Research Groups

New knowledge in chemistry is produced systematically through research. Chemical research is at the core of all Ph.D. programs in chemistry as well as most research and development (R&D) divisions in high technology companies developing products ranging from pharmaceuticals to consumer electronics. Participation in research not only prepares students for these activities, but is also one of the best ways to learn advanced problem solving skills. For these reasons, research is central to our department's mission and many of our faculty have assembled a team of undergraduate and graduate students to actively engaged in the pursuit of new knowledge.

This page contains some basic information about the research interests of our faculty. Several faculty also have research group pages that give more detailed information. If you are interested in exploring the possibility of participating in some of the exciting research projects in our department, the first step is to contact the faculty member(s) with whom you are considering working and inquire about the availability of opportunities. Most faculty prefer to be contacted by e-mail.

View faculty by subfield:

Taylor Arhar
Assistant Professor, Biochemistry
taylor.arhar@sjsu.edu
ISB 458

Protein biochemistry and bacterial genetics to study molecular chaperones as potential antibacterial targets

David Brook
Professor, Organic Chemistry
408-924-4994
david.brook@sjsu.edu
SCI 166
Brook Research Group Page

Synthesis and coordination chemistry of stable free radicals, magnetochemistry, self assembly, and supramolecular chemistry, molecular devices.

Emma Carroll
Assistant Professor, Biochemistry
emma.carroll@sjsu.edu
ISB 454
Carroll Lab Research Group Page

The Carroll lab studies the effects of the cellular environment on protein misfolding, aggregation, and amyloid formation. We are also interested in how the cellular protein homeostasis network, especially ubiquitin, responds to different amyloidosis.

Philip Dirlam
Assistant Professor, Organic Chemistry
408-924-4998
philip.dirlam@sjsu.edu
DH 516

Polymer synthesis with a focus on the preparation of redox active materials and their application in experimental rechargeable batteries.

Daryl Eggers
Professor, Biochemistry
408-924-4960
daryl.eggers@sjsu.edu
DH 286
Eggers Research Group Page

Effects of crowding and solvation on protein folding, CD spectroscopy, biocalorimetry, microscale thermophoresis.

Nicholas Esker
Assistant Professor, Nuclear Chemistry, Physical Chemistry
408-924-4950
nicholas.esker@sjsu.edu
DH 501

Nuclear reaction and decay spectroscopy in isotopes far from stability, superheavy element synthesis, thin film preparations for nuclear targetry, nuclear & radiochemistry.

Gianmarc Grazioli
Assistant Professor, Computational Chemistry, Physical Chemistry
408-924-4826
gianmarc.grazioli@sjsu.edu
DH 05B
Grazioli Research Group Page

Computational methods development using molecular simulations and machine learning to study configurational dynamics in biomolecules, molecular self-assembly, and reaction dynamics.

Resa Kelly
Professor, Chemical Education
408-924-4940
resa.kelly@sjsu.edu
DH 418
Kelly Research Group Page

How animations of microscopic chemistry concepts affect student learning and influence the correction and creation of misconceptions.

Brooke Lustig
Adjunct Professor, Biomedical, Chemical, and Materials, Computational Biochemistry
408-924-4968
brooke.lustig@sjsu.edu
DH 417
Lustig Research Group Page

Computation and theoretical methods to characterize entropy and related effects in proteins and RNA, design of potential anti-HIV agents.

Laura Miller Conrad
Associate Professor, Chemical Biology, Organic Chemistry, and Biochemistry
408-924-4957
laura.miller.conrad@sjsu.edu
DH 608
Miller Conrad Research Group Page

Quorum sensing, blocking of virulence factors.

Gilles Muller
Professor, Inorganic Chemistry and Chemical Biology
408-924-2632
gilles.muller@sjsu.edu
DH 412A
Muller Research Group Page

Lanthanides, complexes, circularly polarized luminescence, chirality, thermodynamics, and spectroscopy.

Roy Okuda
Professor, Organic Chemistry
408-924-2525
roy.okuda@sjsu.edu
DH 009A

Marine natural products, and enzyme applications

Madalyn Radlauer
Associate Professor, Organometallic, Inorganic, and Polymer Chemistry
408-924-5482
madalyn.radlauer@sjsu.edu
DH 517
Radlauer Research Group Page

Studying catalysis within macromolecular environments by appending transition metal catalysts to organic polymers.

Andro C. Rios
Assistant Professor, Organic Chemistry
408-924-5496
andro.rios@sjsu.edu
ISB 358

I use the tools of organic and analytical chemistry for questions relating to the field of science known as Astrobiology. Specifically we are interested in understanding the origin of metabolic chemistry on this planet with the ultimate goal of understanding how life started on Earth and if it is common in our solar system and beyond.

Roger Terrill
Associate Professor, Analytical Chemistry and Electrochemistry
408-924-4970
roger.terrill@sjsu.edu
DH 004B
Terrill Research Group Page

Surface, interfacial, and thin film chemistry.

Annalise Van Wyngarden
Associate Professor, Physical and Atmospheric Chemistry
408-924-5282
annalise.vanwyngarden@sjsu.edu
DH 002

Formation and optical properties of organic coatings on atmospheric aerosols, chemical transformations and photochemistry in aerosols.

Ningkun Wang
Associate Professor, Biochemistry and Chemical Biology
408-924-4955
ningkun.wang@sjsu.edu
DH 607
Wang Research Group Page

Protein conformational dynamics, protein-protein interactions, enzyme specificity.

Abraham Wolcott
Assistant Professor, Physical Chemistry
408-924-5449
abraham.wolcott@sjsu.edu
DH 005A
Wolcott Research Group Page

Application of nanotechnology and nanodiamonds in neurobiology.