Renovation of the Chemistry Building to increase the amount of modern research facilities is critical for the future of biomedical research at the University of Arkansas. The over 13,000 sq. ft. of biomedical research space renovated by the funding requested here will be used for faculty research groups as well as for shared instrumentation laboratories. The long-term goal is to expand and improve the space available for biomedical research and allow continued growth of such research.
Specific Aims : 1) The building overall as well as the specific biomedical research spaces discussed in this application will be brought up to a standard meeting all current codes and regulations. All mechanical and electrical systems will be completely replaced and most interior spaces rearranged to best meet research needs; 2) Laboratories will be renovated to house the research groups of Drs. Francis Millett, Bill Durham, Matt McIntosh, Kenneth Turnbull, and Chin Yu as well as one new faculty member to be hired; 3) Shared instrumentation space will be provided for Protein X-ray Crystallography Laboratory, Protein Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Laboratories, Protein Structure Solution and Visualization Computer Laboratory, and Mass Spectrometry Laboratories; and 4) This expanded and improved space will be used to expand existing nucleic acid chemistry, drug synthesis, and electron transport groups. It will be used to establish a new protein NMR group and a combinatorial drug discovery research group. The shared instrumentation laboratories will be used for the study and elucidation of the fundamental principles that govern the structure and function of proteins. Vacated space will be used to expand biomedical research efforts of other groups.
