Lindsey Lab
Synthetic chemistry
Developing versatile synthetic routes to tetrapyrrole macrocycles (the pigments of life – heme, chlorophylls, bacteriochlorophylls, cobalamin) provides an invaluable entrée to novel molecular architectures, and enables a deeper understanding in energy sciences and plant (photosynthetic) sciences. Of particular interest are efficient and versatile total syntheses of bacteriochlorophylls, chlorophylls and related natural products.
Materials chemistry
New functional materials are urgently needed for compatibility with a green world. We have two projects: (1) creation of oxygen-storage materials (with groups at Cornell, Harvard and MIT) akin to myoglobins, and (2) development of light-harvesting materials for solar capture particularly in the near-infrared region. The projects rely heavily on synthesis. The latter is complemented by our creation and ongoing development of PhotochemCAD.
Biomedical sciences
We are exploring new radiotherapeutic approaches for treatment of metastatic cancer, which rely on our work in molecular design, chemical synthesis, and strategies for self-assembly. Offshoots of the underlying molecular strategies are expected to support diverse applications in the life sciences. The work is inherently interdisciplinary, and team members have expertise in synthesis, analytical chemistry, cell biology, and protein engineering.