This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
The Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program supports Professor Hao Chen of Ohio University in studies targeting improved insight into the mechanisms of ion/ion reactions important for characterizing a wide range of molecules, including proteins. The approach entails structural analysis of neutral and ionic products of gaseous ion/ion reactions at atmospheric pressure. Ionic products are directly analyzed by mass spectrometry; neutral products are re-ionized using on-line extractive electrospray ionization (EESI) prior to mass analysis. Additionally, "soft landing" is used to collect both neutral and ionic reaction products for further structural elucidation. Derived insights may potentially impact disciplines such as proteomics and synthetic organic chemistry.
The work provides research opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students, including members of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. Dr. Chen is also actively involved in educational outreach activities, including workshops/seminars for pre-college students to learn about modern instrumental analysis and to develop enthusiasm for scientific research.
