 Reactive Oxygen Species
(ROS), some known as “free radicals,” are the object of Catherine Miller’s study, and to that end she has just taken possession for JCU of a powerful new tool, the EMX Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectrometer. Dr. Miller acquired the $183,000 instrument with a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and matching funds from her Clare Booth Luce Assistant Chemistry Professorship. The spectrometer
can detect any system that has an unpaired electron or an odd number of electrons. The
"lone electron" in these
systems behaves like a tiny magnet. By setting up a strong magnetic field
with the spectrometer’s 1-ton magnet (it concentrates so much weight at a single point Dr. Miller consulted a structural engineer to determine the precise site for installation), she can study how the tiny magnets interact – and learn something about how the free radicals interact with
protein and tissue. Free radicals are linked to many chronic diseases including Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s and
arthritis. Dr. Miller’s focus is on the environmental toxicity of metals (many
metals form ROS's in our bodies) and how some anti-microbial (or
bacteria-fighting) drugs are metabolized in the liver and kidneys. The EPR
Spectrometer will also be incorporated into the chemistry laboratory curriculum
to introduce students to the many different chemical systems that form free
radicals.
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