Peroxide Reaction Mechanisms

美国国家科学基金会化学部的化学结构、动力学和机制项目支持范德比尔特大学的Ned Porter教授进行多不饱和脂肪酸自由基氧化反应的动力学和热力学研究。这项工作的目的是了解酪氨酸自由基在介导这些氧化过程中的作用，证实或反驳先前提出的自由基-氧结合复合物参与这种化学反应，并研究自由基氧化产物与蛋白质的相互作用。这些氧化反应在许多神经系统疾病和其他与氧化应激相关的人类疾病的发展中发挥作用。该研究的广泛影响包括其生物学意义和与细胞功能的联系。抗氧化剂的研究包括测定过氧自由基对维生素E和C（天然抗氧化剂）反应的绝对速率常数。波特教授的工作还提供了深入了解过氧化作用在宿主疾病进展中的可能作用。波特教授是范德比尔特大学化学生物学跨学科中心的副主任，她在培养女性和少数族裔科学家方面有着良好的记录。他的研究小组通过REU项目活跃于本科研究，并通过范德比尔特学生科学志愿者组织的公共宣传活动得到认可。

The Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms Program in the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation supports Professor Ned Porter of Vanderbilt University for kinetic and thermodynamic studies of free radical oxidation reactions of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The goals of this work are to understand the role of tyrosyl radicals in mediating these oxidative processes, to confirm or refute the involvement in this chemistry of a previously proposed radical-oxygen bound complex, and to investigate the interaction of radical oxidation products with proteins. These oxidation reactions play a role in the development of many neurological diseases and other human ailments associated with oxidative stress.Broader impacts of the research include its biological significance and connection to cellular function. Studies of antioxidants involve the determination of absolute rate constants for reactions of peroxyl radicals to the examination vitamin E and C, nature's antioxidants. Professor Porter's work also provides insight into the probable role of peroxidation in the progression of host diseases. Professor Porter is the associate director of an interdisciplinary center of chemical biology at Vanderbilt who has a strong track record of training female and minority scientists. His research group is active in undergraduate research through an REU program, and has been recognized for public outreach activities through the Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science organization.