
8. 2013:  LaFratta, C.N., Jain, S. S., *Pelse, I., *Simoska, O., Elvy, K. Using a Homemade Flame Photometer to Measure Sodium Concentration in a Sports Drink” J. Chem. Ed. 90, 3, 372 – 375.
9. (2012)  Miecznikowski, J.R., Lo, W., Lynn, M.A., Jain, S.S., Keilich, L.C., Kloczko, N.F., O’Loughlin, B.E., DiMarzio, A., Foley, K.M., Lisi, G.P., Kwiecien, D.J., *Abbasee, R. “Synthesis, Characterization, Density Functional Theory Calculations, Biochemical Assays and Activity of Tridentate SNS Zinc Pincer Complexes Based on Bis-Imidazole or Bis-Triazole Precursors” Inorganica Chimica Acta. 387, 25-36.
10. (2008)  Jain, S.S., Tullius, T.D. “Footprinting Protein-DNA Complexes using the Hydroxyl Radical” Nature Prot. 3, 1092-1100.
11. (2007)  Hud, N.V., Jain, S.S., Li, X., Lynn, D.G., “Addressing the Problems of Base Pairing and Strand Cyclization in Template-Directed Synthesis Reactions” Chemistry & Biodiversity. 4, 768-783.
12. (2005)  Powers, J.L., Andrews, C.S., St. Antoine, C.C., Jain, S.S., Bevilacqua, V.L., “An SDS-PAGE Examination of Protein Quaternary Structure and Disulfide Bonding for a Biochemistry Laboratory” J. Chem. Ed. 82, 93-95.
13. (2004)  Persil, Ö, Santai, C.T., Jain, S.S, Hud, N.V., "Assembly of an Antiparallel Homo-Adenine DNA Duplex by Small Molecule Binding" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126, 8644-8645.
14. (2004)  Jain, S.S., Anet, F.A.L., Stahle, C.J., Hud, N.V., “Enzymatic Behavior by Intercalating Molecules and their Putative Role in the RNA World” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 43, 2004-2008.
15. (2003)  Jain, S.S., Polak, M., Hud, N.V., “Controlling Nucleic Acid Secondary Structure by Intercalation: Effects of DNA Strand Length on Coralyne Driven Duplex Disproportionation” Nucleic Acids Res. 31, 4608-4615.
16. (2002)  Bevilacqua, V.L.H., Powers, J.L., Vogelien, D.L., Rascati, R.J., Hall, M., Diehl, K., Tran, C., Jain, S.S., Chabayta, R., “Collaboration between Chemistry and Biology to Introduce Spectroscopy, Electrophoresis, and Molecular Biology as Tools for Biochemistry” J. Chem. Ed. 79, 1311.

Current Research Students in the Jain Lab (with expected graduation year)

•  Miguel Garchitorena     2017
• Tamaki Chiba                2017
• Madeleine Breshears   2018
• Hang Hoang                 2018
• Humam Al Rubaiye      2019

Senior Thesis Projects (with graduation year and current position)

• Nicholas Wilton           2010                  Ph.D. from Tufts University.
• Stavros Vellisaris        2011                  Medical student at St. George’s Medical School in Cyprus. 
• Angela Potenza          2011                 University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School student.
• Jing Yang                   2012                 Graduate student at University College London.
• Weiqing Wang           2013                 Ph.D. student at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine.
• James Sunderland    2013                 Teacher, Chemistry and English in Brazil.
• Sheneil Black            2013                 Currently applying to dental schools.
• Wancong Zhang       2013                 Research Associate at MIT.
• Iden Sapse               2014                Research Associate at Weill Cornell Medical School.
• Lila Low-Beinart       2014                Research Associate at Merck Pharmaceuticals.
• Nushrat Hoque        2014                Currently applying to graduate schools.

