Advancing Chemistry. Improving Life.

ANNUAL REPORT 2 0 1 4

ROBERT A. WELCH The Welch Foundation is a legacy to the world from Robert Alonzo Welch, a self-made man with a strong sense of responsibility to humankind, an enthusiastic respect for chemistry and a deep love for the state of Texas. Born in South Carolina to a prominent family that fell on hard economic times, Mr. Welch came to Houston as a youth and later made his fortune in oil and minerals. Over the course of his career and life, he became convinced of the importance of chemistry for the betterment of the world. Scientists, geologists and petroleum engineers were among his close friends and associates as were the civic and business leaders of the day. From these associations and his own study, Mr. Welch determined that the pursuit of chemistry and chemical research held great potential for vast good and would continue to have a valuable impact on business, industry, global leadership and the human condition. Mr. Welch gave serious thought to the disposition of his estate. His decisions reflected his belief in science and the role it would play in the future. In his will, Mr. Welch stated: “I have long been impressed with the great possibilities for the betterment of mankind that lay in the field of research in the domain of chemistry.” With his death in 1952, Mr. Welch left a generous portion of his estate to his employees and their families. The balance began what is now The Welch Foundation.

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Table of Contents

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T H E W E LC H F O U N DAT I O N



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T H E W E LC H AWA R D



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T H E H AC K E R M A N AWA R D



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CONFERENCE ON CHEMICAL RESEARCH



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PROGRAMS



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F O U N DAT I O N G R A N T S



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P R I N C I PA L I N V E S T I G AT O R S



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D E PA R T M E N TA L R E S E A R C H G R A N T S



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ENDOWED CHAIRS



34 FINANCIALS

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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Effective science education – long a topic near and dear to my own heart – is vital on so many fronts. In today’s environment, with challenges to research funding and the role of flagship research institutions, we need to continue to champion the crucial need for science education at all levels and ongoing support for research at the highest levels. We need more of our students choosing careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. We need to discover what works best in preparing them so they can continue advancing chemistry to improve lives. And beyond those dedicated men and women who make their careers in chemistry or other areas of science, it is vital that all our young people get enough scientific grounding to understand and appreciate its value. Today’s students will be crucial in setting future policy and to our willingness as a nation to invest appropriately in the sciences – including in basic research – so that new findings and new understanding can continue to make a difference in human lives. As part of its mission, The Welch Foundation has long supported science education. The Welch Summer Scholar Program introduces high school students to hands-on chemistry research. The departmental research grants program provides college scholarships and supports research programs for undergraduates at small- and mid-size Texas colleges and universities. The research grant program funds ongoing training for many graduates and postdocs. In 2014, the Foundation made science education the focus of our annual research conference. The goal was to foster a dialog between teachers and learners on how to revitalize American STEM education, with a particular focus on chemistry at the pre- and post-secondary levels. Conference speakers explored their experiences with new methods of coursework delivery such as the laboratory as a venue for discovery science, peer-to-peer

2014 Annual Report

teaching, “flipped” classes, online courses leading to degrees or certificates, massively open online courses (MOOCs) and STEM learning. The conference was the brain child of Marye Anne Fox, long-time Scientific Advisory Board member and outgoing SAB chair. While Dr. Fox passed the SAB reins at year end to Peter Dervan, another long-time SAB member, I am pleased that she continues as an SAB member. Our thanks to both of these outstanding science leaders for their time, expertise and passionate support for chemistry and the Foundation’s mission. I also would like to welcome three incoming SAB members: James L. Skinner, University of Wisconsin, Madison, who joined the SAB Jan. 1, 2015; and Xiaowei Zhuang, Harvard University, and Jennifer A. Doudna, University of California, Berkeley, who will join us in July 2015. Finally, effective May 2014, we were very pleased to welcome Robert C. Robbins, president and chief executive officer of the Texas Medical Center, to our board of directors. Dr. Robbins brings hands-on experience in research to complement his financial acumen and involvement with the state’s medical science community. He also has a tremendous record of giving back through service on the boards of other nonprofits. My personal thanks to the Foundation’s boards – as well as the researchers, educators and academic leaders across the state – for their continuing efforts to make science and science education a priority. Together we can continue advancing basic research to improve life.

Wilhelmina E. (Beth) Robertson CHAIR, BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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THE WELCH FOUNDATION

Fullfilling Founder’s Vision

Board of Directors

Created from an endowment by Texas oilman and philanthropist Robert Alonzo Welch, The Welch Foundation has grown into one of the nation’s largest sources of private funding for basic research in chemistry. For more than 60 years, the Foundation has supported chemistry in Texas through research grants and a variety of other programs. Following the dictates of Mr. Welch’s will, the Foundation remains true to its mission of supporting fundamental scientific exploration that ultimately helps improve our world. The Foundation’s endeavors are guided by a Board of Directors, Scientific Advisory Board and professional staff all committed to building a robust scientific community in Texas that advances basic knowledge.

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The Board of Directors serves as stewards of The Welch Foundation, overseeing its financial health, operational direction and support for chemistry. FROM LEFT

Charles W. Tate, vice chair Wilhelmina E. (Beth) Robertson, chair Carin Marcy Barth, secretary Ernest H. Cockrell, treasurer Robert C. Robbins

Scientific Advisory Board SEATED FROM LEFT

Joseph L. Goldstein The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Marye Anne Fox University of California, San Diego

Ahmed H. Zewail California Institute of Technology STANDING FROM LEFT

Peter B. Dervan California Institute of Technology

Yuan T. Lee Academia Sinica and University of California, Berkeley

The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) advises the Board of Directors on scientific issues related to the Foundation’s mission. In 2014, the board was composed of eight renowned leaders in chemistry and the related sciences. The SAB evaluates proposals for research grants, reviews and recommends finalists for the Welch and Hackerman Awards, and helps oversee the other Foundation programs to promote chemistry in Texas. Each year, one member presides over the annual Conference on Chemical Research.

Richard R. Schrock Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Peter G. Schultz The Scripps Research Institute

Roger D. Kornberg Stanford University Medical School

Foundation Staff

Led by Norbert Dittrich, president and chief operating officer, the staff oversees and implements the day-today operations of the Foundation. LEFT TO RIGHT

Sherry White, Carolyn Kahlich, Kathy Kirk, Colette Bleasdale and Reena Cegielski BACK ROW

Carla Atmar, Ron Page and Norbert Dittrich

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WELCH AWARD

Researcher Spurs Advances in Green Energy, Medicine

“Dr. Bergman’s conRobert G. Bergman tributions to science have been far-reaching, leading has made vital to advances and insights breakthroughs to in many areas of chemistry, including physical, expand our organic, organometallic, inorganic, supramolecular understanding of and catalysis,” says Wilhelmina E. (Beth) organometallic Robertson, chair of The chemistry, particularly Welch Foundation. “And Janiece Longoria, Steve Lasher, Judy and Charles Tate, and beyond his broad and carbon-hydrogen bond Donna Chapman Josey at the award banquet reception. deep research impacts, he has been a leader in science advocacy as well activation and its application to drug as in teaching and nurturing future generations of scientists.” development and cleaner energy. Drawing from organic and inorganic chemistry, Dr. Bergman has focused on synthetic The University of California, Berkeley, chemical research to discover new materials containing both metal and organic components. professor was honored with the 2014 His target has been organometallic compounds Welch Award in Chemistry at a black-tie that are catalysts for organic transformations or that can be turned into catalysts. His goal has banquet in Houston Oct. 27. been to help build more complex molecules in more efficient ways that eliminate waste, such as to create a drug, or, more recently, to take large molecules and convert them into something more useful, such as a fuel. In probably his most noted achievement, Dr. Bergman found what has been called the “Holy Grail” of the field of C-H bond activation by creating the first transition metal complex capable of breaking carbon-hydrogen bonds by inserting the metal in between the carbon and hydrogen atoms. The carbon-hydrogen bond is one of the two most common bonds in organic compounds. Many useful compounds, such as plastics, fuels and drugs, could be produced more efficiently if methods could be found to break this bond and carry out chemistry at the carbon atom to which the hydrogen was attached. However, the carbon-hydrogen bond is also one of the strongest, and so it has historically been 6

Awardee Bob Bergman with Chair Beth Robertson.

difficult to break and replace the hydrogen attached to carbon with other, more reactive atoms (so called “carbon-hydrogen bond functionalization”). Traditional organic chemistry approaches require a number of steps and the use of hazardous reagents, and the process results in low levels of materials and a large amount of waste. “Bob Bergman is a trailblazing researcher whose interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to science has led to significant contributions to chemistry throughout his career,” says Marye Anne Fox, chair of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board. “He was a pioneer in taking the methods and reasoning of physical organic chemistry and using them to help grow the new field of organometallic chemistry, where mechanistic insights were not always obvious until revealed by his work. His work has revolutionized the field of C-H activation, one of the most important in chemistry, and he continues to expand our insights in this area, providing the foundation of organometallic chemistry as we know it today.” Early in his career, Dr. Bergman pinpointed a transformation in enediynes, a class of bacterial natural products. While scientifically interesting, it wasn’t until 15 years later that the “Bergman cyclization” was identified as a first step in a process that damages DNA in tumors. Thanks to Dr. Bergman’s basic research, today hundreds of synthetic enediyne compounds are being tested as cancer drugs. In later research, he has explored organometallic chemistry in larger molecular structures, and is currently working in “green chemistry,” specifically targeting the synthesis of metal complexes that remove oxygen groups from natural sources such as sugars and lignin, converting them to Bobby Robbins (left), Bob and Wendy Bergman, and Beth Robertson.

higher energy products that can be used as fuels and specialty chemicals. Within the past few years, Dr. Bergman has established new collaborations that have resulted in catalytic C-H bond activation methods with broad impact in synthetic organic and medicinal chemistry. More recently, he has made major advances in the construction of self-assembled nano-sized molecular cages. ”I have found much joy in science, both in advancing fundamental human knowledge, and in the training of future scientists and informed citizens,” says Dr. Bergman. “Collaborations have been critical to my success – science today is so far-reaching that none of us can hope to master an area alone – and I’ve loved applying this in my teaching, both at the undergraduate level and with my research group. I’m very proud of the 220 or so students I’ve mentored and they are continually surprising me with their discoveries and contributions to the next generation of science.” Growing up in Chicago, Dr. Bergman attended Carleton College where he edited the college newspaper and considered being a journalist before finally settling on chemistry as a career. He earned a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University. He spent 11 years on the faculty of California Institute of Technology before moving to the University of California at Berkeley where he is now the Gerald E. K. Branch Distinguished Professor. The author of more than 500 papers, he has been recognized with numerous American Chemistry Society awards as well as the E. O. Lawrence Award in Chemistry from the U.S. Department of Energy and teaching excellence awards from both Caltech and Berkeley. He has served in many academic and research leadership roles, on editorial advisory boards and recently began a primary school outreach program with graduate students at Berkeley. Dr. Bergman and his wife Wendy have two sons, David and Michael, and two grandchildren.

