Lemon Lab Research
Our lab works at the interface of synthetic chemistry and protein biochemistry. Current efforts involve the development of novel red fluorescent dyes and proteins for biomedical imaging and sensing. We are also working on the synthesis of transition metal catalysts and artificial metalloenzymes to mediate alkane oxidation.
For biomedical imaging applications, red or near-infrared light is preferred because tissue is transparent to these wavelengths. However, traditional red fluorescent proteins and typical organic dyes exhibit weak emission in this spectral region, limiting their utility for in vivo applications. We are currently synthesizing a family of red fluorescent BODIPY and corrole cofactors that can then be incorporated into stable protein scaffolds. These fluorescent dyes and proteins will then be utilized for biomedical sensing applications to quantify diatomic gases, such as oxygen or nitric oxide, and small molecule metabolites. Characteristic changes in cellular metabolism are hallmarks of disease. Our goal is to quantify changes in key metabolites to diagnose diseases at an early stage.
Another societal challenge is meeting the ever-increasing energy demands of a growing global population. Alcohol fuels, such as butanol and methanol, represent promising alternative energy platforms. Conversion of methane from natural gas to methanol represents a facile means of storage. However, this transformation highlights an important chemical challenge: the direct and selective oxidation of unactivated alkanes to the corresponding alcohol. Nature has evolved a variety of metalloenzymes that mediate these complex transformations under ambient conditions. Our goal is to synthesize functional mimics of these enzymes that include a secondary coordination sphere to facilitate proton transfer. We are also incorporating synthetic catalysts into proteins to develop artificial metalloenzymes for alkane oxidation. This leverages the pre-organization of the cofactor binding site and the secondary coordination sphere to mediate chemical transformations.