 

External Grants for Undergraduate Research

• Research Corporation  2012                $ 45,000
• Dreyfus Foundation     2013                $ 18,500

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Emily McLaughlin

Education
• Post-doctoral Research Associate, University of Maryland (2008)
       Research Advisor: Michael P. Doyle
• Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania (2006)
       Dissertation Advisor: Jeffrey D. Winkler
• B.S., Chemistry, Ohio Northern University (2001)

Courses
• Organic Chemistry I: Structure and Mechanism (Chemistry 201)
• Organic Chemistry II: Reactivity and Synthesis (Chemistry 202)
• Advanced Topics in Organic Synthesis (Chemistry 408)
• Laboratory Concepts and Techniques: Synthesis (Chemistry 360)
• Understanding Molecules and Medicine (Chemistry 129)

Research Interests
Our research focuses on the development and study of new organic methods and the application of these methods toward the synthesis of small molecules of biological interest.

Specific Projects
• The design of a general aziridination protocol for dioxenone containing molecules that can be applied toward the synthesis of a diverse array of non-proteinogenic alpha-substituted amino acids.

•  Microwave methods development for heterocycle formation, including the anti-microbial pigment violacein and related analogs.

• The applications of a controlled aziridine formation and ring-cleavage in the preparation of complex, biologically active alkaloids and heterocyclic compounds.

• The development of enantioselective photocycloadditions in solution controlled by hydrogen bonding to a chiral host.

Students currently in the McLaughlin Lab:    
     Alec Waters - class of '19
     Alex Bunnell - class of '20
     Victoria Wu - class of '20
     Brian Lee - class of '20
     Waseer Mohammed - class of '20
 
Recent Bard Graduates (formerly researchers in our lab)     
     Nusrah Hussain (class of '09) - PhD at Penn; employed at Valspar
     Emanuel Krantz (class of '10) - consultant at Farenheit 212
     Stavros Velissaris (class of '11) - medical school in Cyprus
     Sebastien Cendron (class of '11) - MS at Tufts; employed at Baxalta
     Youseung Kim (class of '12) - postbac at NCI; med. student at CCOM
     Jing Yang (class of '12) - MS/MBA at University College London/UCLA
     Madison Fletcher (class of '12) - PhD, Temple U.; postdoc. UC Irvine
     Nicole Camasso (class of '12) - PhD, Michigan; Development Editor JACS
     Linda Ibojie (class of '13) - QC chemist at Jos H. Lowenstein & Sons Inc.
     Thant Koko (class of '13) - PhD in public health at Wisconsin Med. College
     Matthew Norman (class of '14) - analytical chemist at AMRI
     E. Berk Atuk (class of '15) - graduate studies at Tulane
     Seoyoung Kim (class of '15) - graduate studies at Wisconsin
     Anuska Shrestha (class of '15) - PhD candidate at Michigan
     Madeline Hwee (class of '16) - research assistant at Rockfeller University
     Sabrina Shahid (class of '16) - analytical/QC chemist at Intercos America
     Lisa Burke (class of '17) -  JET language teacher, Japan
     Jeremy Kaplitt (class of '17) - MS in translational medicine, CCNY
     Chibuzo (Praise) Anyanwu (class of '18) - graduate studies at Washington
     Matthew Lasky (class of '18) - asc. research chemist at MaDermid Enthone
     
Awards
ACS-PRF Undergraduate Research (UR) Award, "New Methods for Nitrene Generation and Transfer in the Selective Aziridination of Alkenes," awarded 2018-2021.

Research Corporation – Cottrell College Science Award. “Development and synthesis of novel hydrogen-bonding scaffolds and thiourea organocatalysts for enantioselective [2 + 2] photocycloadditions,” awarded 2011-2014.

ACS-PRF Undergraduate New Investigator (UNI) Award, “Aziridination and Retro-Aldol Fragmentation of Dioxenones: Application in the Synthesis of α-Amino Acids and 2-Benzazepine Derivatives,” awarded 2009-2011.

Selected Publications
(undergraduate co-authors are underlined)

Emily C. McLaughlin, Matthew W. Norman, Thant Ko Ko, and Ingrid Stolt. “Three-component synthesis of disubstituted 2H-pyrrol-2-ones: preparation of the violacein scaffold,” Tetrahedron Letters, 2014, 55, 2609-2611.

Jain, S. S.; Sonavane, U. B.; Uppuladinne, M. V. N.; McLaughlin, E. C.; Wang, W.; Black, S.; Joshi, R. R.; “Structural Insights into the Interactions of xpt Riboswitch with Novel Guanine Analogues:  A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study,” Journal of Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics, 2015, 33(2), 234-243.

