CAREER: Inorganic Chemistry of Marine Adhesives: Protein Cross-Linking by Metal Ions

普渡大学化学系乔纳森·威尔克博士因其在海洋胶粘剂方面的工作而获得国家科学基金会化学部无机、生物无机和有机金属化学项目的支持。具体地说，这项工作将研究含有高水平3，4-二羟基苯丙氨酸(DOPA)的蛋白质粘合剂前体，DOPA是一种已知的金属螯合剂，由藤壶、贻贝和造礁蠕虫产生。在教育方面，将设计一门新的无机实验室课程，以提高学生的积极性和学生的学习成果；学生小组将进行实验室，随后将向他们的同学教授强调合成和光谱技术的材料。了解金属在海洋粘合剂中的作用将有助于设计和开发新型医用粘合剂材料、防污剂(海军可能感兴趣的)、水下粘合剂和防锈涂层。参与自学/教学实验室课程的学生将欣赏教学的艺术和科学，并可能引起潜在的科学教育工作者对教育学的兴趣。

Dr. Jonathan Wilker, Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, is supported by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program, Division of Chemistry, National Science Foundation, through a Career Award for his work on marine adhesives. Specifically, the work will investigate the protein adhesive precursor that contains high levels of 3,4-dihydroxyhenylalanine (DOPA), a known metal chelator produced by barnacles, mussels and reef-building worms. On the educational front, a new inorganic laboratory course will be designed to increase student enthusiasm and student learning outcomes; groups of students will conduct a laboratory and subsequently will teach the material that emphasizes synthesis and spectroscopic techniques to their classmates.Understanding the role of metals in marine adhesives will aid in the design and development of new medical adhesive materials, antifoulants (of potential interest to the Navy), underwater adhesives, and rustproof coatings. Students involved in the self-teaching/teaching laboratory course will appreciate the art and science of teaching and perhaps generate an interest in pedagogy to potential science educators.