Graduate Studies in Analytical and Environmental Chemistry

Amir Hosseini

The Hosseini lab is developing an electroanalytical toolbox for in-depth analysis of electrochemical reactions and the interplay of reactivity and surface chemistry. The lab supports the electroanalytical platform by employing other analytical techniques such as spectroscopic and chromatographic methods, advanced approaches in nanomaterials science, and surface analysis. These studies enable a systematic approach for investigating highly complex chemical reactions that are critically important in environmental applications and chemical industries.

Susan Richardson

We study disinfection by-products and other emerging environmental contaminants in water to solve important human health and environmental issues. We use GC/MS and LC/MS to identify unknown contaminants and quantify toxicologically important ones.

Timothy Shaw

The analytical/environmental chemistry laboratory combines analytical method development with environmental applications such as transport and cycling of trace elements associated with hydrothermal vents, seawater and submarine ground waters.

Olja Simoska

Our group seeks to establish electrochemical platforms for quantitatively studying processes in environments relevant to human health. We investigate important questions at the chemistry-biology interface, including dynamic responses of stress-related biomarkers, mechanisms of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and electron transfer in gut microbes.

Wendell Walters

Our group quantifies the interplay between atmospheric chemistry, the environment and climate, considering natural and anthropogenic influences. We employ state-of-the-art stable isotopes as advanced chemical fingerprinting tools, enabling us to trace emissions and chemical reactions involving reactive nitrogen and sulfur.

Graduate Studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Jie Li

We focus on drug discovery and enzyme biocatalyst development using microbial genome mining and biosynthesis. Our interdisciplinary approach includes organic chemistry, natural products chemistry, biochemistry, metabolomics, genetic engineering and synthetic biology.

Qun Lu

We study cell signaling of small G-proteins, including Ras, Rho, Arf, Rab and others, in human diseases by using chemical biology, biochemistry, computational biology and mouse model genetics approaches. We are developing neurotherapeutics for small G-proteins with such tools as Schrödinger-based in silico simulation, surface plasmon resonance and cell-based assays at high content and throughput levels.

Caryn Outten

We study how cells regulate the essential metal iron and control thiol-disulfide balance using yeast as a model system. We employ a multidisciplinary approach that includes protein biochemistry, molecular genetics and cell biology.

F. Wayne Outten

We study the homeostasis and metabolism of essential metals like copper, iron and zinc, with the goals of disrupting metal metabolism in bacteria during infection and correcting defects in human metal metabolism that lead to disease.

Nicholas Truex

We are developing molecular tools to study and direct the function of immune pathways. These tools include peptides, proteins and small molecules that we envision will enable immunotherapies for treating cancer and pathogenic diseases.

Graduate Studies in Inorganic and Materials Chemistry

Richard Adams

Our research is focused on the organometallic chemistry of polynuclear metal complexes for the activation of C-H bonds and for the formation of catalysts for the selective oxidation of hydrocarbons to higher-value organic compounds.

Dmitry Peryshkov

We design and make new molecular catalysts for activation of important substrates such as dihydrogen, carbon dioxide and unsaturated organic compounds. Our focus is on renewable energy, catalysis, inorganic and organometallic chemistry.

Natalia Shustova

We design photoswitches, artificial biomimetic systems and materials for sustainable energy conversion based on porous graphitic frameworks.

Aaron Vannucci

We design methodologies for sustainable catalysis that cross the divide between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Our interests include photoredox cross-coupling, lignin biomass conversions and photoelectrochemical production of renewable fuels.

Thomas Vogt

We make novel metal oxides and nanoparticles and determine their atomic structures using electron, X-ray and neutron scattering and explore their unique electrical, magnetic, dielectric, optical and photocatalytic properties.

Hans-Conrad zur Loye

We investigate the crystal growth of new materials, including new scintillating and luminescing oxides and fluorides, and new uranium and thorium containing structures. For the latter, we synthesize new hierarchical wasteform materials for the effective immobilization of nuclear waste.

Graduate Studies in Organic and Polymer Chemistry

Brian Benicewicz

We design and synthesize new functional polymers to study structure-property relationships in polymer nanocomposites and fuel cell-membrane applications.

John Lavigne

Our research is centered on supramolecular organic and organometallic chemistries. More specifically, we are using boronic acids to assemble new polymeric networks and conjugated polymers as sensors in biological assays.

Jie Li

We focus on drug discovery and enzyme biocatalyst development using microbial genome mining and biosynthesis. Our interdisciplinary approach includes organic chemistry, natural products chemistry, biochemistry, metabolomics, genetic engineering and synthetic biology.

