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Department ofChemistry and Biochemistry

Korin Wheeler

Korin Wheeler

Professor

Degree Information

Ph.D. Chemistry, Northwestern University
B.A. Chemistry, New College of Florida

Specialty

Biochemistry, Nanomaterials, Bioinorganic chemistry

Brief Research Description

Investigations of the environmental and human health implications of Nanomaterials. Specifically, use biochemical and proteomic approaches to understand the interactions of nanoparticles with biomolecules.

Awards/Grants
  • Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award $65,000, 2018-2023.
  • National Institutes of Health AREA grant $374,000, 2016-2019.
  • University of California Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology, SEED grant sub-award from the National Science Foundation, 2014-2015
  • Research Corp for Science Advancement Cottrell College Science Award, 2011-2013.
  • Advanced Biosciences Initiative, W. F. Keck Foundation, 2011-2013 
Courses
  • Biochemistry I (Chem 141) Syllabus (PDF)
  • Biochemistry II (Chem 142)
  • Biochemical Techniques (Chem 143)
  • Bioinorganic Chemistry (Chem 101)
  • Advanced Chemical Principles Lab (Chem 14L)
  • General Chemistry Lecture and Lab (Chem 11)
Publications
Recent Publications
(SCU undergraduate co-authors annotated with an asterisk,*)
  • Park, H.-Y., Chung, C., Eiken, M.K.*, Baumgartner, K.V.*, Fahy, K.M.*, Leung, K.Q.*, Bouzos, E.*, Wheeler, K.E., Asuri, P., Riley, K.R. Silver nanoparticle interactions with glycated and nonglycated human serum albumin mediate toxicity Frontiers in Toxicology, 2023, 5, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/ftox.2023.1081753
  • Fahy, K.M.*, Eiken, M.K.*, Baumgartner, K.V.*, Leung, K.Q.*, Anderson, S.E.*, Berggren, E.*, Bouzos, E.*,  Schmitt, L.R.*, Asuri, P., Wheeler, K.E. Silver Nanoparticle Surface Chemistry Determines Interactions with Human Serum Albumin and Cytotoxic Responses in Human Liver Cells ACS Omega, 2023, 8 (3), 3310–3318. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.2c06882
  • Hong, K.N.L., Wheeler, K.E., Murphy, C.J. Isolation Methods Influence the Protein Corona Composition on Gold-coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles, Analytical Chemistry, 2022, 94 (11), 4737–4746.
  • Hughes, S.M., Hendricks, M.P, Mullaugh, K.M., Anderson, M.E., Bentley, A.K., Clar, J.G., Daly, C.A., Ellison, M.D., Feng, Z.V., Gonzalez-Pech, N.I., Hamachi, L.S., Heinecke, C.L., Keene, J.D., Maley, A.M., Munro, A.M., Njoki, P.N., Olshansky, J.H., Olshansky, J.H., Plass, K.E., Riley, K.R., Sonntag, M.D., St. Angelo, S.K., Thompson, L.B., Tollefson, E.J., Toote, L.E., Wheeler, K.E., The Primarily Undergraduate Nanomaterials Cooperative: A New Model for Supporting Collaborative Research at Small Institutions on a National Scale, ACS Nanoscience Au, 2021, 1 (1), 6-14.
  • Wheeler, K.E., Chetwynd, A., Fahy, K.M.*, Hong, B.S.*, Tochihuitl, A.J.*, Foster, L.*, Lynch, I. Environmental dimensions of the protein corona, Nature Nanotechnology, 2021, 16 (6), 617-629.
  • Zapata, A.; Nguyen, M.*; Ling, C.*; Damiano, S.*; Hayzelden, C.; Wheeler, K.E. The role of human serum and solution chemistry in fibrinogen peptide-nanoparticle interactions, Nanoscale Advances20202, 2429 – 2440.
  • Zapata, A.; Nguyen, M.*; Ling, C.*; Rogers, J.*; Damiano, S.*; Hayzelden, C.; Wheeler, K.E. “The role of human serum and solution chemistry in fibrinogen peptide-nanoparticle interactions” Nanoscale Advances2020, DOI: 10.1039/C9NA00793H.  
  • House, J.S.; Bouzos, E.*; Fahy, K.*; Francisco, V.M.*; Lloyd, D.T.; Wright, F.A.; Motsinger-Reif, A.A.; Asuri, P.; Wheeler, K.E. Low-Dose Silver Nanoparticle Surface Chemistry and Temporal Effects on Gene Expression in Human Liver Cells, Small, 2020, 16(21), e2000299
  • Chetwynd, A.J.; Wheeler, K.E.; Lynch, I. Best Practice in reporting corona studies: Minimum Information about Nanomaterial Biocorona Experiments (MINBE), NanoToday, 2019, 100758.
  • Park, G.*; Amaris, Z.N.*; Eikin, M.K.*; Braumgartner, K.V.*; Johnston, K.A.; Williams, M.A.; Marckwordt, J.M.*; Millstone, J.E.; Splan, K.E.; Wheeler, K.E. Characterization of silver and silver nanoparticle interactions with zinc finger peptides, Environmental Science: Nano2019, 6(8), 2367-2378.
  • Leong, H.S.; et al. On the issue of transparency and reproducibility in nanomedicine, Nature Nanotechnology, 2019, 14, 629–635.
  • Nameth, C.; Wheeler, K.E. Identifying the underlying assumptions of an interdisciplinary collaboration on curriculum development, Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies2018, 5(2), Article 2. 
  • Findlay, M.*; Freitas, D.N.*; Mobed-Miremadi,M.; Wheeler,K.E. Machine learning provides predictive analysis into silver nanoparticle protein corona formation from physicochemical properties, Environmental Science: Nano, 2018, 5, 64-71. 
  • Amaris, Z.N.*; Freitas, D.N.*; Mac, K.*; Gerner, K.T.*; Nameth, C.; Wheeler, K.E. Nanoparticle synthesis, characterization, and ecotoxicity: A Research-Based set of laboratory experiments for a general chemistry course. Journal of Chemical Education201794 (12), 1939–1945.
  • Freitas, D.N.*, Martinolich, A.J.*, Amaris, Z.N.*, Wheeler.K.E. Beyond the passive interactions at the Nano-Bio interface: Evidence of Cu metalloprotein driven oxidative dissolution of silver nanoparticles. Journal of Nanobiotechnology2016, 14(7). 
  • Eigenheer, R.; Castellanos, E.R.*; Nakamoto, M.Y.*; Gerner, K.T.*; Lampe, A.M.*; Wheeler, K.E.  Silver nanoparticle protein corona composition compared across engineered particle properties and environmentally relevant reaction conditions. Environmental Science: Nano2014, 1, 238-247. 
  • Doku, R.T.*; Park, G.*; Wheeler, K.E.; Splan, K.E.  Spectral Characterization of Copper(I) Binding to Apo- and Metal-reconstituted Zinc Finger Peptides. Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry2013, 18(6) 669-678.
  • Martinolich, A.J.;* Park, G.;* Nakamoto, M.Y.;* Gate, R.E.;* Wheeler, K.E. Differential impact of silver nanoparticles and their dissolution ions on metalloprotein function. Environmental Science and Technology2012, 46 (11), 6355–6362.