Research in Chemistry

All students who major in chemistry or chemistry with biochemistry concentration conduct at least one semester of capstone research in close collaboration with a member of the chemistry faculty. Research activities in the department are supported by external grants and lead to publications in peer-reviewed science journals and presentations at local and national meetings. While conducting their research, students have direct access to all of the state-of-the-art equipment in the department.

Biochemistry Research

Research in Professor Michelle Frey's lab focuses on enzymes known as metalloproteases, enzymes that use metal atoms to cleave peptide bonds. Currently, her group is investigating an enzyme from the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri. It is hypothesized that this enzyme enables the V. fischeri bacterium to establish a symbiotic relationship with the sepiolid squid Euprymna scolopes. An understanding of this symbiotic system will lead to insights into both benign and pathogenic bacteria-host interactions.

Professor Steven Frey’s research group is interested in clays, both natural and synthetic, as hosts for metal ions, metal complexes, or biological molecules. Application of these composite materials includes catalysis, chemical sensing, optical information storage, and the detoxification of environmental pollutants.

Professor Judy Halstead and her Skidmore College undergraduate collaborators are currently working on the development and refinement of analytical techniques for the determination of trace levels of pollutants in natural waters. The water chemistry of lakes and streams in Saratoga County and the Adirondack Park is also of interest to Professor Halstead and her students.

Professor Ray Giguere's undergraduate research group engages in two general areas of organic synthesis: 1) Applications of microwave heating to organic synthesis and 2) Intramolecular cycloadditions (allyl cation, tandem intramolecular Diels- Alder, tandem ene / Diels-Alder). Research students in his lab actively pursue the art of organic synthesis by creating, purifying and identifying organic molecules. This requires them to use and understand modern equipment such as a microwave synthesis reactor, as well as spectroscopic and analytical instrumentation (e.g. NMR, IR, HPLC and GC/MS).