Once they have successfully ionized a compound, then they can analyze it using the high-resolution instrument to get a clearer picture of the compound's structure. This research could potentially lead to different ways to detect and characterize bacterial infections. Roger Koeppe II, University Professor of chemistry and biochemistry, will perform hydrogen-deuterium exchange studies of peptides in membranes to examine aspects of membrane transport, which is essential to life. Wesley Stites, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, will study the role of methionine oxidation and reduction in protein regulation. Environmental and biological oxidants create methionine sulfoxides, which may have detrimental biological effects on protein regulation.
Polymers typically consist of chains of chemical units linked together in certain patterns.
When companies produce a new polymer, they need to know its detailed structure so they can relate it to the molecule's function. In 1980, Wilkins pioneered the use of analytical Fourier-Transform Mass Spectrometry, a technique now commonly used by analytical chemists worldwide.