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HACKERMAN AWARD

Norbert Dittrich (left), Beth Robertson and Charles Tate (far right) congratulate Hackerman Award recipient Ben Tu.

Benjamin P. Tu has discovered new connections between metabolism and cell growth regulation, findings that ultimately may have implications for treating diseases including cancer and neurodegeneration.

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Scientist Finds Links Between Metabolism, Cell Regulation

The Welch Foundation recognized the associate professor of biochemistry at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center with the 2014 Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research. The award pays tribute to his pioneering research that has defined how the small molecules that are intermediates of metabolism also control cell growth and division. “We salute Dr. Tu – a true ‘rising star’ – for his creativity, scientific ingenuity and passion for finding answers,” says Wilhelmina E. (Beth) Robertson, chair of The Welch Foundation. “This young researcher combines a fearless approach with detailed, methodical work. His scientific sleuthing is guided by broad knowledge, intuition and a knack for elegant experiments, and he is known for thoughtprovoking presentations, outstanding teaching and generosity in scientific collaboration.” Before a cell grows and divides, it must first determine if there are enough resources available. It does this by sensing key metabolites and nutrients in the cell or in the environment. Dr. Tu is interested in learning how the nutrients are broken down, how they talk to the proteins in the cells and how they regulate important decisions. Dr. Tu has pinpointed several metabolites that influence when a cell grows, divides or enters a survival state called autophagy, in which it consumes parts of itself. He has demonstrated the pathways by which these metabolites work, showing how cells sense nutrients in the environment and how that determines these important processes. “Dr. Tu has shown that he is unafraid to challenge old paradigms,” says Marye Anne Fox, the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board chair. “Looking at metabolism and cell regulation – areas of science considered thoroughly explored – he has discovered unsuspected and important connections between the two. His work has detailed the mechanisms by which cells sense nutrient levels. The information signals the cell

Awardee Ben Tu and Chair Beth Robertson.

whether to grow and divide or to wait until times get better.” In a breakthrough discovery, Dr. Tu has shown that Acetyl Coenzyme A, already known as a workhorse for its many roles in converting food into energy, also serves as the gatekeeper telling the cell when to divide and grow. He has demonstrated that Acetyl-CoA directs more than 1,000 genes to turn on when sufficient nutrients are available for growth. In work that may have an impact on human health, Dr. Tu has identified and mapped one pathway by which a cell obtains nutrients. He has shown that the cell – at least in mice – does not need to use this method for normal growth. However, it is critical for some cancer cells that need alternative nutrients to support their proliferation and survival. Dr. Tu also discovered how to block this pathway, opening the door to a potentially exciting new avenue for limiting that growth. “Basic research is the exploration of unknown territories – I compare it to going into a dark cave,” Dr. Tu says. “We don’t know where it’s going to lead, but we know at the end there’s going to be something very exciting that we hope could someday help human health. For me, it’s the thrill of figuring out how our cells are working and how all these processes in cells are ultimately tied to metabolism and metabolites themselves. And remarkably, there’s very little that we know about how metabolism and nutrients influence various cell processes.” Working at the intersection of chemistry and biology, Dr. Tu applies analytical thinking, creative approaches and scientific rigor to major life questions. His lab recently published two other major discoveries. He detailed how the intracellular levels of sulfur-containing amino acids are sensed and their role in determining whether a cell grows or enters autophagy, a process by which a cell consumes part of itself to survive in response to nutritional stress

or starvation. The second finding showed how these amino acids also affect the rate at which a cell can make proteins by modifying a nucleotide present in tRNA. In conjunction with collaborators, Dr. Tu is demonstrating that many of the links between metabolism and cell regulation in yeast also apply in mammalian cells. A biotechnology spin-off he helped start is testing inhibitors of metabolic targets as a possible means of preventing unwanted cell growth, such as cancer. “We are very interested in understanding metabolism and how small metabolites in our cells influence decisions that cells can make, like when to grow, when to divide, when to slow things down so that the cells can survive better,” says Dr. Tu. “And so essentially, we’re very interested in understanding the chemistry of life.” The son of two scientists, Dr. Tu earned an undergraduate degree from Harvard, a doctorate from the University of California-San Francisco and completed a postdoc at UT Southwestern Medical Center before joining the faculty there. He has received a number of honors including a Packard Foundation Fellowship and Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award, among several others. He is married to fellow scientist Helen Lai and they have two children, Eva and Evan. The Hackerman Award is named in honor of Norman Hackerman, a noted scientist and long-time chair of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board. It is presented annually when warranted to scientists who are early in their careers and conducting basic research in chemistry in Texas. It includes $100,000, a crystal sculpture and a certificate.

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58TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON CHEMICAL RESEARCH

Welch representatives Yuan Lee, Beth Robertson, Marye Anne Fox, Norbert Dittrich and Peter Dervan attend the 58th Welch conference.

Few challenges in education are as important to our nation’s future as the quality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The 58th Welch Conference on Chemical Research focused on this key area, fostering an invigorating discussion on future directions for secondary, post-secondary and graduate chemical education.

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Exploring Excellence in Science Education

“Virtually every aspect of governmentsponsored education and research involves interdisciplinary expertise in STEM areas, including energy, climate, education, defense, homeland security, healthcare, nanoscience and information technology, among others,” notes Marye Anne Fox, conference chair, chair of The Welch Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board and chancellor emerita of University of California, San Diego. “And yet the relative ranking of science education in K-12 schools and in U.S. colleges and universities has been losing ground relative to our competitors for the last several decades. A consensus among educators at all levels is building that the most important technical problems now require a sound basis in these STEM disciplines. In particular, a sound grounding in chemistry is an absolute requirement if American students are to compete at the frontiers of science on a global basis.” Conference speakers examined new methods of coursework delivery such as the laboratory as a venue for discovery science, peer-to-peer teaching, “flipped” classes, online courses leading to degrees or certificates, massively open online courses (MOOCs) and STEM learning. Participants debated key questions: How can we balance quality and excellence with access and affordability? What works? What doesn’t? How will emerging national education policies affect classroom instruction? How can large research universities enhance student learning? How can small liberal arts institutions innovate for student success? How will classroom size, staffing and environment influence K-12 student performance? “Effective science education is important on so many fronts,” says Wilhelmina E. (Beth) Robertson, Welch chair. “It is a goal the

Foundation has long supported, and we need to continue to make it possible for the best and the brightest to obtain the education and training they need to continue pushing back the frontiers of knowledge. “But beyond those dedicated men and women who make their careers in chemistry or other areas of science,” she adds, “it also is vital that all of our young people get enough scientific grounding to understand and appreciate its value. They are crucial to our ability to invest appropriately in the sciences – including in basic research – so that new findings and new understanding can improve human lives.” The conference included four sessions over two days, Oct. 27-28, with discussions led by Dudley R. Herschbach, Texas A&M University and Harvard University; Keith J. Stevenson, The University of Texas at Austin, who also directs the Welch Summer Scholar Program; Maha Zewail-Foote, Southwestern University; and Marcy H. Towns, Purdue University.

“Virtually every aspect of governmentsponsored education and research involves interdisciplinary expertise in STEM areas, including energy, climate, education, defense, homeland security, healthcare, nanoscience and information technology, among others.”

Panelists shared their experiences with attendees, tackling such issues as: • How can we expand the laboratory experience and make it a more engaging venue for discovery science? • How does peer-to-peer teaching work and is it effective? • What about “flipped” classes, or blended learning, in which students teach and switch roles with teachers? • Does it improve results when students watch video lectures online to learn content and use class time working with teachers to solve problems? • How effective are online courses leading to degrees or certificates in chemistry? How are we building on early initiatives? How successful are they? What can we do differently? Better? • In a longer-lived initiative, what is happening in STEM education? What is the success rate in keeping students interested in science, technology, engineering and math? “Over the course of my career, both as professor and researcher and later with administrative responsibilities for research and teaching, I’ve wrestled with many of these issues,” adds Dr. Fox. “A key goal was to spark a dialog between teachers and learners that I hope will continue long after the conference was over. We hope to encourage teachers, academic leaders and scientists to work together to explore new methods to enhance degree completion, examine educational policies and support new national standards for pre- and post-secondary science education.”

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PROGRAMS

The Welch Foundation supports basic research in chemistry in Texas through a variety of ongoing programs each year. “While our research Beth Robertson and grants are the ‘bread and Chair President Norbert Dittrich. butter’ of our work, we’re proud of other initiatives, including departmental grants, endowed chairs and the summer program for high school students,” notes Norbert Dittrich, Welch Foundation president. “The goal is to nurture a vibrant scientific community in the state through programs that range from encouraging bright students to study chemistry and providing strong educational options in the field to supporting our research community, and attracting and retaining some of the best scientific minds.”

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Spurring Research, Education Initiatives

Research Grants

The Welch Foundation awarded $28.6 million in grants to 109 researchers at 26 Texas institutions in 2014. Support included funding 31 new proposals and renewing support for 78 projects. Overall, 350 principal investigators currently receive Welch grants and the Foundation’s support for chemical research since its inception in 1954 now totals approximately $779 million through August 31, 2014. Each three-year research grant provides a minimum of $60,000 a year and may be renewed based on the proposal submitted by the principal investigator. The grant supports research in chemistry by a full-time faculty member with tenure or on the tenure track at institutions of higher education in Texas. A list of principal investigators receiving Welch Foundation grants during its 2014 fiscal year, September 1, 2013, to August 31, 2014, begins on page 18. The listing includes researchers’ institutions and the titles of their research projects. More information is available in the research supplement available online at www.welch1.org. Departmental Research Grants

Supporting access to chemistry education across Texas, The Welch Foundation provided funding for 42 chemistry departments at smalland medium-size colleges and universities last year. The support is designed to help build and strengthen the chemistry programs at these schools and provide opportunities for more students to take part in hands-on research. “Research brings science and chemistry to life for students in ways that are impossible to duplicate in a classroom setting,” says Marye Anne Fox, Scientific Advisory Board chair. “Over the many years of our departmental grants programs, it is gratifying to see how many of these students go on to pursue graduate degrees

or careers in a scientific field. But even those who end up working in other areas gain an invaluable appreciation of the importance and power of basic research.” Departmental grants allow the schools to offer research opportunities to students, support faculty work and enhance chemistry programs. Experience shows that such research opportunities can play a vital role in encouraging students to pursue advanced degrees and scientific careers. The departments typically use Welch funding to provide scholarships or stipends for undergraduates and graduates, purchase laboratory supplies and equipment, and underwrite student travel to participate in industry conferences. Welch Chairs

The Welch Foundation endows 45 chairs at 21 Texas universities. This support is designed to recruit and retain talented chemical researchers and teachers to Texas universities as well as strengthen the quality of higher education programs across the state. The Foundation provides ongoing research funding for chair holders, helping support graduate and postdoctoral students working with the professors. Three new chair holders were named in 2014: Eric V. Anslyn, Welch Regents’ Chair in Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin (see story on his work on page 14); Vadivel Ganapathy, Welch Chair in Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; and Olafs Daugulis, Welch Chair in Chemistry, University of Houston. Welch Summer Scholar Program

The University of Texas at Arlington again played host to bright high schools students as part of the Welch Summer Scholar Program.