Emily C. McLaughlin, Anuska Shrestha, Madison H. Fletcher, Nathaniel S. Steinauer, Min-Kyung Shinn, and  Sabrina M. Shahid. "A Solvent-free Amidation of Vinylogous Esters via Direct Aziridination," Tetrahedron Letters, 2013, 54, 5461-5463.

Emily C. McLaughlin, David C. Forbes, and  Michael P. Doyle, "Guidance for Entering Academics in Organic Chemistry," CUR Quarterly, 2013, 33, (4), 41-48.

Ratnikov, M. O.; Goldmann, P. L.; McLaughlin, E. C.; Doyle, M. P. “Allylic Oxidation Catalyzed by Dirhodium(II)tetrakis[ε-caprolactamate] of tert-Butyldimethylsilyl Protected trans-Dehydroandrosterone.” Organic Syntheses2012, 89, 19-33.

Ratnikov, M. O.; Farkas, L. E.; McLaughlin, E. C.; Chiou. G.; Choi, H.; El Khalafy, S. H.; Doyle, M. P. “Dirhodium Catalyzed Phenol and Aniline Oxidations with T-HYDRO. Substrate Scope and Mechanism of Oxidation” Journal of Organic Chemistry 2011, 76, 2585–2593.

Emily C. McLaughlin, Hojae Choi, Kan Wang, Grace Chiou, and Michael P. Doyle, “Allylic Oxidations Catalyzed by Dirhodium Caprolactamate via Aqueoustert-Butyl Hydroperoxide: The Role of the tert-Butylperoxy Radical,” Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2009, 74, 730-738.

Emily C. McLaughlin and Michael P. Doyle, “Propargylic Oxidation Catalyzed by Dirhodium (II, III) Caprolactamate in Water: Efficient Access to α,β-Acetylenic Ketones,” Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2008, 73, 4317-4319.

Jeffrey D. Winkler and Emily C. McLaughlin, “Intramolecular Photocycloaddition of Dioxenones with Alkynes: Formation of Secondary Photoproducts from Cyclobutene Photoadducts,” Organic Letters, 2005, 7, 227-229.

Jeffrey D. Winkler, Kevin J. Quinn, Colin H. MacKinnon, Steven D. Hiscock, and Emily C. McLaughlin, “A Tandem Diels-Alder Approach to the Synthesis of Eleutherobin.” Organic Letters, 2003, 5, 1805-1808.
 

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Matthew Greenberg

Education:
 
LDRD Postdoctoral Research Associate (2021) – Brookhaven National Laboratory
 
-       Advisor: Dr. Sanjit Ghose
 
Ph.D. – Columbia University (2020)
 
-       Advisor: Prof. Jonathan Owen
 
B.A. – Bard College  (2015)
 
-       Advisor: Prof. Craig Anderson

Research Interests
 
Our research focuses on the synthesis, structure, and formation mechanisms of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals. We are interested in the atomic structures of these nanocrystalline and disordered materials, and their relationship to material properties.
 
Current Projects
 
-       Structures of nanocrystalline materials from synchrotron X-ray techniques (X-ray Total Scattering PDF analysis, Small Angle X-ray Scattering, X-ray Diffraction).
-       In situ and time resolved X-ray scattering and diffraction measurements of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystal formation
-       Synthesis of new molecular precursors for semiconductor nanocrystal synthesis

