Ride the Wave of Research to Experience the Exciting places it will take you: Challenging undergraduates with Protein Electrochemistry and Surface Chemistry

To study electron transfer proteins in the laboratory biocompatible surfaces are necessary. Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs) are one of the most widely used surface modifiers for preparing protein compatible interfaces. SAMs are created by chemisorption of an unlimited variety of alkanethiols to gold electrodes. An upgrade to better mimic protein partners is short peptides with surface chemistry tailored to the protein. The terminal amino acid is chosen to optimize interactions with the protein active site. Enhanced protein redox properties are obtained with mixed peptide/alcohol terminated alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers. Atomic force microscopy studies have shown solution age and storage conditions are critical for making the SAM monolayers. After initial assembly modified gold surfaces are stored in ethanol until utilized for electrochemical or STM experiments. The general abstract above has led my group in many directions. Through presentation of research at regional and national meetings, collaborators have been obtained and enhanced our research efforts. The desire to prepare better biocompatible surfaces led us to a collaboration with a colleague to synthesis new tripeptides using solid phase peptide synthesis. The need for surface analysis allowed for collaboration with a departmental faculty to get an atomic force microscope, AFM. The desire to do peak force tapping AFM imaging led to a grant from The Pennsylvania State University to run instrumentation in their Materials Research Facility. The AFM also brought about new projects looking at the deposition of aluminum on calcite to study how limestone channels function to remove acid-mine drainage. Research endeavors are extremely interesting and provide a way to make connections and learn with your peers and students.