The Welch Summer Scholar Program hosted 42 talented high school students, chosen from 170 applicants, in the summer of 2014. Held on five Texas campuses, the hands-on program introduces students to university-level basic research in chemistry to spur their interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics as possible careers.

The program is continuing its recent drive to leverage digital technology and social media to recruit, connect and drive down costs. These efforts include expanding the WSSP website and Facebook page to create a database of applicants, participants and alumni. Ultimately, the goal is to create a networking tool, and allow program alumni to update their profiles and search for other WSSP participants who may be working in companies, fields or regions of interest. “We hope to build on past participants’ experiences to inspire new students. We are especially proud that many of our Welch Summer Scholar Program alumni have gone on to great academic success, and hope to create an integrated network that extends the WSSP experience and connections,” says Keith Stevenson, program director and associate professor at The University of Texas at Austin. He notes that one 2013 WSSP participant is now studying at Duke University, where she is the recipient of the Angier B. Duke Scholarship, an award given to only 19 students from around the world. The scholarship covers tuition, room and board, research stipends, and a summer abroad at Oxford University. She credits her WSSP experience for helping her succeed: “I have no doubt that my experiences as a Welch Scholar have had and will continue to have lasting contributions to my current and future accomplishments and interests.” Other members of the 2013 class have enrolled at such prestigious institutions as Stanford, MIT, Harvard and Princeton, and one recent alumnus was selected as a 2015 Goldwater Scholar, an honor afforded only to the most highly qualified and promising students in the sciences. “The Welch Summer Scholar Program continues to serve as a launch pad for some of the next generation’s most promising young scientists,” Dr. Stevenson adds. “The fact that WSSP remains a cost-free program for the participants means that it truly serves the purpose of opening doors and broadening futures for bright and ambitious chemistry students across the state, irrespective of their backgrounds or financial circumstances. It is extremely unique in this way – as well as many others – and we’re grateful for The Welch Foundation’s continued support in realizing this vision.”

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FOUNDATION GRANTS

Eric Anslyn Welch Regents Chair in Chemistry The University of Texas at Austin

Eric Anslyn

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Eric Anslyn is working to expand our understanding of taste and smell. How can we analyze complex liquid mixtures, whether wine and liquor or blood, urine and saliva? And how can we use these chemical insights as diagnostic tools? To answer these questions, his research group makes synthetic receptors that mimic how sensory protein receptors operate. Dr. Anslyn is interested in the physical and bioorganic chemistry of synthetic and natural receptors, and in molecular recognition. The Welch chair holder and University Distinguished Teaching Professor uses a combination of synthesis, combinatorial techniques, NMR, kinetics, ultraviolet/visible and fluorescence spectroscopy, and computer modeling to study the development of receptors for real world applications. His research focuses on receptors for carbohydrates, proteins, cell surfaces and components of commercial beverages, as well as enantiomeric excess in synthetic procedures, by using single and multi-analyte sensing ensembles. “About 15 years ago, I realized that synthetic receptors could be used in chemical diagnostics to monitor the compositions of complex mixtures, even without knowing the identity of the analytes,” he says. “Our early work focused on chemical sensors to understand how taste and smell operate – a new area at that time and one we continue to explore today.” His research group forms combinatorial libraries of peptidic and non-peptidic structures augmented with elements of rational chemical design. The receptors are designed to generate fingerprints that differentiate between the individual members of a targeted class of molecules. They also can be used to determine the identity of mixtures, enantiomeric excess of an asymmetric transformation, or to identify individual analytes in mixtures. For example, Dr. Anslyn created an “electronic tongue” that measures a complex mix

Welch Funding Supports New Science Across Texas

of tastes in a manner similar to how humans taste. Mammals taste and smell by crossselectively binding many chemical structures and generating electronic signals that the brain organizes into the patterns we recognize as flavors or odors. His lab also uses polymers and other large molecules to create multicomponent assemblies for sensing applications. This includes chemical arrays that can be used as sensors in industrial applications, to detect neurotoxins, and to analyze such complex beverages as wines and liquors. Dr. Anslyn currently is working to develop techniques to recognize complex analytes in blood, urine and saliva. “This work started as basic science exploration to better understand how enzymes work. Over the years, we came to recognize its value as a diagnostic tool,” he says. “While our group works in many different areas, each of our projects relies upon the principles of supramolecular, organic and biological chemistry. It is fascinating work, and I appreciate Welch’s consistent support over the years.” Banglin Chen Principal Investigator The University of Texas at San Antonio

Working across the fields of inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry and nanotechnology, Banglin Chen focuses his research on solid-state multifunctional metal-organic and hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks through the self-assembly of both organic and inorganic components. His work explores how different components of chemicals with varying electronic, optical, magnetic and catalytic properties can be readily assembled. Because these hybrid materials offer predictable structures and porosities, they have a range of applications in such diverse areas as gas storage, gas separation, enantioselective separation, heterogeneous catalysis, photonics, and for sensors and electronics. “Expanding our basic understanding of

Banglin Chen

these molecules is providing a platform to deepen our understanding of basic chemistry,” Dr. Chen says. “It is also leading to some very promising practical applications, particularly for gas storage and gas separation.” Dr. Chen currently is working to synthesize materials to functionalize their nano-sized cavities. His goal is to develop synthetic approaches using crystal design and pre-constructed building block strategies and then characterize the structure of the resulting materials and evaluate their functional properties. The professor of chemistry holds 10 U.S. patents for intellectual property related to metalorganic frameworks. Multinational companies have licensed one and optioned another for their potential practical applications in hydrogen and methane storage. A native of China, Dr. Chen earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from Zhejiang University and a doctorate in chemistry from the National University of Singapore. He joined the UTSA faculty from UT Pan American in 2009. With 164 papers cited more than 16,000 times, he was ranked as one of the Top 100 Chemists over the past decade based on citation impact factor in 2011. He also was named among the world’s 2014 Highly Cited Researchers in Chemistry by Thomson Reuters. “I am very grateful to The Welch Foundation,” Dr. Chen says. “Their support gives me the freedom to do what I like to do and explore promising new avenues without the constraints of other funding sources.”

The West Texas A&M math, chemistry and physics department includes two tenure-track and three tenured chemistry faculty, the lab coordinator and one instructor. The program included 69 chemistry majors in the fall 2014 semester and last year graduated 15 chemistry majors who went on to pursue graduate degrees or to industry jobs. The program offers three tracks: biochemistry, chemistry for teachers and a chemistry degree based American Chemical Society guidelines. Dr. Flynn notes that the department recently re-initiated an ACS-affiliated student chapter, which helps further introduce and excite students about science opportunities. In fall 2014, the university opened a new chemical and physics help lab intended to support freshman- and sophomore-level educational success. In January Dr. Flynn was elected to serve as the local section chair of the ACS Panhandle Plains. Six students participated with university faculty on departmental grant-supported research. Projects included the optical properties of carbon nanotubes and dye doped liquid crystal, and the in vitro studies of liposome-release kinetics in tumor microenvironments. Other faculty research explored the pharmaceutical delivery of drugs to cancer cells, sensor development, and the characterization and classification of capcaisinoids’ amino acid metabolism. “We plan to continue growing our program, and Welch funding is very helpful in making progress toward that goal,” Dr. Flynn says. “Welch has made a world of difference for both us and our students.”

Nick E. Flynn Departmental Research Grant West Texas A&M University

Nick E. Flynn

Nick Flynn reports a new enthusiasm about chemistry on the West Texas A&M campus. “In 2014, we hired a lab coordinator who helps organize freshman-level courses, prime recruiting grounds for chemistry majors,” he says. “It’s an uncommon student who arrives on campus wanting to be a chemist. We need to get them excited about the field and the opportunity to participate in research is a big draw.” Welch funding provides stipends for students to participate in research with faculty. Dr. Flynn reports two keys benefits: It allows students to take part who otherwise wouldn’t be able to forego an outside job, and for faculty to recruit the best students to their projects.

Kyriacos C. Nicolaou Principal Investigator Rice University

K. C. Nicolaou is intrigued by the therapeutic potential of scarce, naturally occurring substances. He starts by devising strategies to synthesize these rare natural products — plant, soil, marine — in order to study them. Then, building on these insights, he and his students design and create analogs to optimize the compounds’ chemical, biological and pharmacological properties. The Nicolaou group is known for the synthesis of such complex molecules as anticancer drugs calicheamicin and taxol; antibiotics of last resort amphotericin B and vancomycin; and marine neurotoxins 15

Kyriacos C. Nicolaou

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associated with “red tides” brevetoxins A and B. He currently is working with several other natural products that show promise for the treatment of cancer as well as infectious and neurodegenerative diseases. Born in Cyprus, Dr. Nicolaou was a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California, San Diego and The Scripps Research Institute before joining Rice in 2013. He was lured to Texas by a grant from The Cancer Research and Prevention Institute of Texas – and a daughter who teaches at Rice and his two grandchildren. “The Welch Foundation has been welcoming and supportive since day one,” he says. “Its funding allows us to pursue a number of projects directed toward the synthesis of antitumor agents, antibiotics and marine neurotoxins and their analogs and fragments.” Dr. Nicolaou’s lab collaborates with biologists and pharmacologists from academia and industry to hone biomedical research and clinical applications for the molecules they synthesize. Current research is exploring a number of antibacterial and antiviral agents. “Bacteria and viruses are constantly mutating into drug-resistant strains that evade our known medications so we have to be on our toes to discover and develop new drugs to fight infections caused by these dangerous pathogens,” he says. He and his students recently completed the total synthesis of the newly discovered antibiotic viridicatumtoxin B that has demonstrated potent antibacterial properties against drug-resistant bacteria, and also recently synthesized Δ12prostaglandin J3, another rare natural product with activity against cancer cells. The team has designed and synthesized several variations of these natural products which are currently undergoing biological evaluation. Dr. Nicolaou’s group also is pursuing the synthesis of large domains of maitotoxin, the largest secondary metabolite and the most potent non-proteinoic neurotoxin isolated from nature to date. Some of the synthesized fragments appear to inhibit maitotoxin’s calcium ion influx properties while others exhibited antitumor properties. His team is working to construct even larger domains of this giant molecule, including its entire 32-ring polycyclic system, and suitable affinity molecular probes. The goal is to use their biological properties as tools to

pin down the biological receptor of maitotoxin, which they believe to be an ion channel. “We hope that these investigations will increase our neurobiological knowledge and facilitate the discovery and development of analytical tools to detect the neurotoxin in contaminated seafood and perhaps lead to cures of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s,” he says. Susan P. Oxley Departmental Research Grant St. Mary’s University

