Dr. Richard Tarkka, Department of Chemistry, recently received a $23,374 grant for the acquisition of a Luminescence Spectrometer and a Carousel Parallel Synthesis Apparatus.
The instruments will allow Tarkka to continue working on a collaborative effort with Bob Gawley at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. The pair?s study is attempting to develop new methods of testing seafood for dangerous toxins.
The equipment also can be used for a variety of other experiments and will be made available to other researchers at UCA. Tarkka said there is not a luminescence spectrometer on campus at this time, and researchers must go off campus to gather data. The acquisition of the instrument on this campus will allow Tarkka and other researchers at UCA to gather data more quickly.
The Carousel Parallel Synthesis Apparatus will allow researchers to synthesize 12 molecules at one time under identical conditions, allowing for rapid screening of methods and rapid preparation of libraries of materials.
Funding for the instruments was provided by several sources including the National Institutes of Health, the National Center for Research Resources, the Arkansas Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.