Title: Using Polymer Chemistry to Address Modern Challenges in Chemistry and Biology
Abstract:
The Long Research Group utilizes the tools of organic synthesis, polymer science, and organometallic chemistry to address interdisciplinary challenges within the fields of macromolecular (polymer) chemistry and catalyst design. Our research projects are often fundamental in nature, but aim to tackle research problems and topics with real-world implications extending well-beyond the academic laboratory. Over the past several years, our research group has led advancements in olefin polymerization catalyst design, ring-opening polymerization catalysis, and tailored gas separation membranes. While these research areas have been fruitful, both in terms of research progress and student training, the Long Research Group has recently welcomed several new research projects into our expanding research portfolio. These projects aim to address current limitations within the field of polymerization catalysis and deepen our fundamental understanding of biological systems. More specifically, this talk will highlight our efforts to: a) develop a new polymerization methodology, termed photoinduced olefin polymerization (PIOP), that may provide the enabling chemistry required to 3D print polyolefins directly from monomer, and b) harness amphiphilic copolymers to efficiently and selectively extract integral membrane proteins for structure elucidation and function studies.
Bio:
Brian (BL) received his B.S. degree in chemistry 2003 from the University of North Georgia. During his undergraduate career, he conducted research under Prof. Dan Thompson, and was a participant in Furman University’s NSF-REU program working in the research groups of Profs. John Wheeler and Noel A. P. Kane-Maguire. BL obtained his Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin working under Prof. C. Grant Willson and was co-advised by Prof. Christopher W. Bielawski. After receiving his Ph.D. in 2009, BL pursued his postdoctoral studies at Cornell University under the supervision of Prof. Geoffrey W. Coates. BL began as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville (UTK) in 2011, was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2018, and then to Professor in 2023. His research and teaching efforts have been recognized through the Ffrancon Williams Endowed Faculty Award, an Army Research Office Young Investigator Award, a Department of Energy Early Career Research Program Award, and he was named the Gleb Mamantov Professor of Chemistry in 2020. BL also became the Associate Head for Graduate Programs in 2025.