“Research is vital in helping our students develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills,” says Susan Oxley, associate professor and chair, department of chemistry and biochemistry, St. Mary’s University. “It is so rewarding to see students experiencing the thrill of discovery, of doing something they have not done before. Our goal is to involve all our undergraduate chemistry and biochemistry students in hands-on research.” St. Mary’s, a private Catholic school in San Antonio, is among the nation’s leaders in educating Hispanics and women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. It received its first Welch departmental grant in 2014. A third of St. Mary’s undergraduates are STEM majors, with 73 percent of them Hispanic and 52 percent female. “We firmly believe that increasing the participation of minority and underrepresented students in research is critical to broadening diversity in the sciences and enhancing the nation’s technology and economic competitiveness,” Dr. Oxley says. St. Mary’s offers five undergraduate degrees in chemistry, biochemistry and forensics, with many of its students continuing on to graduate school or industry. Traditionally, the department focused on undergraduate education, but over the past decade, St. Mary’s has placed an increasing focus on faculty and student research involvement. Currently all six chemistry professors have research underway either on campus or with off-campus partners. Welch funding is used to support a 10-week Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program for five students and a faculty member. In addition to 40 hours a week of research, the program includes weekly lunch seminars that focus on developing skills in literature review

Susan P. Oxley

and oral and written presentations. During the first year of the program, one student presented his research as a poster at the American Chemical Society’s southwest regional meeting and another at the national meeting. ACS Nano published a paper co-authored by two Welch grant-supported students and faculty member Dimitry Khon. Welch funding for supplies also allows students to continue their research during the school year. Student research projects include the synthesis of core shell nanoparticles for use in optical thin films; the development of fluorescent chemosensors for determination of metal ions in aqueous solution; the cloning of human polyamine oxidase for expression, purification and crystallization; and the development of mixed metal catalysts. “The cultural shift here has been so exciting,” Dr. Oxley says. “Eight years ago we weren’t doing any chemistry research, and now all faculty are active and engaging with students. While we have excellent research collaborations with other institutions, Welch funding allows students to do research on campus. Students get excited about doing research, learning to design experiments and seeing the results – sparking their interest in pursuing science as a career.” John L. Wood Welch Chair in Chemistry Baylor University

John L. Wood

Baylor’s John Wood relishes the challenge of putting “puzzle pieces” together to create synthetic molecules. He loves his work in natural products chemistry and praises the contributions of his students in developing laboratory syntheses of a variety of molecules with interesting properties. “I consider myself a consultant helping to create expert molecule makers – similar to how the Culinary Institute of America focuses on turning out master chefs. It’s part art and part science,” Dr. Wood says. The Robert A. Welch Distinguished Professor and Cancer Prevention Research Institute Scholar says the most gratifying aspect of his work is watching students develop and evolve. He finds satisfaction in watching young chemists create sophisticated strategies and designs and then seeing their hard work come to fruition.

“I take considerable pride not only in the accomplishments of my students while in my laboratories, but also in their success after they leave,” Dr. Wood says. “Essentially all of the nearly 100 graduate and postdoctoral students who have trained in my laboratories have moved on to successful careers in both academics and industry.” His group members take a target-driven approach to synthesis, selecting natural products with structural complexity. Rather than focusing on the use of any particular method, they approach each target in a unique way and develop novel strategies that often lead to the discovery of new techniques and useful reactions. Dr. Wood has completed synthesis of 17 target molecules and authored 60 papers. “Starting with Wohler’s total synthesis of urea almost two centuries ago, the chemical synthesis of naturally occurring molecules has inspired creativity and led chemists to make important advances in areas ranging from drug development to materials science,” Dr. Wood said in a Nature Chemistry paper in 2012. “These intriguing products from nature represent a virtually limitless source of inspiration to chemists; no matter how many times they are targeted for synthesis or successfully prepared, they continue to fuel creativity and scientific achievement in our field and beyond.” Dr. Wood spent the first 13 years of his academic career on the faculty at Yale University before moving to Colorado State University in his home state. During a seminar visit to Baylor, he was amazed by both the facilities and the commitment to research excellence. “Following my visit, I was asked if I would consider filling the Welch Chair position that had previously been occupied by the late Gordon Stone. The clear commitment Baylor was making to research coupled with the Welch Chair made this the opportunity of a lifetime,” he says. “The Foundation provides stable research monies not subject to the ebb and flow of other funding sources, giving me the ability to launch new ideas. “When you work at the forefront of synthetic chemistry, you inevitably discover new things and move that forefront forward. That is what’s so intriguing about basic research,” he adds.

17

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Artem G. Abanov

Texas A&M University

Quantum Coherent Synthesis and Decomposition

Alfred K. Addo-Mensah Texas A&M International University

The Design, Synthesis, Characterization and Binding Studies of Multivalent Polypyridine Based Macrocyclic Carbohydrate Receptors in Aqueous Solutions

Jung-Mo Ahn

Tailoring Small Molecules to Mimic Protein Helical Surfaces

The University of Texas at Dallas

William R. Alley, Jr. The University of Texas at San Antonio

Synthesis of Liquid-Chromatographic Affinity Columns to Isolate Glycoproteins and Glycopeptides with HighlyBranched Glycans

Hal S. Alper The University of Texas at Austin

A Synthetic Biochemistry Platform for Alkane Synthesis in Yeast

Neal M. Alto

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Post-Translational Modification of Host Enzymes by Bacterial Effector Proteins

Steven J. Altschuler

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Mechanism and Zonation of Hepatic Crosstalk between Lipogenesis and Canonical Wnt-Signaling

Andrea Alù The University of Texas at Austin

Enhanced Optical Magnetism and Chirality in Plasmonic Metamaterials: Strong Molecular Sensitivity and Broadband, Giant Circular Dichroism

Eric V. Anslyn The University of Texas at Austin

High-Throughput Screening (HTS) of Enantiomeric Excess Values

Aaron B. Baker

Nanodisc-Based Delivery of Membrane Protein Therapeutics

The University of Texas at Austin

Vemuri Balakotaiah University of Houston

Effect of Heterogeneities on Spatiotemporal Patterns in Chemical Reactors

Steven Baldelli University of Houston

Structure and Orientation of Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids at the Electrified Graphene Interface

Kenneth J. Balkus, Jr.

The University of Texas at Dallas

Zeolite Encapsulated Metal Complexes

Zachary T. Ball

Rice University

New Strategies for Catalytic Bond Formation

Jiming Bao University of Houston

Understanding Nanocrystalline CoO as an Efficient Photocatalyst for Solar Water Splitting

David P. Barondeau Texas A&M University

Fluorescent Probes for Interrogating Fe-S Cluster Transfer Chemistry

Jeffrey E. Barrick The University of Texas at Austin

Discovering Functional Nucleic Acid Families by Deep Sequencing and Fold Sampling

Bonnie Bartel

Novel Peroxisomal Processes in Plants

Rice University

Mikhail A. Belkin The University of Texas at Austin

Plasmonic-Enhanced Nanoscale Mid-Infrared Microscopy with Monolayer Sensitivity

Nicole A. Benedek

Understanding the Crystal Chemistry of Bi-Based Perovskites

The University of Texas at Austin

Matthew R. Bennett Rice University

Dynamical Consequences of Protein Chemistry in Synthetic Gene Circuits

David E. Bergbreiter

Thermally Responsive Multiphasic Catalyst Systems

18

Texas A&M University

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Ricardo A. Bernal The University of Texas at El Paso

Elucidation of a Novel Mechanism Used by a Virus Encoded Chaperonin

John W. Bevan Texas A&M University

Structure and Dynamics of Prototypical Hydrogen Bonded and Related Interactions

Ilya B. Bezprozvanny

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Novel Amyloid-Binding Peptoid Ligands as Alzheimer’s Therapeutic

W. E. Billups

Rice University

Chemistry of Carbon Nanomaterials

David M. Birney

Texas Tech University

Studies of Pseudopericyclic and Pericyclic Reactions

Sibani L. Biswal

Rice University

Controlling Nanoparticle Assembly via Steric Forces

Eric R. Bittner University of Houston

Theory and Simulations of Electronic Dynamics in Organic Solar Cells

Paul Blount

Determining Lipid-Protein Interactions for a Channel Gated by Membrane Tension

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Janet Bluemel Texas A&M University

The Sonogashira Catalyst System for C-C Coupling Reactions: New Mechanistic Insights and Improved Recyclability

Jennifer S. Brodbelt The University of Texas at Austin

Fundamentals of Photo- and Electron-Based Activation of Ions in the Gas Phase

Kathlynn C. Brown

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Design and Synthesis of Tumor Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for Lung Cancer Therapy

Richard K. Bruick

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Analytical Approaches to Characterize Iron- and OxygenSensing Mechanisms Governing Cellular Iron Homeostasis

Kevin Burgess Texas A&M University

Hydrogenations of Stereochemically Complex Substrates: The End of a Messy Divorce and the Beginning of a New Romance

Shawn C. Burgess

Dysregulation of Intracellular Lipid Synthesis During Disease

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Walter G. Chapman Rice University

Structure and Properties of Complex Fluids in the Bulk and Interfacial Regions

James R. Chelikowsky The University of Texas at Austin

Simulating Direct Images of the Covalent Bond from Atomic Force Microscopy

Banglin Chen The University of Texas at San Antonio

Functional Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks for Recognition of Small Molecules

Chuo Chen

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Mechanistic Studies on the Vanadium-Catalyzed C−H Hydroxylation Reactions

Zheng Chen

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Molecular Mechanisms of Action of Clock-Modulating Small Molecules

Zhijian J. Chen

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Biochemical Mechanism of MAVS Activation by Prion-Like Polymerization

Cheng-Ming Chiang

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Mechanistic Action of BET Compound Inhibitors in Cancer Therapeutics

19

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Wah Chiu

Baylor College of Medicine

Structural Studies of Viruses by Cryo-EM

Yuh Min Chook

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Quantitative Characterization of Nuclear Export Inhibition

David T. Chuang

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Mitochondrial Signaling by Reversible Phosphorylation

