Recent Research Funding

UND Chemistry External Awards

NSF Expand QISE

Quantum Algorithms for Relativistic Quantum Chemistry

Quantum computers offer the opportunity to solve some of the long-standing challenges in science and engineering. This research, in collaboration with Virginia Tech, aims to develop new algorithms and schemes to extend the capabilities of quantum devices and apply them to some of the challenging problems in heavy-element computational chemistry with the assistance of $800,000, PI Asthana. These developments could help advance our understanding of the chemistry of heavy-elements and help identify new materials and molecules for applications such as drug discovery, improvements in energy technology, and more. The project has a strong emphasis on quantum information science and engineering (QISE) workforce development in the Red River Valley region by introducing accessible and application-focused coursework to University of North Dakota (UND) students and other regional institutes, along with fostering partnerships with industry, national labs, and academia to facilitate the effective training of students.

NSF EPSCoR Fellow

Quantum algorithms for early fault-tolerant quantum computers

This EPSCoR Research Fellows project will provide a fellowship to an Assistant Professor and training for a postdoctoral fellow at the University of North Dakota (UND) in the amount of $300,000, PI Asthana. This work will be conducted in collaboration with researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to develop new algorithms and strategies towards solving useful problems in quantum chemistry using upcoming quantum computers. Quantum computers exploit quantum mechanical properties to carry out computational tasks and are expected to provide massive computational advantages in problems of importance in drug design, material discovery, machine learning, etc. With rapid progress in quantum computing hardware in recent years, the project aims to develop algorithms and strategies that can take advantage of the upcoming quantum devices and explore the benefits of quantum computers over traditional classical computers in quantum chemistry problems. This collaboration also provides expertise and computing tools that support the PI’s vision of creating a successful quantum information science and technology research group at UND, along with strengthening STEM education in the Red River Valley region.

ND-ACES Emerging Areas Seed Award

Biodegradable and Biocompatible Drug-Loading Polymer Gels Potentiating Long-Term Sustained Release of Anticancer Drugs for Precise Cancer Treatment

The primary objective of this research project focuses on the development of advanced drug-loading polymer gels for treating cancers. With the support of this award, Dr. Sui leads his research group to develop biodegradable polymer gels loaded with anticancer drugs for sustained release of drug molecules at tumor tissues in the body to impose persistent inhibitory effect precisely onto cancer cells, without inducing damage to healthy cells and organs, thus enhancing the therapeutic effect and reducing the unwanted adverse effects, starting from September 20, 2024.

NSF-MRI

MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatograph with a High-Resolution Mass Spectrometer (Pyr-GC-HR-MS)

$626,295 PI Kubatova Chemistry, Co-PIs Schmitt, Biology; Ji, Chemical Eng.; Ersan Mech. Eng.. This state-of-the-art instrument greatly expands and modernizes GC-MS capabilities not only at UND at the Upper Midwest, enhancing the region’s capacity for high-resolution detection of complex samples for sustainable materials, biological and forensic studies, and emerging contaminant monitoring.  This instrument will be integral to both teaching and research, providing quality training for undergraduate and graduate students in chemical characterization. In addition, its use and demonstrations in outreach and educational programs will provide tools for recruitment in science and STEM workforce development in the region.

NSF-S-STEM Scholarship Grant Award

Continuing in the tradition of projects funded by the National Science Foundation S-STEM program, previously called US MASTER, which provided UND students with scholarship awards of over $650,000. Many of these students have careers in science after leaving UND; we are proud of all of them and their successes.

The team of science faculty will be led by Dr. Simmons (PI)  and includes Co-PIs  Drs. Iancu, Kubatova, Mattingly,  and Pedersen; we received nearly $2 million in funding from NSF for a new scholarship program called "QUEST"  (Question-based Undergraduate Experiential Science Training). This program will provide scholarships to talented students in Atmospheric Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Forensic Science, Mathematics, and Physics/ Astrophysics. Furthermore, QUEST seeks to recruit and prepare rural and minority students to provide support through formal and informal programming that prepares these graduates for meaningful careers in STEM fields.

Marvin Companies, Inc., Project: Investigation of Wood Windows Aging: Phase 2

The grant, led by Drs. Alena Kubatova and Evguenii Kozliak, focuses on developing pertinent analytical methods and their application to the investigation of wood protection by fungicides. The additional funding has been provided at a level of $9,471. This project is a new application of elaborate TD-Pyr-GC-MS methods published in J. Chromatography A. The ultimate goal of this new study is finding a marker of wood decay when fungicides in treated wood are depleted. We appreciate a long-term partnership and joint research program with Marvin Companies (former Marvin Windows), a large local firm with headquarters in Warroad, MN providing excellent opportunities for our student training.