Ken Shimizu

We make molecular devices such as molecular rotors, switches and balances to measure weak non-covalent interactions. We also make molecularly-imprinted polymers for sensing and separation applications.

Linda Shimizu

We are interested in developing macrocycles that self-assemble in high fidelity to give porous functional materials. These porous molecular crystals can bind guests and facilitate their subsequent photooxidations, polymerizations or photodimerizations.

Morgan Stefik

We are developing new polymer-based methods to control the fabrication of advanced nanomaterials. The novel material chemistries we develop are taken from concept through to functioning devices such as fuel cells, batteries, supercapacitors, photovoltaics and solar fuels.

Chuanbing Tang

Our research is focused on designing novel macromolecular topologies and compositions for sustainable bio-based polymers and biomaterials from natural resources, metal-containing polymers, as well as advanced polymeric materials for biomedical and energy applications.

Qian Wang

Our research is focused on bioconjugation chemistry and biomaterials development. We are exploring novel synthetic and biological methods in order to create materials and functionalities at the nanometer scale.

Sheryl Wiskur

Our research focuses on synthetic organic methodology and mechanistic investigations. When developing new reactions, we also want to thoroughly understand what is happening in the reaction and what intermolecular forces control selectivity.

Graduate Studies in Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

Mark Berg

Molecular dynamics are studied in complex materials: polymers, biomolecules, nanoparticles, supercooled liquids and so on. Both ultrafast laser experiments and theory are being extended to multiple time dimensions to attack these problems.

Donna Chen

We are investigating reactions at surfaces on the atomic level in order to develop superior heterogeneous catalysts. Fundamental studies of catalytic reactions on supported metal nanoparticles elucidate the role of structure and composition on chemical activity.

Sophya Garashchuk

We develop molecular dynamics methods with quantum corrections for the nuclei, which influence properties and reactivity of complex molecular systems. Applications range from enzymatic reactions to isotope effects on crystallinity and other properties of materials.

Ting Ge

We use molecular simulation and theory to study polymer structure, rheology and mechanics as well as polymer nanocomposites and nanoscale transport.

Andrew Greytak

We use microscopy, spectroscopy and electronic transport measurements to explore the role of the surface in dictating the properties of semiconductor nanowires and colloidal nanocrystals. We are also interested in applications of nanomaterials in energy production and fluorescence imaging.

Michael Myrick

We are using a form of factorial optics to identify single phytoplankton cells in mixtures for ocean science applications, including global carbon cycling, harmful algal bloom warning and ocean chemical sensing. We develop and test optical instruments performing chemometric analyses.

Vitaly Rassolov

Our lab develops and applies new electronic structure models based on electron pairs, especially useful for transition metal complexes and bond breaking. We also work on the nuclear dynamics of protons in complex systems.

Chris Sutton

Our research is focused on combining electronic-structure calculations and machine learning methods for materials design and discovery, with a particular focus on identifying where and why the predictions can be trusted, or their domain of applicability.

Hui Wang

We use novel physical chemistry approaches, specifically spectroscopies and microscopies, to develop quantitative understanding of novel nanophotonic materials systems and conformationally dynamic biomolecules.

Graduate Studies in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry

Sophya Garashchuk

We study dynamics and properties of complex molecular systems, often in collaboration with experimental groups, and develop theoretical and computational approaches which incorporate the nuclear quantum effects into the classical-like framework of molecular dynamics.

Ting Ge

The group performs computational and theoretical research in polymer physics. The goal is to understand the conformations and dynamics of polymers on the microscopic level and the connections to macroscopic material properties, such as the mechanical and rheological responses.

Vitaly Rassolov

We study quantum effects in chemistry that range from strongly correlated molecular systems, for which the standard Density Functional Theory electronic structure models fail, to semiclassical effects of nuclear motion. Two complementary theoretical approaches are developed in the group.

Christopher Sutton

Our research combines first-principles theory and machine learning methods for the design and discovery of new materials for energy production and storage applications. A particular focus of our research is identifying regions of low errors and uncertainties in our predictions, or their domain of applicability.

Additional Highlights

• Top 25 in chemistry/biochemistry research activity, ranked by the National Research Council
• High faculty-to-student ratio promotes personal mentoring and instruction
• USC flagship cluster Hyperion consists of 407 computing, GPU and Big Data Nodes
• Fellowships and awards are available for outstanding teaching and research
• Located in Columbia, South Carolina, rated one of 10 Best College Towns by Livability.com
• Within a two-hour drive of South Carolina beaches and the Blue Ridge Mountains