Abraham Clearfield Texas A&M University

Metal Phosphonates as Crystal Engineered Solids and Platforms for Drug Delivery

Cecilia Clementi Rice University

Mapping the Free Energy Landscape of Proteins by Combining Theory and Experiment

Melanie H. Cobb

Regulatory and Catalytic Properties of MAP Kinase Cascades

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Jeffery L. Coffer Texas Christian University

Hollow Semiconductor Nanotubes: Structural and Compositional Control

Don M. Coltart University of Houston

New Catalytic Asymmetric Carbon-Carbon Bond Forming Methods

Nicholas K. Conrad

Biochemical Analysis of a Nuclear Poly(A)-Dependent RNA Decay Pathway

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Lydia M. Contreras The University of Texas at Austin

In Vivo Structure Characterization of Catalytic RNAs by Fluorescence

David R. Corey

Recognition of DNA by Synthetic Oligomers

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Anthony Cozzolino Texas Tech University

Photoisomerizable Ligands for Light Harvesting by Transition Metal Complexes

Luis G. Cuello

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Crystallographic and Functional Studies in KcsA-Kv Channel Chimeras that Differ in C-Type Inactivation Properties

Pengcheng Dai

Rice University

Spin Dynamics in Single Molecular Magnets

Kevin N. Dalby

The University of Texas at Austin

Targeting MELK for Cancer Therapy

Gaudenz Danuser

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Probing Oncogenic Functions of Vimentin Filaments by Small Molecule Screens

Donald J. Darensbourg Texas A&M University

Design and Reactivity Studies of Metal Catalysts for the Production of Polycarbonates from Novel Oxiranes and Carbon Dioxide

Marcetta Y. Darensbourg Texas A&M University

Synthetic Analogues and Reactivity Studies of Iron, Nickel, and Zinc Biomimetic Complexes Containing Histidine, Cysteine, and Nitric Oxide as Ligands

Olafs Daugulis

University of Houston

New Methods for Carbon-Hydrogen Bond Functionalization

Jef K. De Brabander

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Novel Heterocyclizations for Natural Product Synthesis

Ralph J. DeBerardinis

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Glutamine-Dependent Reductive Carboxylation: A Metabolic Achilles’ Heel in Cancer

George N. DeMartino

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Regulation Proteasome Function by Reversible SUMOylation

H. V. Rasika Dias

The University of Texas at Arlington

Metal Complexes of Fluorinated Ligands

Michael R. Diehl

Rice University

Activated Spatial Regulation of Intracellular Chemistry

Guangbin Dong

The University of Texas at Austin

Site-Selective C-H Bond Functionalization

20

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Iván D’Orso

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Cooperative Assembly of HIV Transcription Elongation Complexes

Michael C. Downer The University of Texas at Austin

Femtosecond Nonlinear Spectroscopy of Column IV Nano- Interface Chemistry

Rebekah Drezek Rice University

Preparation and Characterization of Gold Nanoparticles (AuNPs) Using CO Reduction

Rui-Rui Du Rice University

Infrared and Millimeterwave Spectroscopy of Graphene and Topological Insulators

Kim R. Dunbar Texas A&M University

Magnetic and Electronic Properties of Molecular Materials: Investigation of Factors that Effect Bistability

F. Barry Dunning

Rice University

Studies Involving Molecules in High Rydberg States

Ron Elber

The University of Texas at Austin

Passive Transport Through Membrane

Andrew D. Ellington

The University of Texas at Austin

Thermostable T7 RNA Polymerase for Diagnostic Applications

Christopher J. Ellison The University of Texas at Austin

Chemistry and Properties of Self-Assembly Directed Nanomaterials

Stefan K. Estreicher

Dynamics of Impurities in Semiconductors

Texas Tech University

Donglei L. Fan The University of Texas at Austin

Investigation of a General Mechanism for Rational Synthesis of Three-Dimensional Semiconductor Nanosuperstructures by Designed Chemical Catalysts

Walter L. Fast

The University of Texas at Austin

Chemical Probes for Biological Catalysts

Michael Findlater

Texas Tech University

Base Metal Catalyzed Olefin Metathesis Reactions

Ilya J. Finkelstein

The University of Texas at Austin

Molecular Mechanisms of Replicating Through DNA Lesions

Paul F. Fitzpatrick

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Mechanisms of Oxidative Enzymes

Charles M. Folden III

Texas A&M University

First Chemical Investigation of Element 113

Matthew S. Foster Rice University

Topological Matter Phases Under Extreme Duress: Dynamics and Disorder

Doug E. Frantz The University of Texas at San Antonio

Development of Non-Traditional Catalytic Pathways of Stereodefined Enol Triflates

François P. Gabbaï Texas A&M University

Cationic Gold-Antimony Complexes − Lewis Acidic and Catalytic Properties

Venkat Ganesan The University of Texas at Austin

Fundamental Studies of Self-Assembly in Mixtures of Organic and Inorganic Molecules

Kevin H. Gardner

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Comparative Studies of the Signaling Mechanisms of Flavin- Based Protein Photosensors

William T. Garrard The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Formaldehyde Cross-Linking for Discovery of Novel Regulatory Elements Exhibiting Long-Range Interactions Within and Between Chromosomes

John A. Gladysz

Werner Complexes as “Organocatalysts”

Texas A&M University

Margaret E. Glasner Texas A&M University

What Makes an Enzyme Promiscuous? Structure-Function Relationships of o-Succinylbenzoate Synthase/N- Succinylamino Acid Racemase Enzymes

Vishal M. Gohil Texas A&M University

Phospholipid-Protein Interactions in Energy Transformation Reactions

Ido Golding Baylor College of Medicine

Quantifying Transcription Kinetics in Individual Cells at Single-Event Resolution

21

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Elizabeth J. Goldsmith

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Docking Interactions between the MAP3Ks, ASK1/TAO2 and B-Raf with their Cognate MAP2Ks, MEK6 and MEK1

John B. Goodenough

The University of Texas at Austin

Influence of Counter Cation in Mixed-Metal Oxides

David G. Gorenstein

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Combinatorial Selection and Design of Next Generation X-aptamers

Kayla N. Green Texas Christian University

Probing Surface Interactions of Ferrocene Peptide Conjugates and Interfacial Responses with Biomolecules

Paolo Grigolini University of North Texas

Ergodicity Breaking in Chemical, Biological and Cooperative Systems

Nick V. Grishin

Structure Mechanism of Circadian Clock-Mediated Transcription Activation

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Arnold M. Guloy University of Houston

Chemical Bonding and Properties of “Electron-Poor” Intermetallics Along the Zintl Border

Jason H. Hafner Rice University

Analytical Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Biological Interfaces

Naomi J. Halas Rice University

Chemical and Photophysical Properties on Complex Nanoparticles and Nanoparticle Complexes

P. Shiv Halasyamani

University of Houston

Advanced Second-Harmonic Generating Materials

Michael B. Hall

Texas A&M University

Computational Chemistry on Transition Metal Systems

Tracy A. Hanna Texas Christian University

Intramolecular Bismuth and Antimony-Carbon Bond Formation and Reactivity

John C. Hardy

Nuclear Decay Studies

Texas A&M University

Rasika M. Harshey The University of Texas at Austin

Structural Characterization of a Novel Regulator of H+ Flow Across the Bacterial Membrane: A Potential Antimicrobial Drug Target

P. John Hart

Structure and Action of a Schistosoma mansoni Sulfotransferase Implicated in Drug Resistance

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Jeffrey D. Hartgerink Rice University

Synthesis of Nanostructured Organic Materials via Self- Assembly

Adam Heller The University of Texas at Austin

Design of Polymeric Binder-Carbon Particle Composites of Lithium Ion Battery Electrode

Graeme Henkelman

The University of Texas at Austin

Design of Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage

Ryan E. Hibbs

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Structural Basis of Chemical Transmitter Recognition by Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels

Peter R. Hiesinger

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

The Role of the V0 ATPase in SNARE-Mediated Membrane Fusion

Christian B. Hilty

Texas A&M University

Structure and Folding of Membrane Targeted Peptides

Andrew P. Hinck

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Structural and Mechanistic Studies of TGF-Beta Superfamily Signaling Proteins

David M. Hoffman University of Houston

Synthesis of Metal Complexes with Sterically Encumbered Ketimide Ligands

Bradley J. Holliday The University of Texas at Austin

Seeded Growth of Inorganic Materials within Organic Templates

Lora V. Hooper

Biochemical and Structural Studies of a Novel Retinoid Binding Protein Family

22

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Jenny Hsieh

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Chemical Regulation of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis

Julia W.P. Hsu The University of Texas at Dallas

Sulfur Poisoning of Complex Oxide Catalysts for Nitric Oxide (NO) Oxidation: Effect of Crystal Structure and Stoichiometry

Huey W. Huang Rice University

The Free Energy Pathway for Lipid Transformations in Membrane Fusion

Randall G. Hulet Rice University

Matter Wave Solitons: Collisions, Coherence, and Atom Interferometry

Simon M. Humphrey The University of Texas at Austin

New Poly-Carboxylated Aryl Phosphines for the Designed Synthesis of Coordination Complexes and Polymers

Gyeong S. Hwang The University of Texas at Austin

First-Principles Investigation of the Structure, Chemistry and Properties of Graphene-Based Nanomaterials

Tatyana I. Igumenova

Texas A&M University

A Novel Interaction Within Protein Kinase C Enzyme

Brent L. Iverson

The University of Texas at Austin

Understanding a New Family of Reporting Molecules

Makkuni Jayaram The University of Texas at Austin

Complex Active Sites for Phosphoryl Transfer: Continued Chemical, Biochemical, Biophysical and Structural Analyses

Jean X. Jiang The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Identification of Sodium and Glutamine Binding of SNAT1 Amino Acid Transporter Using Matagenesis Scanning Approach

Jin Jiang

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Study of Chemical Modification in Cell Signaling

Ning Jiang

The University of Texas at Austin

Error-Free High-Throughput Gene Sequencing

Qui-Xing Jiang

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Structural Basis for the Ligand-Gating of a Type 1 IP3 Receptor

Youxing Jiang

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Structural and Functional Studies of RCK-Regulated Potassium Channel

Jianping Jin

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Dissection of Mechanisms of Polyubiquitin Chain Synthesis

Kenneth A. Johnson

The University of Texas at Austin

Kinetics of Nucleotide Binding by HIV Reverse Transcriptase

Keith P. Johnston The University of Texas at Austin

Tuning Inorganic and Organic Nanoclusters Assembled from Primary Nanoparticles

Richard A. Jones

Molecular Precursors for New Functional Materials

The University of Texas at Austin

Karl M. Kadish University of Houston

Electrochemistry and Spectroelectrochemistry of Compounds with Multiple Redox Centers

