Dr. Gopeekrishnan Sreenilayam
Assistant Professor
- B. S. in Chemistry (1998)
Mahatma Gandhi University, India - M.S. in Analytical Chemistry (2000)
Mahatma Gandhi University, India - Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry (2011)
The University of Iowa - Postdoctoral Researcher, Organic Chemistry (2011-2013)
Temple University - Postdoctoral Researcher, Biocatalysis (2014-2017)
University of Rochester
Courses Taught:
CHEM 3401 Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 3402 Organic Chemistry II
CHEM 4210 Senior Seminar
CHEM 4910 Research in Chemistry
Research Interests:
Biocatalysis: Enzyme/protein based non-natural biocatalytic organic transformations have the potential to transform the landscape of pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries by providing highly economical and environmentally sustainable synthetic processes. Use of engineered and artificial biocatalysis is an effective way to tap chemical transformations that lie beyond the realm of natural enzymes. Our lab interested in exploring the reactivity and stability of immobilized enzyme and/or whole cells in non-aqueous green designer solvents.
Organic Synthesis: We are interested in using environmentally friendly designer solvents as solvents and co-catalysts for performing cross-coupling reactions in organic chemistry.
Bacterial Biofilm Inhibitors: Bacterial cells inside the biofilms are a thousand times more resistant to currently available antibiotics than planktonic cells. Hence, biofilm mediated bacterial infections are extremely difficult to treat and the leading cause of antibiotic failure. We are interested in the synthesis and testing of small molecule anti-biofilm agents that could either interfere with biofilm formation or disperse the biofilm structure.
CO2 Mitigation: Using immobilized algae to determine how effective captured algae in alginate beads can be used to convert the released CO2 from vehicle exhaust into oxygen (O2) and release the O2 back into the atmosphere.
Chemical Education: Developing green chemistry based organic chemistry experiments that could be used in undergraduate organic chemistry teaching laboratories.