The Saliba Laboratory

The Saliba Laboratory is a new, multidisciplinary lab at Ohio University interested in developing technology and methods to make nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy cheaper, faster, and more accessible to a wider range of researchers. NMR is an important technique used in a wide range of disciplines throughout the sciences including chemistry, structural biology, materials science, pharmacology, among many others. In NMR radio signals generated by nuclear spins in a large external magnetic field are detected using a resonant circuit composed of a coil of wire and a tunable capacitor. The resulting signal provides information about the electronic and chemical structure around the nucleus of interest. One of the primary strengths of NMR is its exceptional resolution compared to other forms of spectroscopy, commonly achieving site specific resolution in many samples. The instrumentation needed for NMR, however, can, in many cases, be prohibitively expensive.  The methods and technology developed in our laboratory are aimed at overcoming these challenges. We are particularly geared towards solid-state NMR using magic-angle-spinning (MAS). In solution state NMR, rapid molecular motion results in narrow lines and high resolution. This motion is not present in solids, and very broad, poorly resolved resonances are the result. In MAS, the sample is rapidly spun at the "magic angle" of 54.74 degrees with respect to the external magnetic field. This spinning removes many of the interactions that cause the broad lines, narrowing the solid-state resonances.