Craig D. Kaplan Texas A&M University

Biochemical and Biophysical Determination of Conserved RNA Polymerase Domains Function in Catalysis, Abortive Initiation and Template Interaction

Adrian T. Keatinge-Clay

The University of Texas at Austin

Preparative In Vitro Biosynthesis of Complex Polyketides

Kevin F. Kelly

Rice University

Investigating the Nanoscale Surface Chemistry of Graphene

Sean M. Kerwin

The University of Texas at Austin

Rearrangements of Alkynylazoles

Ching-Hwa Kiang Rice University

Single Molecule Studies of Molecular Interactions of Biological Macromolecules

Thomas C. Killian Rice University

Creation of Halo Molecules with an Optical Feshbach Resonance

Chongwoo A. Kim

Structure of an Epigenetic Regulatory Complex

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

23

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Tae-Kyung Kim

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Biochemical Characterization of a Novel Class of Noncoding RNAs

Douglas J. Klein

Texas A&M University at Galveston

Chemical Models: Classical to Quantum-Theoretic

Steven A. Kliewer

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Characterization of the Endogenous Ligand for the Immunomodulatory Orphan Nuclear Receptor RORγ

Che Ming Ko

Texas A&M University

Theoretical Studies of Heavy Ion Collisions

Jennifer J. Kohler

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

New Chemical Tools to Study Extracellular Glycan Remodeling by Sialidases

Anatoly B. Kolomeisky Rice University

Theoretical Understanding of Chemical Mechanisms of Selectivity in Transport through Channels

Junichiro Kono Rice University

Optical, Infrared, and Terahertz Dynamics of Carbon Nanomaterials

Brian A. Korgel The University of Texas at Austin

Nanomaterials of Earth Abundant Elements for Energy Storage and Harvesting

Donald J. Kouri University of Houston

Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics: Accurate Excited State Energies and Wave Functions

László Kürti

Synthesis of Complex Natural Products via Novel C-C Bond- Forming Processes

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Jaan Laane Texas A&M University

Molecular Conformations and Vibrational Potential Energy Surfaces

Keji Lai

The University of Texas at Austin

Electrical Imaging of Chemically Intercalated Nano-Materials

David L. Lambert

The University of Texas at Austin

The Chemical Composition of Stars

Alan M. Lambowitz

The University of Texas at Austin

DNA Target Site Recognition by Mobile Group II Introns

Christy F. Landes Rice University

Exploiting Molecular Fluorescence to Probe Local Chemical Dynamics

Oleg Larionov The University of Texas at San Antonio

New Enantioselective Strategies for the Synthesis of HPI Natural Products

Seongmin Lee

Developing Potent Solamargine Analogs

The University of Texas at Austin

T. Randall Lee University of Houston

Aliphatic Dithiocarboxylates, Xanthates, and Dithiocarbamates on Metal Substrates and Metal Nanoparticles

Xiangyang Lei Lamar University

New Nickel(II) o--Aryl Complexes as Catalysts for Suzuki Cross-Coupling Reactions

Bing Li

Biochemical and Functional Analysis of Histone Clipping

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Guigen Li Texas Tech University

Chiral N-Phosphonylimines-Controlled Asymmetric Reactions of Halo Enolates

Pingwei Li Texas A&M University

The Structural Basis of Microbial DNA Sensing in Innate Immunity

Wei Li

Rice University

Nuclear Chemistry at Trillion Degrees

Xiaoqin (Elaine) Li

The University of Texas at Austin

Surface Plasmon Enhanced Spectroscopic Rulers

Roger L. Lichti Texas Tech University

Energies and Defect Chemistry for Muonium in Oxide Semiconductors

Paul A. Lindahl Texas A&M University

Characterization of Low-Molecular-Mass Iron and Manganese Complexes in Eukaryotic Cells

24

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Stephan Link

Rice University

Chemistry Meets Surface Plasmons

Jen Liou

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Novel Imaging Probes for Investigating ER-Plasma Membrane Junctions

Hung-wen Liu

The University of Texas at Austin

Mechanistic Studies of Novel Enzymes

Jun Liu

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

High-Resolution Structure Determination of Molecular Machines in situ by Cryo Electron Tomography

Qinghua Liu

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Mechanistic Studies of the Drosophila RNA Interference Pathway

Wenshe Liu

Texas A&M University

Biosensors for Small Molecules and Enzymes

Xin Liu

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Structural and Biochemical Studies of Gene Repression by Polycomb Repressive Complex 2: Catalysis and Recruitment

Yi Liu

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Biochemical Mechanisms of Small RNA Production Pathways

Steve W. Lockless Texas A&M University

The Structural Basis for Lipid Regulation of Membrane Protein Function

Jun Lou Rice University

Development of Nanomaterials for Low Cost Solar Energy Harvesting

Carl J. Lovely

Total Synthesis of Imidazole-Containing Natural Products

The University of Texas at Arlington

Vassiliy Lubchenko University of Houston

New Type of Electronic States in Vitreous Chalcogenides and Pnictides

Robert R. Lucchese Texas A&M University

Reaction Dynamics Probed by Molecular-Frame Photoionization

Lawrence Lum

Modulation of Canonical Wnt Pathway Activity Using Small Molecules

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Jodie L. Lutkenhaus Texas A&M University

Template-Synthesis and Solution-Assembly of Polyaniline for Organic Energy Storage

Igor Lyuksyutov Texas A&M University

Chemical Dynamics of Cold/Ultracold Molecules and Atomic Hydrogen

Jianpeng Ma Baylor College of Medicine

Biochemical Study of the Fusogenic Conformational Transition of Influenza Hemagglutinin

Allan H. MacDonald

Electronic Properties of Graphene

The University of Texas at Austin

Frederick M. MacDonnell The University of Texas at Arlington

Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Mechanisms of DNA Cleavage by Photoexcited and Ground-State Ruthenium Polypyridyl Complexes

John B. MacMillan

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

New Methodology for the Determination of Absolute Stereochemistry

Dmitrii E. Makarov

The University of Texas at Austin

Theory and Simulations of Single-Molecule Dynamics

David J. Mangelsdorf

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Ligand Binding Properties of Nematode Orphan Nuclear Receptors

Arumugam Manthiram The University of Texas at Austin

Synthesis and Properties of Transition Metal Oxides with Unusual Valence States

Edward M. Marcotte The University of Texas at Austin

A Mass Spectrometry-Based Map of Universally-Shared Animal Protein Complexes

John T. Markert The University of Texas at Austin

Synthesis, Magnetochemistry, and Superconductivity of Metals and Oxides

25

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Paul Marshall University of North Texas

Kinetic and Product Studies of Complex-Forming Reactions in the Gas-Phase

Angel A. Marti-Arbona Rice University

Ruthenium(II) Photoluminescent Probes for Sensing AmyloidB Oligomers in Real-Time

Caleb D. Martin

Baylor University

New Powerful Lewis Acids as Metal-Free Catalysts

Stephen F. Martin

The University of Texas at Austin

Synthesis of Biologically Relevant Molecules

Andreas Matouschek

The University of Texas at Austin

Structure and Function of a Nano-Scale Biological Machine

Seiichi P.T. Matsuda

Rice University

Terpene Biosynthesis

Kathleen S. Matthews

Rice University

Genetic Regulatory Proteins: Structure-Function Relationships

Jeremy A. May University of Houston

The Total Synthesis of Bioactive Natural Products via Novel Strategies

Jennifer A. Maynard

The University of Texas at Austin

Control of Protein Folding Quality in the Bacterial Periplasm

Kevin McBride

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Small Molecule Inhibitors of Epigenetic Effector Proteins

Ognjen Š. Miljanic ´ University of Houston

Conjugated Benzobisoxazole Cruciforms as Fluorescent Sensors in Solution and Solid State

Delia J. Milliron The University of Texas at Austin

Plasmonic Transparent Conducting Oxide Nanocrystals: Dopant Chemistry and Heterogeneity

Nancy S. Mills Trinity University

Novel Approaches to the Synthesis of Antiaromatic Dications and Dianions

Hamid Mirzaei The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Development of a Fully Automated 3D Separation Platform for Deep Proteome Fractionation: Application in Novel Drug Discovery Towards Detection of Low Abundance Targets of Small Molecules

Daniel Mittleman Rice University

Terahertz Spectroscopic Investigation of the Co2 –CH4 Hydrate Replacement Reaction

Emilia Morosan Rice University

Novel Phases and Ground States in Valence-Fluctuating Intermetallics

Charles B. Mullins

The University of Texas at Austin

Nano-Structured Materials for Chemistry

Siegfried Musser

Texas A&M University Health Science Center

Structure of the Nuclear Pore Permeability Barrier by Super- Resolution Microscopy

Yunsun Nam

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Structure and Function Relationship of microRNA Precursors

Douglas Natelson

Rice University

Novel Single-Molecule Vibrational Spectroscopies

Joseph B. Natowitz

Texas A&M University

Nuclear Reaction Studies

Donald G. Naugle Texas A&M University

The Influence of Reduced Dimensionality, Disorder, and Interfaces on the Properties of Solids

Andriy Nevidomskyy Rice University

Magnetic Anisotropy and Ordering in Molecular and Solid-State Magnets: First-Principles Calculations and Effective Spin Theory

Kyriacos C. Nicolaou

Rice University

Synthesis of Biologically Active Molecules

Qian Niu

The University of Texas at Austin

Gap Opening by Symmetry Breaking in Graphene Systems

Peter J.A. Nordlander Rice University

26

Theoretical Investigations of Chemical Properties of Nanosystems

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Michael V. Norgard

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Structure and Function of a Novel Bacterial Regulator

Simon W. North

Texas A&M University

Fundamental Imaging Studies of Chemical Reactivity

John S. Olson

Rice University

Chemical Mechanisms of Ligand Binding to Heme Proteins

Mohammad A. Omary University of North Texas

Molecular Spectroscopy and Bonding of Coordination Compounds: More Outstanding Issues and New Advances

José Onuchic Rice University

Expanding the Protein Folding Landscape Toward Biomolecular Machines

Kim Orth

Elucidate the Biochemical Mechanism used by Vibrio VopQ to Induce Autophagy

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Oleg V. Ozerov Texas A&M University

Highly Unsaturated Cationic Group 10 Transition Metal Pincer Complexes

Keith H. Pannell

The University of Texas at El Paso

Catenated Group 14 Complexes

Chandrashekhar Pasare

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Biochemical Role of IRAK-1 in Regulating Caspase-1 Activation and Cleavage

Matteo Pasquali

Rice University

Physical Chemistry of Graphene Fluids

Jean-Philippe Pellois Texas A&M University

Determination of the Mechanisms by Which Lytic Peptides Disrupt Lipid Bilayers

Margaret A. Phillips

Enzyme Catalyzed Hypusine Modification in the Protozoan Pathogen Trypanosoma brucei