Selected Publications

1. "Persistent Nucleation and Size Dependent Attachment Kinetics produce Monodisperse PbS Nanocrystals.” Benjamin Abécassis, Matthew W. Greenberg, Brandon Makana McMurtry, Vivekananda Bal, Michael P. Campos, Lilian Guillemeney, Benoit Mahler, Sylvain Prevost, Lewis Sharpnack, Mark P. Hendricks, Daniel De Rosha, Ellie Bennett, Natalie Saenz, Baron Peters, and Jonathan S. Owen. Chemical Science. 2022, 13, 4977-4983.
2.  “Growth Kinetics Determine the Polydispersity and Size of PbS and PbSe Nanocrystals.” Michael P. Campos, Jonathan de Roo, Matthew W. Greenberg, Brandon M. McMurtry, Mark P. Hendricks, Ellie Bennett, Natalie Saenz, Matthew Y. Sfeir, Benjamin Abécassis, Sanjit K. Ghose, and Jonathan S. Owen. Chemical Science. 2022, 13, 4555-4565.
3. “Size Dependent Optical Properties and Structure of ZnS Nanocrystals Prepared from a Library of Thioureas.” Ellie Bennett, Matthew W. Greenberg, Soham Banerjee, Simon J. L. Billinge, Jonathan S. Owen. Chemistry of Materials. 2022, 34, 2, 707-717.
4. “Photophysical Properties of Cyclometalated Platinum (II) Diphosphine Compounds in the Solid State and in PMMA Films.”  Belle Coffey, Lily Clough, Daphne D. Bartkus, Ian C. McClellan, Matthew W. Greenberg, Christopher N. LaFratta, Joseph M. Tanski, Craig M. Anderson. ACS Omega. 2021, 6, 42, 28316-28325.
5. “Platinum Complexes from C-H Activation of Sterically Hindered [C^N] Donor Benzothiophene Imine Ligands: Synthesis and Photophysical Properties.” Craig M. Anderson, Belle Coffey, Leslie Morales, Matthew W. Greenberg, Matthew Norman, Michael Weinsten, Garret Brown, Joseph M. Transki. ACS Omega. 2020, 5, 41, 26855-26863.
6. “Stereoselective C-X and Regioselective C-H activation to, and Selective C(sp2)-C(sp3) Reductive Elimination from, Platinum Compounds with Thiophene-Derived Ligands.” Craig M Anderson, Garrett Brown, Matthew W. Greenberg, David Yu, Nellie Bowen, Rahma Ahmed, Melissa Yost-Bido, Alina Wray. Tetrahedron Letters. 2019, 60, 43, 151156.
7. “Synthesis, Characterization, and Photophysical Properties of Bismetalated Platinum Complexes with Benzothiophene Ligands.” Craig M. Anderson, Claudio Mastrocinque, Matthew W. Greenberg, Ian C. McClellan, Leila Duman, Nathaniel Oh, Francesco Mastrocinque, Michael Pizzuto, Kaylynn Tran, Joseph M. Tanski. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry. 2019, 882, 1, 10-17.
8. “Anthracene as a Launchpad for a Phosphinidene Sulfide and for Generation of a Phosphorous-Sulfur Material Having the Composition P2S, a Vulcanized Red Phosphorous that is Yellow.” Wesley J. Transue, Matthew Nava, Maxwell W. Terban, Jing Yang, Matthew W. Greenberg, Gang Wu, Elizabeth S. Foreman, Chantal L. Mustoe, Pierre Kennepohl, Jonathan S. Owen, Simon J. L. Billinge, Heather J. Kulik, Christopher C. Cummins. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2018, 141, 1, 2018, 431-440.
9. “Regioselective C-H/C-X activation of Napthyl-Derived Ligands to Form Six-membered Palladacycles.” Craig M. Anderson, Nathaniel Oh, Tedros A. Balema, Francesco Mastrocinque, Claudio Mastrocinque, Danielle Santos, Matthew W. Greenberg, Joseph M. Tanski. Tetrahedron Letters. 2016, 57, 41, 4574-4577.
10.  “Regioselective Competition between the Formation of Seven-Membered and Five-Membered Cyclometalated Platinacycles Preceded by Csp2-Csp3 Reductive Elimination.” Craig M. Anderson, Matthew W. Greenberg, Lucia Spano, Labeeby Servatius, Joseph M. Tanski. Journal of Organometallic Chemistry. 2016, 819, 27-36.
11. “Regioselective Formation of Six-Membered and Five-Membered Cyclometalated Platinum Complexes.” Craig M. Anderson, Matthew W. Greenberg, Tedros A. Balema, Leila M. Duman, Nathaniel Oh, Asad Hashmi, Leah Ladner, Kyan Jain, David Yu, and Joseph M. Tanski. Tetrahedron Letters. 2015, 56, 46, 6352–6355.