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Asher Research Group
Department
of Chemistry 
University of Pittsburgh
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The Asher Research Group takes an interdisciplinary approach to research. We draw from the disciplines of Biophysics, Spectroscopy, and Materials Science to learn about the chemistry of our own bodies as well as the chemistry of the world around us. UV Resonance Raman Spectroscopy and Crystalline Colloidal Arrays are the two main areas of our research. |
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UV Resonance Raman Spectroscopy
involves examining how UV light interacts with the electrons of
samples and provides information about their molecular structure
and dynamics. We develop instrumentation so that samples as varied
as biomolecules and meteorite particles can be easily examined .
Motivated by questions posed by the medical community, many of the
group members concentrate their studies in the area of proteins
with the goal of contributing information about peptide excited
states and conformations as well as protein folding.
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Crystalline Colloidal Arrays,
(CCA), are composed of uniformly charged particles which self-assemble
into crystalline structures. The structural arrangements of these
colloids enable them to Bragg diffract visible light, giving them
unique optical properties. Research is being conducted to find ways
of using CCAs to make chemical sensors, light filters, optical switches,
and chemical separations media.
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