About Us

Research Initiatives & Facilities

Initiatives 

The Department of Chemistry at ±«Óătv is an exciting and vibrant community of scholars with the overall goal of creating new knowledge and disseminating that knowledge through both graduate and undergraduate education. Our Department's research focus areas are helping to tackle society's long-term needs for energy and environmental sustainability and improved human health.

CENTER FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF TEACHING AND RESEARCH IN STEM EDUCATION (CITRUS)

CITRUS

Mission

The CITRUS Mission is to promote postsecondary student success in STEM education through high-impact scholarship and the development of competitive graduate students and postdoctoral scholars highly skilled in research and practice.

Vision

Effective postsecondary STEM education through interdisciplinary learner-centered experiences

Goals

  • To generate, translate, and disseminate knowledge on undergraduate STEM education
  • To promote collaborative interdisciplinary educational research
  • To explore synergies among foundational STEM courses through collaborative engagement with STEM faculty
  • To prepare STEM graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with an interdisciplinary perspective on education research
  • To prepare STEM graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to utilize evidence-based instructional practices to promote student success
  • To facilitate communication among ±«Óătv stakeholders involved in STEM education

Member Faculty

Jeffrey Raker, Chemistry (CITRUS Director)
Milé Krajčevski, Mathematics & Statistics
Scott Lewis, Chemistry
Luanna Prevost, Integrative Biology
Catherine Bénéteau, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

FLORIDA CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR DRUG DISCOVERY AND INNOVATION (CDDI)

Overview

±«Óătv's Florida Center of Excellence for Drug Discovery and Innovation, CDDI, provides researchers access to specialized equipment not available in most research laboratories that is important for validating protein drug targets and the development of small molecule inhibitors. The CDDI instrumentation cores offer a wide choice of analytical methods with application to the general analysis of proteins and cells. Core facilities include high field NMR, proteomics, protein expression/purification, cell biology, natural products drug discovery/compound analysis and screening.

Laboratory facilities on the third floor of the IDRB offer:

  • High field NMR
  • Proteomics
  • Cell biology
  • Natural product-derived drug discovery/compound analysis and screening

CDDI Main Page

CENTER FOR MOLECULAR DIVERSITY IN DRUG DESIGN, DISCOVERY AND DELIVERY (CMD5)

Overview

The ±«Óătv (±«Óătv) has established the Center for Molecular Diversity in Drug Design, Discovery and Development (CMD5) that takes advantage of existing strengths and cross disciplinary resources in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Medicine, the College of Pharmacy, the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, and the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute. CMD5 fosters active collaboration among scientists from these institutions in several disciplines which rely upon advances in molecular science to understand the causes of human disease, develop novel methods for its prevention, and devise novel therapies and treatments.

Thus Mission of CMD5 is "The discovery, design, synthesis and development of new drug lead compounds and drug delivery modes for the prevention and cure of human diseases."

CMD5 Areas of Investigation:

  • Drug synthesis and delivery
  • Alzheimers/Parkinsons drugs
  • Synthetic methodologies
  • Bioanalytical methods
  • Nanoparticle antibiotics
  • Protein synthesis
  • Bioassay development
  • Antibiotics and anticancer agents
  • Natural products
  • Nutraceutical R&D
  • Biopolymer design and synthesis
  • Computer-aided drug design
  • Bio-NMR and mass spectrometry
  • High-throughput biotesting

CMD5 Brochure
CMD5 Flyer

CENTER FOR SMART METAL-ORGANIC MATERIALS ADVANCE RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (SMMARTT)

Overview

±«Óătv-SMMARTT (Smart Metal-organic Materials Advanced Research and Technology Transfer) is an interdisciplinary research center that was initiated at ±«Óătv in 2008 with the following mission:

"To discover and develop new 'smart' metal-organic material (MOM) platforms for energy sustainability and enhancement of human health"

The center for Smart Metal-Organic Materials Advanced Research and Technology Transfer originated in 2011, with collaborations between the Chemistry, Engineering and Mathematic Departments at the ±«Óătv as a growing need emerged to develop designable porous materials for real-world applications. The current embodiment has grown with more members and teamed up with the Department of Physics at ±«Óătv. The director of the center (TBD) is one of thirteen professors actively engaged with their postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate students working on collaborative projects with a central theme to use porous materials, such as metal-organic frameworks, covalent organic frameworks, and porous organic polymers, for each professor's research specialty.

 

Core Facilities 

Our Department manages several state-of-the-art core facilities. The large array of synthetic, characterization, and analysis tools enhances and enables the research programs of Chemistry, the University, and local industry.

±«Óătv INTERDISCIPLINARY NMR FACILITY

CONTACT

Dr. Peidong Zhao

Please download the facility brochure. 

NMR Core Facility

Photos courtesy of Cole Cerrato.

Shahedul Islam

Shahedul Islam.