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Lionel W. Poirier Texas Tech University

New Methodologies for Accurate Quantum Calculations of the Dynamics of Atomic Nuclei

Patrick Ryan Potts

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Therapeutic Targeting of Melanoma Antigen (MAGE) Genes

B. V. Venkataram Prasad

Baylor College of Medicine

X-ray Crystallographic Studies on Viruses and Viral Proteins

Han Pu

Rice University

Exotic Molecules from Spin-Orbit Coupled Ultracold Atoms

Florante A. Quiocho

Baylor College of Medicine

Structure-Function Relationships in Proteins

Arun Radhakrishnan

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Fluorescent Sensors for Measuring Cholesterol in Live Cells

Mark G. Raizen The University of Texas at Austin

Study of Molecular Fluids and Macroscopic Quantum Phenomena with Optical Tweezers

Rama Ranganathan

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Structural Principles of Protein Robustness and Evolvability

Hai Rao

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

The Last Leg of p53’s Journey to Death Chamber

Frank M. Raushel

Texas A&M University

Enzyme Reaction Mechanisms

Asok K. Ray The University of Texas at Arlington

A Density Functional Study of the Surface Electronic Behavior of Actinide Metals

Joseph M. Ready

Catalytic Synthesis and Application of Substituted Ynol Ethers

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Linda E. Reichl The University of Texas at Austin

Relaxation Processes in Small Molecules and Quantum Coherent Systems

Pengyu Ren

The University of Texas at Austin

Multiscale Modeling of RNA 3D Structure

Michael G. Richmond

University of North Texas

Synthesis and Reactivity Studies of Polynuclear Clusters

27

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Jeffrey D. Rimer University of Houston

Physicochemical Factors Governing Protein Inhibition of Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate Crystallization

Jose Rizo-Rey

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

NMR Methods to Study Membrane Proteins in Lipid Bilayers

Jon D. Robertus

The University of Texas at Austin

Mechanism of Folate-Dependent Methylation

Grigory Rogachev

Texas A&M University

The Origin of Chemical Elements in the Universe

Daniel Romo Texas A&M University

Novel Strategies for Bioactive Natural Product Synthesis via β -Lactone Intermediates and New Methodology for Asymmetric Alkylations

Michael J. Rose

The University of Texas at Austin

Ligation of Heavy Atom Donors to First Row Transition Metals

Michael K. Rosen

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Phase Transitions in Multivalent Macromolecular Assembly

Daniel M. Rosenbaum

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Stabilization of Active and Inactive Conformations of Orexin Receptors for Crystallization

Joseph H. Ross, Jr. Texas A&M University

Magnetism and Anharmonic Lattice Vibrations in Clathrates and Related Materials

Rick Russell

The University of Texas at Austin

Investigation of RNA Misfolding during Transcription

Sandra L. Schmid

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Conformational Dynamics and Regulation of Dynamin

J. Martin Scholtz

Texas A&M University Health Science Center

Forces Involved in Protein Folding and Stability

Hans A. Schuessler Texas A&M University

Optical Studies of Ultra Cold Molecular Ions Using Femtosecond and XUV Laser Radiation

Marlan O. Scully

Studies in Laser and Quantum Chemistry

Texas A&M University

Laura Segatori Rice University

Physicochemical Properties of Nanoparticles at the Interface with Biological Systems

Philip Serwer

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Structural Chemistry of Viruses

Jonathan L. Sessler

The University of Texas at Austin

Molecular Recognition via Base-Pairing

Libo Shan

Texas A&M University

Biochemical and Regulatory Constraints of Immune Sensors

Bryan F. Shaw Baylor University

Asparagine Deamidation in Motor Neurons: A Molecular Clock or a Ticking Time Bomb?

Jason B. Shear The University of Texas at Austin

Creating 3D Cell Cultures Using Multiphoton Photofabrication with Dynamic Electronic Masks

A. Dean Sherry

The University of Texas at Dallas

Lanthanide-Based CEST Agents for Molecular Imaging

Xiaobing Shi

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Molecular Mechanisms of JARID1B PHD Fingers in Recognition of Histone Methylation

Chih-Kang Shih The University of Texas at Austin

Quantum Control of Light-Matter Interactions in Metallic Quantum Structures

Ok-Ho Shin

Kinetics and Equilibria of the SNARE Complex Assembly

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Qimiao Si Rice University

Theoretical Studies of Electronic Dynamics and Correlations in Carbon-Based and Related Nanostructures

Dionicio R. Siegel

Syntheses of Regenerative Natural Products

28

The University of Texas at Austin

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Daniel J. Siegwart

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Smart, Linear-Dendritic Block Copolymers to Increase siRNA Release in Response to pH

Jonathan J. Silberg Rice University

Regulation of Hsp70 Catalytic Activity by the Zinc-Finger Protein DNLZ/HEP

Alexei V. Sokolov

Applications of Molecular Coherence in Ultrafast Optics

Texas A&M University

Dong Hee Son Texas A&M University

Dark Exciton in the Energy Transfer Process of Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Zhou Songyang Baylor College of Medicine

Novel Activity of the Telomere Regulator TIN2 in the Mitochondria

John F. Stanton

Studies in Quantum Chemistry

The University of Texas at Austin

Mihaela C. Stefan The University of Texas at Dallas

Polythiophene Block Copolymers: A Systematic Investigation of Morphology-Optoelectronic Properties Dependence

Keith J. Stevenson The University of Texas at Austin

Synthesis of Mesoporous Carbon and Metal Oxide Architectures

Paul D. Straight Texas A&M University

Identification of Antibiotic Resistance and Modifying Enzymes from Bacterial Competitive Interactions

Wu-Pei Su

A Real Space Approach to the Macromolecular Phase Problem

University of Houston

Jeffrey J. Tabor Rice University

Characterizing the Ligand Binding Properties of Bacterial Sensor Histidine Kinases from the Human Gut

Uttam K. Tambar

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Stereoselective Allylic Functionaliztion of Olefins

Yizhi Jane Tao

Rice University

Catalytic Mechanism of Astrovirus RNA Replication

Jonathan R. Terman

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Chemistry and Enzymology of MICAL Family Oxidoreductases

Isabell Thomann Rice University

Advanced Femtosecond Optical in situ Probes for Photocatalysis

Randolph P. Thummel University of Houston

The Design and Synthesis of Azaaromatic Ligands and the Study of their Metal Complexes

Chin-Sen Ting University of Houston

Study of Superconductivity and Related Subjects in Strongly Correlated Electron Systems

Frank K. Tittel Rice University

Application of Mid-Infrared Quantum Cascade and Diode Lasers to High-Precision Atmospheric Trace Gas Monitoring

Zachary J. Tonzetich The University of Texas at San Antonio

Coordination Chemistry of Hydrogen Sulfide Relevant to Biology

Thomas M. Truskett The University of Texas at Austin

Liquids Near Interfaces: Single-Molecule and Collective Dynamics

Francis T.F. Tsai Baylor College of Medicine

Structural and Mechanistic Studies of ATP-Driven Protein Machines

Benjamin P. Tu

Selective Regulation of Autophagy by Metabolic State

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Adam R. Urbach Trinity University

Protein Recognition and Labeling via Supramolecular Protease Inhibition

Kosaku Uyeda

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Biochemical Mechanism of the Glucose Sensing and Regulation of ChREBP Activity

Ambro van Hoof

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Exosome Activation by the ATPase and Poly(A) Polymerase Activity of the TRAMP Complex

29

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Navin Varadarajan University of Houston

Engineering Chymotrypsin to Selectively Cleave after Phosphotyrosine

Yihong Wan

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Biochemical Characterization of PAFAH Regulation by Macrophage VLDLR

Jin Wang

Baylor College of Medicine

Plasmon Assisted Photonanomedicines for Cancer Therapies

Qinghua Wang Baylor College of Medicine

Chemical Mechanisms of Coordinated Epigenetic Regulations in Cells

Yuhong Wang University of Houston

The Kinetics and Conformational Changes During Peptidyl Transferase Reaction in Single Ribosome

Zhigao Wang

Biochemical Identification of Proteases Involved in Necrotic Cell Death

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Coran Watanabe Texas A&M University

Streptomyces sahachiroi: A Rich Treasure Trove of Unique Biosynthetic Reactions

Lauren J. Webb

The University of Texas at Austin

The Physical Chemistry of Biological Interfaces

R. Bruce Weisman

Rice University

Photostudies of Carbon Nanostructures

Kenneth D. Westover

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Characterization of Covalent K-Ras Inhibitors

Steven E. Wheeler

Texas A&M University

Non-Covalent π-Stacking Interactions in Organocatalysis

Robert L. Whetten The University of Texas at San Antonio

Clusters as Molecular Surfaces: Selected Noble-Metal Thiolates, {A 25-145;X18-60}

Michael A. White

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Analysis of the Functional Significance of Complex Protein/Protein Interactions

Christian P. Whitman

The University of Texas at Austin

Structure Function Relationships in Enzymes

Kenton H. Whitmire

Rice University

The Chemistry of Nanomolecules

Katherine A. Willets The University of Texas at Austin

Characterizing Site-Specific Ligand Binding on Metal Nanoparticle Conjugates by High Resolution Far-Field Optical Microscopy

C. Grant Willson

The University of Texas at Austin

Programmed Self-Assembly of Nanostructures

Richard C. Willson

University of Houston

Physical Chemistry of Biomolecular Recognition

Lon J. Wilson

Rice University

Carbon Nanocapsules as MRI Contrast Agent Platforms

Sebastian E. Winter

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Metabolism of Salmonella Typhimurium in the Inflamed Gut

Lani F. Wu

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

On the Evolution of Drug-Resistant Lung Cancer Subpopulations

Robert E. Wyatt The University of Texas at Austin

Computational Investigation of Electron Dynamics in Light- Matter Interactions

Blerta Xhemalce The University of Texas at Austin

Regulation of Gene Expression Through Chemical Modification of MicroRNAs

Miguel Jose Yacaman The University of Texas at San Antonio

Controlling the Shape and Particles Using Wet Chemistry Methods: The Case of Bimetallic Nanoparticles

Boris I. Yakobson

Rice University

Science of Nearly-1D Materials: From Nanotubes to Nanowires

Nan Yan

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Tail-Anchor of a Critical Innate Immunity Regulator TREX1 on the ER

Ding-Shyue Yang University of Houston

30

Ultrafast Structural Dynamics of Molecular Assemblies at Interfaces

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

INSTITUTION

TITLE OF RESE ARCH

Jiong Yang Texas A&M University

Development of New Reagents for Selective Enolization of Carbonyl Compounds

Felix Yarovinsky

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

The Structural Basis of Parasite Recognition by TLR11 and TLR12 Receptors

Jin Ye

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Saturated Fatty Acid-Induced Lipotoxicity

