Career: Nucleic Acid Phosphodiester Modification and Educational Career Development

本研究的重点是发展亲和转移烷基化试剂(ATAR)来标记核酸的磷酸二酯。利用苯醌甲醚化学，ATAR将成为核酸聚合物中磷酸二酯基的共价、化学选择性修饰的试剂。教育重点将包括开发一门教育记者的课程，开发一门强调个人创造力的实验室课程，并将这一方法推广到中学科学教育，以及开发学徒式实验室实验，以解决基于社区的行业的“现实生活”问题。通过这项教师早期发展(职业)奖，有机和高分子化学项目正在支持阿肯色大学化学系的Kenneth D.Turnbull博士的研究和教育活动。特恩布尔教授将专注于开发创新的化学手段，以共价方式将各种报告基团或蛋白质输送到DNA。这种定点结合DNA的能力将使各种基于遗传的生物学研究得以进行，并为在基因水平上进行有效的诊断、治疗和生物防治提供新的手段。该项目的教育重点是课程和课程开发，重点是公众科学素养、解决现实生活中的问题和中学科学教育。

The focus of this research is the development of affinity transfer alkylating reagents (ATAR) for labeling the phosophodiester of nucleic acids. Using quinone methide chemistry, the ATAR will be agents for the covalent, chemoselective modification of the phosphodiester group in nucleic acid polymers. The educational focus will include the development of a course to educate journalists, development of a laboratory course stressing individual creativity and extending this approach to secondary science education and, developing apprentiship style laboratory experiments for `real life` problem solving with community based industry. With this Faculty Early Development (CAREER) award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program is supporting the research and educational activities of Dr. Kenneth D. Turnbull of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Arkansas. Professor Turnbull will focus his research efforts on developing innovative, chemical means to covalently deliver a variety of reporter groups or proteins to DNA. The ability to site-specifically attach such moities to DNA would allow various genetic based, biological studies to be conducted and provide a new means for efficient diagnostics, therapeutics and biological control at the genetic level. The educational focus of the project stresses course and curriculum development with an emphasis on public science literacy, real life problem solving and secondary science education.