CHEMICAL PURIFICATION, ANALYSIS, AND SCREENING CORE FACILITY (CPAS)

Contact

Laurent Calcul

Laurent Calcul, Ph.D. (Director)
Phone: NES 406/IDRB 318: (813) 974-6031
Fax: (813) 974-3203

Need a Reservation?
Please Check the Instrument availability below:

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Overview

CPAS offers its expertise in chromatographic separation and purification (MPLC, HPLC, UHPLC), mass spectrometry detection, identification and quantification (LC-MS SQ, LC-MS QqQ, LC-MS TOF, LC-MS QToF, TDU-GC-MSD, GC-MSD-uECD and GC-MS QTOF [HS-SPME] and MALDI TOF). The services also include Circular Dichroism (CD, VCD), Optical Rotatory Dispersion (ORD), general spectroscopic characterization (UV, FTIR), lyophilization (benchtop and general purpose freeze-dryer), extraction (Accelerated Solvent Extactor [ASE], microwave reactor), synthesis (microwave reactor, hydrogenation apparatus), ADME screening (Parallel Artificial Membrane Permeability [PAMPA - GIT, BBB and skin] and drug solubility evaluation), binding affinity measurement (Microscale Thermophoresis [MST]), and high-throughput screening development capability (liquid handling robot and multimode plate reader). CPAS provides trainings and instruments are available 24/7 in self-service mode and upon reservation for trained users.

±«Óătv CPAS EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES (NES 406 and IDRB 318)

CPAS, NES 406

Agilent LC-MS QToF 6540

Agilent LC-MS QTOF 6540

      • Ionization: - Agilent Jet-stream Electrospray Ionization (ESI ± ve) and thermal gradient
      • Mass Range/Resolution: - Range 40k m/z; Accuracy 20 – 10,000)
      • Spectrum Dynamic range: - 5 order of magnitude
      • Scan Speed: - 50 Spectra/sec
      • Inlet system: - Agilent 1260 HPLC
      • Analytes: - Organic, Peptides, Proteins, Natural products, metabolomics and metabolomic identification
      • Software: - Mass Hunter Workstation, Mass Profiler Professional (MPP)
      • Studies: - accurate mass analysis for HRMS/MS
Agilent LC-MS QqQ 6460

Agilent LC-MS QqQ 6460

      • Ionization: - Agilent Jet-stream Electrospray Ionization (ESI ± ve) and thermal gradient
      • Sensitivity: - High sensitivity (Femtomole to Attomole range)
      • Inlet system: - Agilent 1260 HPLC
      • Analytes: - Organic, Peptides, Proteins, Natural products, metabolomics and metabolite identification
      • Software: - Mass Hunter workstation
      • Studies: - Tandem mass spectrometry (SRM, MRM) for quantification analysis
Agilent LC-MS SQ 6120

Agilent LC-MS SQ 6120

      • Ionization: - Electrospray (ESI ± ve); Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI ± ve)
      • Mass range: - 10 – 2000 m/z
      • Inlet system: - Agilent 1100 HPLC with Diode Array Detector (DAD)
      • Analytes: - Organic, peptides, Natural products and non-polar compounds
Agilent GC-MS SQ 5977B

Agilent GC-MSD 5977B

      • Ionization: - Electron impact (EI); Chemical ionization (NCI/ PCI)
      • Mass range: - 1.6 – 1050 m/z
      • NIST library 2017
      • Inlet system: - Agilent 7890B GC
      • Analytes: - low molecular weight range, semi-volatile, low-bowling point, non-polar molecules
      • Gerstel MultiPurpose Sampler (MPS):
        • Dual headed for sample preparation
        • 10uL syringe, HS/ 2.5mL syringe and HS SPME fiber
        • Cooled Injection System (CIS) allowing cryo-focusing (LN2)
        • Thermal Desorption (TDU) and Thermal Extraction using Automated
          • Liner Exchance (ALEX) for:Twister/ Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction SBSE
          • Thin Film (TF-SPME)
          • Desorption liner (absorbent for air sampling)
Sample

 

Sample

 

Sample

 

MICRO

Agilent GC-MSD 5977B/ uECD 

      • Ionization: - Electron impact (EI); Chemical ionization (NCI/ PCI)
      • Mass range: - 1.6 – 1050 m/z
      • NIST library 2017
      • 150-sample tray for liquid injection
      • 2-inlet system: - Agilent 7890B GC
      • Multi-mode inlet (MMI) allowing cryo-focusing (LCO2) connected to MSD
      • Split-splitless inlet (SSI) connected to Electron captor detector (ECD) for manual injection
      • Analytes: - low molecular weight range, semi-volatile, low-bowling point, non-polar molecules, halogenated compounds
D

Dionex ultimate 3000 UHPLC DAD

      • Detection: - Ultimate 3000 Diode array detector (DAD)
      • UV range: - 190- 800 nm
      • Inlet system: - Thermo Scientific Dionex Ultimate 3000 UHPLC+ focused with automated fraction collector (AFC)
      • Analytes: - wide range of chemical analytes, from small molecules to biomolecules
ASE

Dionex Accelerated Solvent Extractor (ASE 350)

