MRI: Acquisition of a New X-Ray Diffractometer to Advance Research and Education in Primarily Undergraduate/Minority Serving Institutions within the District of Columbia

This award to the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is supported by the Major Research Instrumentation and the Chemistry Research Instrumentation programs to support and improve research by Dr. Xueqing Song and colleagues Lei Wang, Ozlem Dilek, Uche Udeochu and Alexandra Taraboletti. This institution is acquiring a single crystal X-ray difffractometer (SCXRD).

In general, an X-ray diffractometer allows accurate and precise measurements of the full three-dimensional structure of a molecule, including bond distances and angles, and provides accurate information about the spatial arrangement of a molecule relative to neighboring molecules. The studies described here impact many areas, including organic and inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry, geology and biochemistry.

This instrument is an integral part of teaching as well as research and research training of undergraduate students in chemistry and biochemistry at this Historically Black College and University (HBCU) as well as the other institution in the DC area such as the Catholic University of America, American University, Gallaudet University and Trinity Washington University. The instrumentation provides direct research experience for students in a variety of courses distributed in various departments.

A one-week summer institute is designed to provide UDC and partner institutions formal and hands-on training in crystallography.

The award of the X-ray diffractometer is aimed at enhancing research and education at all levels. The science enabled by this instrument provides relevant societal benefits by associating biofunctional and structural studies of the metalloenzymatic targets of the copper chelator cuprizone that inhibits monoamine oxidase and causes liver and brain damage and by exploring interfacial phenomena of materials and structure-activity dynamics of biologically significant compounds.

The instrumentation is also used for studying interactions between triorganotin complexes and thiol containing protease and fluorescent probes for imaging oxidative stress-induced lipid peroxidation products of macrophages. The diffractometer is also employed to carry out investigations of spin crossover complexes and regolith-based geopolymerization for in-situ resource utilization.

The instrument also serves researchers studying antibacterial, antiviral agents and lipoprotein metabolism modulators and those analyzing mineral precipitation techniques for biomediated ground improvement.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.