Within the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, the Physical and Computational Chemistry division conducts both experimental and theoretical research on the imaging, trapping, and computational modeling of proteins and other chemical and biological particles. Currently, the division consists of two faculty members (Arjun Saha and Jörg Woehl) and a dozen PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and undergraduate researchers. The Woehl Lab is developing new techniques for trapping chemical and biological nanoparticles, such as DNA and proteins, in solution. Furthermore, we are formulating a comprehensive point spread function theory that can be applied to various illumination and detection modes when imaging these particles.
Faculty Research
Research in Saha lab involves development and application of novel computational chemistry and biophysics approaches to gain fundamental understanding of remarkable biological processes and their relation to complex diseases. This knowledge will further be used to design small molecules either to inhibit or to enhance particular biological function facilitating drug discovery for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Dementia). To achieve this goal, state-of-the-art computer aided drug discovery techniques will be implemented in collaboration with medicinal chemistry, biochemistry and experimental biophysical research groups (both in academia and in pharmaceutical industry). Researchers in Saha lab will develop skills and expertise in advanced molecular modeling techniques (e.g., Machine Learning, Coarse grained Molecular Dynamics, Quantum Mechanics, Molecular Mechanics, Cheminformatics) as well as simulated exposure to computational drug discovery research as in Big Pharma.
The Woehl lab’s research interests span chemistry, physics, and nanoengineering, with a particular focus on the spectroscopy and imaging of single protein and DNA molecules and other nanoparticles. Our lab develops cutting-edge experimental and computational techniques to visualize and manipulate single molecules and nanoparticles with nanometer precision. Furthermore, we are developing a comprehensive point spread function theory for various illumination and detection modes and integrating it into our free software, PSFLab, which is widely used by research groups from over 50 countries.