Teaching Interests: Organic chemistry; Medicinal chemistry; Supramolecular chemistry; Research methodology in the classroom.
I enjoy challenging students to think critically, objectively, and creatively in solving new problems, to see the connection between scientific concepts and experiments, and to understand the deeper nature of the wonderful science that is chemistry. I seek continully to offer a truly outstanding education in the chemical sciences that integrates the classroom lecture and laboratory with research experiences at the cutting edge of science. I am proud of all of our graduates, and I know they leave Trinity well prepared to start their careers.
Courses taught at Trinity: CHEM 1318 (general chemistry), 2319 and 2119 (organic chemistry 1 lecture and lab), 2320 and 2220 (organic chemistry 2 lecture and lab), 2180 and 2130 (research methodology), 4242 (advanced analytical lecture and lab), 4347 (advanced topics: medicinal chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, and structural biology), 1190 and 3190 (independent study), and 4399 (honors thesis).
Research Interests: Molecular recognition of peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids; Molecular self assembly; Multivalent binding; Biosensors; Supramolecular chemistry
The Urbach laboratory studies the processes by which complementary molecules fit together to form noncovalent complexes in aqueous solution, with the goals of separating and sensing specific biomolecules, catalyzing specific biomolecular reactions, and building nanoscale materials from the bottom up. Over the past several years we have developed an approach to selectively recognize proteins and peptides (very small proteins) at a single site using the artificial receptors cucurbit[7]uril (Q7) and cucurbit[8]uril (Q8), which bind to aromatic amino acid residues (tryptophan, phenylalanine, and tyrosine) at the N-terminus of peptide chains. Applications of this strategy to the characterization of proteases and protease inhibitors, as well as the development of affinity tags and sensors for proteins and peptides have been developed recently. We are also concerned with novel strategies for engineering molecules that self-assemble--that is, spontaneously form multicomponent assemblies in a controlled fashion. Recent publications are listed below. Student stipends, supplies, and equipment are currently funded by grants from the National Science Foundation, the Welch Foundation, and the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, with a total of $1.03M in individual research grants and over $700k in shared instrumentation grants awarded over the past seven years.Interested students should visit the Research Group Website. An introduction for undergraduate students can be found here.
Recent Publications (* indicates undergraduate coauthors)
"Nanomolar Binding of Peptides Containing Noncanonical Amino Acids by a Synthetic Receptor" Leigh A. Logsdon*, Christopher L. Schardon, Vijayakumar Ramalingam, Sharon K. Kwee*, and Adam R. Urbach, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2011, ASAP online. link to DOI
"Cucurbit[8]uril Rotaxanes" Vijayakumar Ramalingam and Adam R. Urbach, Organic Letters 2011, 13, 4898-4901. link to DOI
"Molecular Recognition of Insulin by a Synthetic Receptor" Jordan M. Chinai*, Alexander B. Taylor, Lisa M. Ryno*, Nicholas D. Hargreaves*, Christopher A. Morris*, P. John Hart, and Adam R. Urbach, Journal of the American Chemical Society 2011, 133, 8810-8813. link to DOI
"Determining Protease Substrate Selectivity and Inhibition by Label-Free Supramolecular Tandem Enzyme Assays" Garima Ghale, Vijayakumar Ramalingam, Adam R. Urbach, and Werner M. Nau, Journal of the American Chemical Society 2011, 133, 7528-7535. link to DOI
"Molecular Recognition of Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins by Cucurbit[n]uril Receptors" Adam R. Urbach and Vijayakumar Ramalingam, Israel Journal of Chemistry 2011, 51, 664-678. link to DOI
"Benzobis(imidazolium)-Cucurbit[8]uril Complexes for Binding and Sensing Aromatic Compounds in Aqueous Solution" Frank Biederman, Urs Rauwald, Monika Cziferszky, Kyle A. Williams, Lauren D. Gann*, Bi Y. Guo*, Adam R. Urbach, Christopher W. Bielawski, and Oren A. Scherman, Chemistry, A European Journal 2010, 16, 13716-13722. link to DOI
"Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy in the Undergraduate Curriculum" Adam R. Urbach, Journal of Chemical Education 2010, 87, 891-893. link to DOI
"Solid-Phase Synthesis of Peptide-Viologen Conjugates" Joseph J. Reczek, Elisa Rebolini, and Adam R. Urbach, Journal of Organic Chemistry 2010, 75, 2111-2114. link to DOI
"Multivalent Recognition of Peptides by Modular Self-Assembled Receptors" Joseph J. Reczek, Aimee A. Kennedy*, Brian T. Halbert*, and Adam R. Urbach, Journal of the American Chemical Society 2009, 131, 2408-2415, link to DOI.