American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS PRF)

Award: $110,000 starting Aug. 1, 2024. Dr. Weixin Huang, PI. The ACS PRF grant will support research on developing single-atom bimetallic and high entropy catalysts for oxidative propane dehydrogenation. This project centers on the use of precisely controlled catalytic materials prepared from colloidal nanocrystals. The utilization of such materials holds considerable promise for identifying the active phase and structure of alloys, as well as revealing their optimal surface composition.

NSF Chemistry Biology Collaborative Award

Graphene/Polymer-based Fluorescent Nanozymes for Sensitive Detection of Metabolic Biotargets

Award: $450,000 starting Sept. 1, 2023. Drs. Julia Zhao and Diane Darland and their respective research groups at the University of North Dakota are devising a new approach toward nanomaterial-based sensors (“nanozymes”) for the detection and quantitation of key metabolic biomolecules, such as glucose. The goal is to develop these nanozyme sensors to detect biotargets that can shift in metabolic distress, such as diabetes and neurodegenerative disease.

NSF Launching Early-Career Academic Pathways in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (LEAPS-MPS)

LEAPS-MPS: Stimuli-Responsive Biodegradable Polymeric Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications

Award: $249,118 starting July 15, 2022. Dr. Binglin Sui, PI. With the support of this award, Dr. Sui leads his research group to develop a series of stimuli-responsive, biocompatible, and biodegradable polymers and polymer-based nanomaterials that can be extensively utilized in the biological and medical worlds.

LEAPS-MPS Award Abstract

NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)

MRI: Acquisition of a 400 MHz NMR Spectrometer for Research and Research Training

Award: $438,862 starting Aug. 1, 2021. Dr. Guodong Du, PI, and Dr. Alena Kubatova, co-PI. This spectrometer allows research in a variety of fields such as those that accelerate chemical reactions of significant economic importance, as well as permitting study of chemically and biologically relevant species. Research projects that will benefit from this instrument include characterization of biodegradable materials synthesized from renewable resources and the construction of two-dimensional polymeric materials prepared from renewable materials using photo-energy.

MRI Award Abstract

NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 Award

New Discoveries in the Advanced Interface of Computation, Engineering, and Science (ND-ACES)

Three UND Chemistry faculty members are Research Participants on the newly funded NSF EPSCoR RII Track-1 Award. The award (starting July 1, 2020) is a new five-year competitive research infrastructure improvement (RII) Track-1 cooperative agreement totaling $20 million to ND EPSCoR jurisdiction and all 10 participating institutions. The title of the award is

The UND chemistry faculty members participating are: Guodong Du and Julia Zhao. Dr. Zhao is the co-Lead in the pillar of Material Designs at Biointerfaces and Dr. Du participates in this material pillar.

ND ACES AWARD abstract

National Science Foundation Simulation and Machine Learning Grant

CDS&E:D3SC:Topology, Rare-event Simulation, and Machine Learning as Routes to Predicting Molecular Crystal Structures and Understanding Their Phase Behaviour

This collaborative research grant is awarded for four years to develop computational methods and software to study molecular crystals at the level of $193,872 from April 1, 2020.

CDS&E:D3SC AWARD ABSTRACT

Marvin Windows and Doors, Inc., Wood Aging Study by Pyrolysis Project

Investigation of Wood Windows Aging Using Thermal Desorption‐Pyrolysis GC‐MS

Award: $40,361. The project, led by Drs. Evguenii Kozliak and Alena Kubatova through continued partnership, aims to investigate aging of window-treated corner sections exposed to harsh environmental conditions using the elaborate modification of TD-Pyr-GC-MS developed by Dr. Kubatova for chemical characterization of wood matrix and occurrence of wood preservatives.

ND Corn Utilization Council Grants

Self-Healing and Recyclable Polymeric Materials from Corn Sugars

Dr. Guodong Du has received support for the project in the amount of $25,248 from July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021.

Conversion of Corn-Stover Derived Lignin

Dr. Wayne Seames (Chemical Engineering) in collaboration with Dr. Kubatova (Chemistry) has received funding ($79,000) for this project that aims to fragment lignin, advance lignin fragment analytical methods, and to use those methods to help define what the lignin fragments are and their potential uses.

Environmental Core (EC) of ND INBRE Program Received Renewed Support

This core facility was established by ND INBRE in 2015 to enhance research productivity, research funding, and STEM training of ND INBRE partners with a focus on environmental research. Specific aims of this core have been to; (i) Provide well-managed metal analysis equipment that supports current and planned research; (ii) Provide technical expertise in metal analysis; (iii) Provide a well-equipped facility to train the next generation of health professionals in methods, theory and use of atomic spectroscopy for research; and (iv) Provide a foundation to expand the core into other areas of environmental analysis as needed by the partners of ND INBRE. The facility, which is located in the Department of Chemistry at the University of North Dakota, is equipped for trace to ultra-trace metal analysis with numerous tools for sample pretreatment followed by metal analysis with atomic absorption spectroscopy or inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The core is staffed full-time by an experienced lab manager-analyst who can advise investigators in all aspects of sample preparation and subsequent analysis.