Danny L. Yeager Texas A&M University

Developments and Studies using Several Complex Scaled Multiconfigurational Methods for Electron Atom/Molecule Resonances

Hsin-Chih Yeh The University of Texas at Austin

NanoCluster Beacons for Highly Specific DNA Methylation Detection

Sherry J. Yennello

Texas A&M University

The Equation of State for a Two-Component Nuclear System

Hye-Jeong Yeo

University of Houston

Structural Studies of Novel Surface Polypeptides

Gang Yu

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Atomic Structure and Mechanism of the γ-Secretase Complex

Guihua Yu The University of Texas at Austin

Probing the Charge Storage Mechanisms of MolecularlyAssembled Two-Dimensional Nanochalcogenides

Hongtao Yu

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Biochemical and Structural Analysis of Sister-Chromatid Cohesion

Yonghao Yu

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Large-Scale Isolation and Identification of Poly-ADPRibosylated Proteins

Anvar A. Zakhidov The University of Texas at Dallas

Photochemical Reactions in Dye Sensitized Solar Cell with Biscrolled Graphene Quantum Dot Electrodes

Chengcheng Zhang

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Small Molecule Modulators of Angptl Receptor for Stem Cell Expansion and Leukemia Treatment

Chun-Li Zhang

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Biochemical Regulation of the Orphan Nuclear Receptor TLX

David Yu Zhang Rice University

Native Characterization of DNA and RNA Structure Thermodynamics

Junjie Zhang

The Structural Basis of Ribosomal Silencing in Tuberculosis

Texas A&M University

Renyi Zhang Texas A&M University

Chemical Kinetics and Mechanism of Hydrocarbon Oxidation Reactions

Xiuren Zhang Texas A&M University

Biochemical Basis of Arabidopsis Argonaute 10 as a Decoy for microRNAs

Xuewu Zhang

Autoinhibition of Plexin by a New Conformation-Mediated Dimer

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Yan Jessie Zhang The University of Texas at Austin

Chemical Sensors to Determine Proline Isomeric Specificity of RNA Polymerase II

John C.-G. Zhao The University of Texas at San Antonio

Expeditious Modification of Organocatalyst Structures for Improved Stereoselectivities

Aleksei M. Zheltikov Texas A&M University

Optical Detection of Ultrafast Electron Dynamics and Electron- Initiated Chemical Processes

Junrong Zheng

Rice University

Multiple-Dimensional Optical Spectroscopy

Qing Zhong

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Regulation of the Class III PI3K by Nutrient-Sensing Kinases in Autophagy

Hong-Cai Joe Zhou Texas A&M University

Efficient Carbon Capture with Functionalized Porous Polymer Networks (PPNs)

31

DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH GRANTS

Abilene Christian University Angelo State University Austin College Hardin-Simmons University Houston Baptist University Jarvis Christian College Lamar University LeTourneau University Lubbock Christian University McMurry University Midwestern State University Our Lady of the Lake University Prairie View A&M University St. Edward’s University St. Mary’s University Sam Houston State University Schreiner University Southwestern University Stephen F. Austin State University Tarleton State University Texas A&M International University

32

Texas A&M University-Commerce Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Texas A&M University at Galveston Texas A&M University-Kingsville Texas Lutheran University Texas State University Texas Wesleyan University Texas Woman’s University Trinity University University of Dallas University of Houston-Clear Lake University of Houston-Downtown University of Mary Hardin-Baylor University of St. Thomas The University of Texas at Brownsville The University of Texas at Tyler The University of Texas-Pan American The University of Texas of the Permian Basin University of the Incarnate Word Wayland Baptist University West Texas A&M University

ENDOWED CHAIRS

INSTITUTION

CHAIRHOLDER AND CHAIR NAME

Baylor College of Medicine Baylor College of Medicine Baylor College of Medicine Baylor University Rice University Rice University Rice University Texas A&M University Texas A&M University Texas A&M University Texas A&M University* Texas A&M University Health Science Center Texas A&M University Health Science Center Texas Christian University Texas Tech University Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center University of Houston University of Houston University of Houston University of North Texas University of North Texas Health Science Center The University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin* The University of Texas at Austin* The University of Texas at Austin* The University of Texas at Dallas The University of Texas at Dallas* The University of Texas at El Paso The University of Texas at San Antonio* The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio* The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

M. Zouhair Atassi, Welch Chair in Chemistry David D. Moore, The R. P. Doherty, Jr.-Welch Chair in Science Theodore G. Wensel, Welch Chair in Chemistry John L. Wood, Welch Chair in Chemistry Andrew R. Barron, The Charles W. Duncan, Jr.-Welch Chair in Chemistry Gustavo E. Scuseria, Welch Chair in Chemistry Peter Wolynes, The D. R. Bullard-Welch Chair in Science Tadhg P. Begley, Welch Chair in Chemistry James C. Sacchettini, The Roger J. Wolfe-Welch Chair in Science Karen L. Wooley, The W. T. Doherty-Welch Chair in Chemistry Welch Chair in Chemistry Vytas A. Bankaitis, The E. L. Wehner-Welch Chair in Chemistry Cheryl Lyn Walker, Welch Chair in Chemistry Eric E. Simanek, Welch Chair in Chemistry William L. Hase, Welch Chair in Chemistry Vadivel Ganapathy, Welch Chair in Biochemistry Olafs Daugulis, Welch Chair in Chemistry Jan-Åke Gustafsson, Welch Chair in Chemistry Allan J. Jacobson, Welch Chair in Science Weston Thatcher Borden, Welch Chair in Chemistry Laszlo Prokai, Welch Chair in Biochemistry Daniel W. Armstrong, Welch Regents Chair in Chemistry Eric V. Anslyn, Welch Regents Chair in Chemistry Allen J. Bard, The Norman Hackerman-Welch Chair in Chemistry Alan H. Cowley, Welch Chair in Chemistry Richard M. Crooks, Welch Chair in Chemistry Michael J. Krische, Welch Chair in Science Steven Weinberg, The Jack S. Josey-Welch Chair in Science The Marvin K. Collie-Welch Chair in Chemistry The Richard J.V. Johnson-Welch Chair in Chemistry The R. P. Doherty, Jr.-Welch Chair in Chemistry Ray H. Baughman, Welch Chair in Chemistry Welch Chair in Chemistry Luis Echegoyen, Welch Chair in Chemistry Welch Chair in Chemistry Zhiqiang An, Welch Chair in Chemistry John L. Spudich, Welch Chair in Chemistry Bettie Sue Masters, Welch Chair in Chemistry Welch Chair in Chemistry Andrew Futreal, Welch Chair in Chemistry William H. Klein, Welch Chair in Chemistry James C. Lee, Welch Chair in Chemistry B. Montgomery Pettitt, Welch Chair in Chemistry J. Russell Falck, Welch Chair in Chemistry Eric N. Olson, Welch Chair in Science

*Chair not filled

33

STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

AS OF AUGUST 31, 2014 AND 2013

ASSETS 2014 2013 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS .................... ........................................ . $ 1,242,412 $ 2,462,655 INVESTMENTS .. . ....................................... ....................................... . 694,405,266 624,583,000 RECEIVABLES: Investment transactions . ....................... ....................................... . . 1,836,131 728,192 Interest and dividends .. ........................................................ ........ 465,335 516,248 Other. . . . . . . . . ...................................... .................................. . ...... 389,328 385,416 Total receivables. ............................................................... 2,690,794 1,629,856 OTHER ASSETS. . . . ...................................... ......................................... 1,577,670 1,337,532 TOTAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................................................................. $ 699,916,142 $ 630,013,043 LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS LIABILITIES:

Unpaid grants . ............................................................................ $ 22,562,250 $ 16,694,250 Deferred federal excise tax payable .......... ......................................... 2,583,949 1,411,661 Accounts payable and other ............................................................ 551,114 259,650 Investment transactions payable ....................................................... 792,465 47,643 Total liabilities ......................... ......................................... 26,489,778 18,413,204 NET ASSETS . . . . . . ................................................................................

673,426,364

611,599,839

TOTAL .. . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................................... .........................................

34

$ 699,916,142

$ 630,013,043

STATEMENTS OF ACTIVITIES

AS OF AUGUST 31, 2014 AND 2013

. 2014 2013 REVENUES:

Interest .. . . . . ....................................... ........................................ $ 1,748,947 Dividends .. . . ..................................... ......................................... 4,561,036 Oil and gas royalties and other ........................................................ 3,308,839 Total revenues ......................... ......................................... 9,618,822 EXPENSES: Investment advisory and custodial fees ...... ......................................... 3,343,513 General and administrative .................... ......................................... 2,694,555 Federal excise tax provision on net investment income ........................... 104,232 Property and production taxes ................ ......................................... 209,845 Advisory board fees and expenses .. .................................................. 460,000 Total expenses ......................... ......................................... 6,812,145 GRANTS APPROVED - Net ..................................................................... (34,194,525) NET REALIZED GAINS ON SALES OF INVESTMENTS AND OTHER ASSETS ............... .........................................

.$ 1,817,118 . 4,264,228 . 4,024,860 . 10,106,206

. . . . .

3,194,975 2,556,874 211,483 228,189 460,000

.

6,651,521

. (28,051,141)

28,219,873

. 40,774,305

66,707,458

. 17,239,529

UNREALIZED APPRECIATION OF INVESTMENTS .. .........................................

CHANGE IN RECORDED COST OF INVESTMENTS ..........................................

–

.

121,557

.

281,739

FEDERAL EXCISE TAX ON REALIZED CAPITAL GAINS ....................................... (644,477) .

(668,490)

INCREASE IN PREPAID PENSION COST .......................................................



103,807

DEFERRED FEDERAL EXCISE TAX ON UNREALIZED CAPITAL GAINS ..................... (1,172,288) .

(447,701)

CHANGE IN NET ASSETS ............................. .........................................

NET ASSETS, beginning of year ............................................................... NET ASSETS, end of year ............................. .........................................

61,826,525

. 32,704,483

611,599,839

. 578,895,356

$ 673,426,364

$ 611,599,839

For the Foundation’s complete audited financial statements, please visit www.welch1.org.

35

36

2014 ANNUAL REPORT SUPPLEMENT The Supplement to the 2014 Welch Foundation Annual Report is available online at www.welch1.org and includes:

58th Conference on Chemical Research Program



Welch Conference on Chemical Research 1957-2014



Welch Award Recipients 1972-2014

Hackerman Award Recipients 2002-2014 Principal Investigators Listed Alphabetically Abstracts of Current Investigations



Publications by Principal Investigators Reported During 2013-2014





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