Center for Molecular Biophysics & Biophysical Chemistry

Edward W. Castner, Jr.
Associate Professor Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology
Rutgers University
732-445-2564

Ultrashort laser pulses, currently less than 15 femtoseconds (15 x 10ú15 s), are used to initiate and then observe rapid chemical, physical, and biological processes in solution. In addition to being able to track the rapid molecular rotations, translations, and vibrations that are contiuously occurring in liquid samples, we can also use femtosecond spectroscopy to track electron-, proton-, and energy-transfer processes, and conformational changes within and between biomolecules.

Presently we are using femtosecond Raman spectroscopy to investigate how the hydrogen-bonds between water and model solutes for proteins interact. We are studying the temperature-dependence of aqueous amides, and model peptides such as the series glycine, H-Gly-Gly-OH, H-(Gly)3-OH, and H-(Gly)4-OH. We are also studying the H-bonding dynamics between water and the protein denaturants urea and guanidinium. We complement the experiments by doing molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo, and electronic structure computer simulations.

In collaborations with other research groups, we are pursuing the following other biophysical projects: (1) fluorescence probing of the dynamics of model drugs encapsulated within the unimolecular amphiphilic nanocarriers designed and synthesize in the group of Prof. Kathryn Uhrich; (2) measurement of electron- and energy-transfer rates in electron donor/acceptor systems bridged by H-bonding host : guest or peptide spacers, designed and synthesized by Prof. Stephan Isied's group; and (3) fluorescence studies of mutagenically damaged model DNA, in collaboration with Prof. Kenneth Breslauer and Dr. Jens Völker.