Theory and Computation
Theoretical and computational work at UVa makes use of advanced analytical and numerical tools to investigate phenomena of interest in fields ranging from biology to materials science to astrochemistry.
Surface Chemistry and Spectroscopy
Surface Chemistry focuses on understanding chemical reactions on a molecular level at the interface of two phases of matter, e.g. gas molecules reacting with a solid metallic surface. Spectroscopic analysis is an integral part of this research, enabling researchers to monitor the distributions, concentrations and dynamics of reactants, intermediates, and products in these chemical reactions.
Organic Chemistry and Synthesis
The study of organic chemistry focuses on creating chemical compounds that impact our lives as pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, materials, and polymers, using carbon as the central element. Fundamentally, research in this area develops efficient ways to create structurally diverse and valuable chemical compounds from cheap and abundant precursors. Despite extensive and ongoing research in this area, there are still limitations in terms of cost and practicality associated with the production of many important organic compounds and materials.
Nanosciences and Materials
The fields of Nanoscience and Materials Chemistry are rapidly expanding and multidisciplinary areas of research with diverse applications in biomedicine, energy conversion and storage, optics, electronics and magnetism, among others. Nanoscience is largely focused on the chemistry of structures, materials, or groups of atoms or molecules on the scale of nanometers (10-9 m or one-billionth of a meter).
Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry
The field of Inorganic Chemistry broadly focuses on the study of inorganic compounds, which are generally defined as compounds that are primarily made up of non-carbon elements. In the subfield of organometallic chemistry, chemists study compounds in which there is at least one organic group (i.e., carbon-containing) bonded to a metallic element. This field involves fundamental aspects of both the organic and inorganic chemistry fields.
Imaging and Sensing
Molecular detection and quantification are integral to an improved understanding of biological and physiological processes. Research in the areas of Imaging and Sensing is concerned with developing methods and instrumentation to detect and probe specific reactions or molecules in chemically dense environments. Researchers at UVA couple an understanding of efficient and selective chemical and biological reactions with sensitive analytical techniques and manufacturing processes to realize fundamental advancements in our ability to detect and quantify molecules and processes of interest.
Chemical Biology
The field of chemical biology focuses on the use of chemical approaches, particularly synthetic chemistry, to answer biological questions as well as to develop modulators of protein function. Chemical biology has roots in both chemistry and biochemistry, fostering scientific creativity from the interdisciplinary nature of chemical biology research. Research in this area includes the development of novel approaches to using small molecules to modulate the activity of proteins as well as the development of new methods to measure specific biological activities, particularly in cells.
Catalysis and Energy
The study of catalysis is concerned with developing and understanding chemical processes that use a catalyst, a molecule that makes a desirable chemical reaction occur more rapidly without being consumed. A relatively small amount of a catalyst can facilitate many hundreds of thousands of reactions before degrading, enabling energy and resource efficiency, often at large scales. Catalytic processes are used in approximately 90% of all industrial chemical processes, and catalytic reactions are central to the pharmaceutical, chemical, and energy sectors.
Biophysical Chemistry
Biophysical Chemistry seeks to explain biological mechanisms using a combination of chemical and physical concepts and techniques. Cells have a highly dynamic and complex environment composed of varying biomolecules with specific functions that we seek to understand. At UVA, we develop and apply:
(i) new measurement technologies,
(ii) various formalisms from the physical sciences, as well as
(iii) data analytics and computational modeling tools.
Bioanalytical
With roots in analytical chemistry, the bioanalytical field aims to quantify and detect varying small and macromolecules. Quantification and detection are crucial for researchers to identify and better understand molecules present in their sample of interest. Researchers utilize bioanalysis for a variety of different applications in fields such as forensic analysis, pharmacology, immunology, among others.
Pages
