POWRE: Research and Educational Enhancement at Otterbein: Effects of Surfactants Mesophase and Divalent Cations on Structures in Model Lipid Bilayers & Cell Membranes

该奖项是由化学学部资助的妇女从事研究和教育的专业机会（POWRE）项目，支持奥特拜因学院的杨志海博士的研究和教育活动。该项目旨在加强和扩展杨博士在胶体和两亲性大分子表面化学方面的研究，包括生物胶体化学，并最终在奥特拜因实施生物化学相关的研究项目。拟议的研究将加深对表面活性剂和某些二价阳离子对模型脂质双层中间期结构的影响的理解，并将这些知识应用于更复杂的系统，以解释这些添加剂对细胞膜的影响。结构表征将使用多种技术完成，包括XRD， NMR, IP-SANS，光散射，IR和荧光光谱。通过POWRE项目提供的机会将增强杨博士的研究潜力，以及她在课堂和研究实验室对本科生进行教育指导的最终目标。拟议中的研究将为一所小型文理学院的本科生提供接触主要研究型大学、最先进仪器和该领域领先研究人员的机会。这个项目不仅激发了PI与俄亥俄州立大学研究人员的合作，也鼓励Otterbein教职员工之间的合作，将他们的资源和人才集中在Otterbein实施生化研究的共同目标上。

This award of the Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE) program funded by the Division of Chemistry supports the research and educational activities of Dr. Chihae Yang of Otterbein College. The project aims to strengthen and expand Dr. Yang's research with colloid and surface chemistry of amphiphilic macromolecules to include biocolloid chemistry and ultimately to implement a biochemistry-related research program at Otterbein. The proposed research will develop an understanding of the influence of surfactants and certain divalent cations on the mesophase structures of model lipid bilayers and to apply this knowledge to more complex systems in order to explain the effect of these additives on cell membranes. Structural characterization will be accomplished using a variety of techniques, including XRD, NMR, IP-SANS, light scattering, and IR and fluorescence spectroscopy.The opportunity afforded through the POWRE program will enhance Dr. Yang's research potential as well as her ultimate goal of the educational mentoring of undergraduate students in both classroom and research laboratory. The proposed research will provide undergraduate students from a small liberal arts college exposure to a major research university, state-of-the-art instrumentation, and leading researchers in the field. This project not only motivates the collaboration of the PI with researchers at the Ohio State University, but also encourages collaboration between faculty members at Otterbein to pool their resources and talents for the common goal of implementing biochemical research at Otterbein.