ODU prides itself on research. Students get to work in a host of cutting-edge interdisciplinary labs. If you’re looking for a faculty expert or mentor in chemistry or biochemistry, then we invite you to learn more about ODU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty researchers who are leading scientific development in numerous areas. Â
Research Disciplines
Analytical chemistry is the branch of chemistry focused on the identification, quantification, and characterization of chemical substances. It involves the development and application of techniques and instruments to measure physical and chemical properties of matter. This field plays a critical role in various industries, from pharmaceuticals to environmental science, ensuring quality control and advancing scientific understanding.
Our labs researching analytical chemistry are listed below:
- Cooper Lab
- Hatcher Lab
- Mao Lab
- Xu Lab
- Zhu Lab
Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes and substances that occur within living organisms. It combines principles of biology and chemistry to explore the molecular mechanisms behind cellular functions, metabolism, and genetic expression. This field is essential for advancements in medicine, biotechnology, and understanding life at a molecular level.
Our labs researching biochemistry are listed below:
- Bayse Lab
- Greene Lab
- Lee Lab
- Pascal Lab
- Purcell Lab
Environmental chemistry is the study of chemical processes occurring in the environment and their impacts on ecosystems and human health. It focuses on understanding the sources, reactions, transport, and effects of chemicals in air, water, and soil. This field is crucial for addressing pollution, managing natural resources, and developing sustainable solutions for environmental challenges.
Our labs researching environmental chemistry are listed below:
- Hatcher Lab
- Lee Lab
- Mao Lab
- Zhu Lab
Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry that focuses on the study of inorganic compounds, including metals, minerals, and non-carbon-based molecules. It examines their structures, properties, and reactions, playing a vital role in materials science, catalysis, and industrial applications. This field underpins advancements in areas like nanotechnology, energy storage, and pharmaceuticals.
Our labs researching inorganic chemistry are listed below:
- Bayse Lab
- Bender Lab
- Holder Lab
- Ramjee Lab
Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-based compounds, including their structures, properties, and reactions. It focuses on understanding the chemistry of life and is foundational to industries such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and polymers. This field drives innovations in drug development, materials science, and sustainable chemical processes.
Our labs researching organic chemistry are listed below:
- Bayse Lab
- Bender Lab
- Ramjee Lab
- Lambert Lab
- Wang Lab
Physical chemistry explores the fundamental principles governing chemical systems, focusing on energy, thermodynamics, and molecular interactions. Theoretical chemistry uses mathematical models and theories to predict and explain chemical behavior. Computational chemistry applies computer simulations to solve complex chemical problems, enabling discoveries in fields like drug design, materials science, and reaction dynamics.
Our labs researching physical/theoretical/computational chemistry are listed below:
- Bayse Lab
- Bernath Lab
- Greene Lab
- Pascal Lab
Analytical chemistry is the branch of chemistry focused on the identification, quantification, and characterization of chemical substances. It involves the development and application of techniques and instruments to measure physical and chemical properties of matter. This field plays a critical role in various industries, from pharmaceuticals to environmental science, ensuring quality control and advancing scientific understanding.
Our labs researching analytical chemistry are listed below:
- Cooper Lab
- Hatcher Lab
- Mao Lab
- Xu Lab
- Zhu Lab
Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes and substances that occur within living organisms. It combines principles of biology and chemistry to explore the molecular mechanisms behind cellular functions, metabolism, and genetic expression. This field is essential for advancements in medicine, biotechnology, and understanding life at a molecular level.
Our labs researching biochemistry are listed below:
- Bayse Lab
- Greene Lab
- Lee Lab
- Pascal Lab
- Purcell Lab
Environmental chemistry is the study of chemical processes occurring in the environment and their impacts on ecosystems and human health. It focuses on understanding the sources, reactions, transport, and effects of chemicals in air, water, and soil. This field is crucial for addressing pollution, managing natural resources, and developing sustainable solutions for environmental challenges.
Our labs researching environmental chemistry are listed below:
- Hatcher Lab
- Lee Lab
- Mao Lab
- Zhu Lab
Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry that focuses on the study of inorganic compounds, including metals, minerals, and non-carbon-based molecules. It examines their structures, properties, and reactions, playing a vital role in materials science, catalysis, and industrial applications. This field underpins advancements in areas like nanotechnology, energy storage, and pharmaceuticals.
Our labs researching inorganic chemistry are listed below:
- Bayse Lab
- Bender Lab
- Holder Lab
- Ramjee Lab
Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-based compounds, including their structures, properties, and reactions. It focuses on understanding the chemistry of life and is foundational to industries such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and polymers. This field drives innovations in drug development, materials science, and sustainable chemical processes.
Our labs researching organic chemistry are listed below:
- Bayse Lab
- Bender Lab
- Ramjee Lab
- Lambert Lab
- Wang Lab
Physical chemistry explores the fundamental principles governing chemical systems, focusing on energy, thermodynamics, and molecular interactions. Theoretical chemistry uses mathematical models and theories to predict and explain chemical behavior. Computational chemistry applies computer simulations to solve complex chemical problems, enabling discoveries in fields like drug design, materials science, and reaction dynamics.
Our labs researching physical/theoretical/computational chemistry are listed below:
- Bayse Lab
- Bernath Lab
- Greene Lab
- Pascal Lab
Faculty Research Labs
The Bayse lab focuses on using computational chemistry to solve a range of inorganic, organic, and biochemical problems. Our current interests include the bonding and dynamics of energetic materials, organic electronics, f-block complexes, and proteins containing inorganic elements. Large-scale problems such as protein-DNA/RNA interactions are made possible through ODU's high performance computing facilities.
