This award by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program supports the research of Professor Kathryn Grant, Department of Chemistry, Georgia State University to investigate peptide and lipid cleavage using zirconium(IV) ions and complexes. Forty potential ligands will be systematically screened to identify exceptional zirconium compounds in terms of their abilities to enhance rates of metal-assisted hydrolysis of blocked dipeptide analogues and dipeptides, biologically-active oligopeptides, biologically-active folded proteins, and phospholipids. The most active zirconium complexes will be fully characterized with respect to structure, stability and reaction kinetics. Potential applications include protein structural studies, protein engineering, and therapeutics. The interdisciplinary nature of this project enables graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars to develop skills and knowledge in bioinorganic, analytical, organic and biochemistry. Professor Grant participates in the Ronald E. McNair Achievement Program and the Georgia Science Olympiad. She also oversees a Speaker's Bureau in which bioinorganic faculty give on-site chemistry lectures at Georgia teaching colleges.