      • Fast extraction from solid and semisolid matrices
      • Reduce solvent consumption
      • Pressure up to 1500 PSI
      • Temperature up to 200oC
      • Nitrogen purge
      • Up to 24 samples
      • Sample cell volume available (22, 100 mL)
      • Environmental, natural products chemistry samples 
CD

JASCO Model J-1500 Circular Dichroism Optical Rotatory Dispersion (CD/ ORD)  spectrometer

      • Electronic CD (ECD)/ORD using UV-Vis spectroscopy
      • Simultaneous Multi-Probe: CD, LD, HT, DC, absorbance
      • Walength range 163 to 950 nm
      • Light Source: Xenon lamp
      • Cuvette: 10 and 1 mm pathlength
      • Peltier thermostatted 6-position automatic cell changer
      • Microsampling (2 mL, 10 mL samples)
      • Capillaries (5 mL samples) for cell in thermostatted Peltier
      • Diffuse-reflectance CD (DRCD) for solid state sample measurements
      • Determine the absolute configuration of chiral molecules, secondary structure, folding and binding properties of proteins
biotools

Biotools ChiralIR-2X™ Vibrational Circular Dichroism (VCD) spectrometer

      • Simultaneous IR and VCD signal measurements
      • Internal Dual PEM (Photoelastic Modulators)
      • Biocell (solution)
      • SyncRoCell (rotating cell ideal for solid state measurements)
      • TempCon-2X (Peltier temperature controller for cell)
      • Determine the chiral properties of small organic molecules, peptide, proteins 

CPAS, IDRB 318

PAAR

Paar shaker hydrogenation  apparatus model 3921

      • Explosion Proof Motor and Switch
      • 1L shaker bottle
      • Treating chemicals with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst (60 PSI)
      • Catalytic hydrogenation, reduction or condensation for organic synthesis
Bruker UltraFleXtreme MALDI- TOF/TOF

Bruker UltraFleXtreme MALDI- TOF/TOF

      • Smartbeam II, 2 GHz for MS and 1 GHz for MS/MS
      • FlashDetector™ with 5 GS/s 10 bit digitizer for enhanced dynamic range
      • Resolution > 45,000
      • Analytes: - Protein, peptide, lipids, natural products and polymer
      • Software: - FlexControl, FlexAnalysis, FlexImaging
      • Supporting Software: Biotools, Polytools, SCiLS Lab
nano

Nanotemper MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST) Monolith

      • Molecular interaction, binding affinity measurements (Kd)
      • Fluorescence channels: RED & BLUE
      • Dynamic range 1nM to uM
      • Up to 24 samples/ run
      • Small molecules, proteins, DNA, …

±«Óătv X-RAY DIFFRACTION FACILITY AND SOLID STATE CHARACTERIZATION CORE LAB (XRAY)

X-ray Facilities

Overview

±«Óătv X-ray Diffraction Facility and Solid-State Characterization Core Lab (XRAY) provides access to instrumentation and services needed to characterize crystalline solid state samples. The lab specializes in Crystallography, Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction and Powder X-ray Diffraction. We use X-ray Diffraction methods to solve structures of single crystals and to identify and characterize crystalline powder samples. Core Lab also provides access to TGA, DSC, FT-IR and UV-VIS instruments and is extensively used by synthetic and materials scientists working at ±«Óătv as well as at other academic institutions and commercial entities.

Services

  • Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction - SCXRD
  • Powder X-ray Diffraction - PXRD
  • Thermogravimetric Analysis – TGA
  • Differential Scanning Calorimetry – DSC
  • FT Infrared Spectrometry - FT-IR
  • UV-VIS-NIR Spectrophotometry - UV-VIS

The X-Ray Crystallography lab can analyze both: standard and "low" quality single crystals. We can handle microcrystals, disordered and twinned crystals, unstable crystals like solvates, supramolecular crystals, peptides and MOFs. The turn-around time can be as short as 24-hours for good quality samples. The use of Cu radiation allows us for reliable determination of absolute configuration for organic compounds. We can determine unit cell parameters, screen samples, collect variable temperature data and process the data from other instruments / detectors. We provide full publication report for analyzed samples. In case of Powder Diffraction experiments, we can help in phase identification using PDF-2 database, indexing, powder pattern fitting in TOPAS software. We will also tune instrumental setup in order to obtain the best possible Diffraction Pattern for powder sample. All scientists are welcome to use instruments after the training.

For a list of available equipment, click here. 

Contact

Dr. Lukasz Wojtas

Lukasz Wojtas, Ph.D.
Crystallographer & Director
Research Assistant Professor
±«Óătv Department of Chemistry
Phone IDRB: (813) 974-3451
Fax: (813) 974-32

Addresses
Office & Lab Address Shipping Address 
±«Óătv
Department of Chemistry
3720 Spectrum Blvd, 2nd floor, 
IDRB202H (Office)
IDRB 211B (Lab), Tampa, FL 33612		 ±«Óătv
Department of Chemistry
4202 E Fowler Ave, NES 107
Tampa, Fl 33620

AFFILIATED FACILITIES AND RESOURCES

In combination with Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology (CMMB), Physics, Research Computing, and Engineering, the sky is the limit!