The Bender lab focuses on organometallic chemistry and synthesis. Our interest in catalysis ranges from preparing new polymeric materials to developing new methods to break and make new bonds. To accomplish these goals, our lab focuses heavily on mechanistic studies to develop more reactive, selective, and robust catalysts.
Bernath’s research interests are in laboratory spectroscopy, molecular astronomy, atmospheric science, and exoplanets. He is the mission scientist for the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) satellite.
In the Cooper Lab, our analytical research interests center around the development of novel instrumentation for use in the detection of HIV drugs in patient plasma. Instrumentation is based on Spatially Resolved Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy. Our inorganic research interests center around the synthesis and functionalization of silver and gold nanoparticles used in the development of substrates for HIV drug biosensors.Â
The Greene lab studies the evolution and evolutionary determinants of protein structure, function and folding. We also investigate the genetic adaption of microorganisms to climate change conditions and the use/disuse of genes which addresses both basic science and medically relevant questions. My group conducts research using both computational and experimental approaches.
The Hatcher Group’s research is in the area of environmental chemistry and geochemistry, emphasizing the origin and chemical transformations of plant-derived biopolymers in natural systems such as soils, peats, marine sediments, and oceanic waters. A focus of recent interest is in the development of a chemical understanding for the three dimensional structure of environmentally-recalcitrant biopolymers in algae and vascular plants and their transformation to humic substances in soils and sediments. Studies of biopolymers and their degradation products in the environment involve use of advanced structural characterization techniques that include (1) a new technique of thermochemolysis with tetramethyl-ammonium hydroxide followed by 2D gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, (2) modern 2-D solution /solid NMR techniques, and (3) electrospray ionization coupled to ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry. These studies are important from the perspective of global warming issues in that we seek to assess the fate of plant-derived biopolymers, or carbon-containing materials, in the world’s oceans and to sedimentary systems where they may be sequestered.
The Holder research group’s focus is on bioinorganic and transition metal chemistry: Anti-cancer research, solar energy capture with inorganic compounds to alleviate global warming, anti-diabetic research, and public health issues that affect mankind. Mentoring of all students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty members from around the world is part of his global talent mentoring. You can depend on him to get you there. Possunt quia posse videntur!
In the Lambert Lab, our research interests are in the development of novel synthetic methods, computational investigations of chemical reactivity, and the total synthesis of biologically relevant natural products. By developing robust and more environmentally sustainable methodologies, particularly those involving catalysis, we seek to streamline access to the complex architectures found within natural products, as well as, core structural motifs that are of interest to both medicinal and synthetic chemists.
Prof. James Lee and his research group are interested in the multidisciplinary research areas of biochemistry including genetic engineering cyanobacteria and horizontal gene transfer measurement, protonic bioenergetics, neuroscience, advanced biofuel energy research, and biochar chemistry research. Both graduate students and undergraduate students are welcome to contact Prof. Lee to participate in the laboratory research group activities.
The Mao lab’s research centers on developing and applying advanced solid-state NMR techniques to characterize two types of complex organic matter: (1) environmentally and geochemically related organic matter, such as that from soil, water, sediment, and organic waste, and (2) energy-related organic matter, such as kerogen, coal, corn stover and its residues, and biochar.
The Pascal laboratory develops and applies structural biology procedures to systems with medical implications. Our systems of interest include the replication machinery of picornaviruses, and the Par-4 tumor suppressor. Our methodologies include a state-of-the-art combined NMR/SAXS/computational approach to characterize both RNA structure and the conformational flexibility of partially disordered proteins.Â
The Purcell lab is focused on ribonucleotide signals called alarmones that make bacteria resistant to antibiotics and other stresses. We use a variety of genetic, biochemical, and biophysical techniques to study the enzymes that make alarmones as well as the bacterial processes that alarmones govern. By understanding the mechanisms of bacterial resilience, we want to contribute to the development of new, more powerful, antibiotics.
The Ramjee group is broadly interested in the interfacial area of nanomaterials, supramolecular chemistry and organic synthesis. Our research involves synthesis of organic and inorganic nanomaterials and their functionalization towards applications in sensing, guest encapsulation, imaging and (electro)catalysis among others. A unifying theme connecting most of our projects is the use of macrocyclic resorcinarene cavitand based multidentate building blocks or ligands.
The Wang group’ research interests are in the areas of organic synthesis, carbohydrate chemistry and medicinal chemistry. These include the design, synthesis, and analysis of carbohydrate derivatives for advanced functional materials and their applications for drug delivery and environment remediations; photochromic molecular switches for smart materials and tunable molecular assemblies; and the synthesis and analysis of natural product derivatives as anticancer and antiviral agents.
Our research program lies at the intersection of Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, and Medicine. The central theme of our research program is the development and application of cutting-edge bio- and nano- technologies and ultrasensitive analytical instrumentation and methodologies to address fundamental and practical questions in chemical, biochemical and biomedical sciences and engineering. In particular, the primary goal of our research program is to study chemical reactions and cellular pathways in single live cells in real-time with the single-molecule sensitivity and selectivity. We aim to address the most significant and challenging questions in life sciences, to explore living organisms at the single-cell and single-molecule resolutions, to unravel mysteries that prohibit us from completely understanding diseases (cancer, brain disorders) from their onsets to their development; and to design new tools for earlier disease diagnosis and effective treatment. Ultimately, this research program will lead to the discovery of new chemical and biochemical mechanisms, new cellular pathways and functions, and the invention of novel technologies for effective diagnostics and treatments of diseases.
The Zhu research group at ODU conducts field observations and laboratory experiments to measure concentrations of climate-relevant chemical species and investigate their production and loss through various biogeochemical pathways. We also use modeling to predict biogeochemical fluxes in natural environments. Student researchers engage in collaborative field campaigns, perform laboratory experiments, and develop models with remote sensing data.
