Research Overview

For information about undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral research opportunities, contact sreed at pdx dot edu. Prospective graduate students can read about the departmental graduate programs to learn about the application procedure. National Science Foundation IGERT fellowships in Materials Science are available for graduate students studying Materials Chemistry at PSU. Students with an interest in subsurface biology are elligible for an Interdisciplinary IGERT fellowship.

Research in the Reed Group is centered in an emerging scientific field at the interface between chemistry, biology, and nanotechnology. We are using the tools of nanoscience and organic synthesis to solve problems in medicinal and environmental chemistry. One project in the lab utilizes nanometer sized metallic particles for biosensing applications. Such nanoparticles alter the optical properties of adjacent chromophores, acting as antennae for absorbed and emitted light. Using these structures, we can design molecular sensors for the detection of specific proteins, DNA, or environmental pollutants.