Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Chemical Biology

The Chemical Biology Program provides opportunities and facilities for students intending to proceed to the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees.

Chemical Biology utilizes chemical tools and techniques to answer biological questions. Students in the program will receive multi-disciplinary training at the interface between chemistry and biology. Working with faculty with broad-ranging expertise, students will learn skills in both the chemical and life-sciences areas, and appreciate how these complement each other to allow new insights into biological processes and systems.

The Chemical Biology program is administered by the Departments of Chemistry & Chemical Biology and Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences and includes faculty members from the Departments of Biology, Physics & Astronomy, Medical Physics & Applied Radiation Sciences, Medicine and Molecular Medicine & Pathology. The program offers degrees at the M.Sc. and Ph.D. level.

Enquiries: 905 525-9140 Ext. 20874
E-mail: chembio@mcmaster.ca
Website: https://chembio.mcmaster.ca/

Faculty / Fall 2021

Professors

Associate Professors

Assistant Professors

Sara Andres, M.Sc (Guelph), Ph.D. (McMaster)
Katherine Bujold, B.Sc., Ph.D. (McGill)
Yu Lu, B.Sc., M.Sc (Fudan), Ph.D. (University of Washington) 
Anthony F. Rullo, B.Sc. (McMaster), M.Sc (Guelph) Ph.D. (Toronto)
Jennifer Stearns, B.Sc., Ph.D. (Waterloo)
John Whitney, B.Sc (Guelph), Ph.D. (Toronto)

Professor Emeritus

Richard M. Epand, A.B. (Johns Hopkins), Ph.D. (Columbia)

Admission into the Program

Students entering the Chemical Biology program may be admitted from a number of suitable undergraduate degrees (including the Life Sciences, Chemistry and Biophysics). Students with undergraduate degrees in other disciplines are also encouraged to apply although the Director of the Chemical Biology Program, in conjunction with the Admissions Committee, will be required to judge the candidate’s suitability. A minimum B+ average (equivalent to 8.5/12) in the final two years of a four-year undergraduate degree is required for admission into our M.Sc. program. Students holding a B.Sc. with a minimum A- average (10.0/12) or already holding a M. Sc. degree may be admitted directly into our Ph.D. program but are required to pass a qualifying exam in the first year of study and a comprehensive examination in the second year of study.

Research in Chemical Biology

The Chemical Biology Program focuses its resources on understanding the role that biomolecular interactions play in the control of biological function. Research carried out by faculty members in the program centers on: examining the biological significance of biomolecular complexes and interactions and their role in biochemical regulation and control of biochemical pathways; the development and use of small molecules to probe biological function; and the development and use of physiocochemical, computational and high throughput assay methods for studying biological systems.

The research interests of current faculty members include: theoretical chemistry and electronic structure theory (P.W. Ayers); transition state analysis in biochemical systems (P.J. Berti); Biogenesis of the gram-negative cell envelope (R. Bishop); roll of the macrophage scavenger receptors in host defence (D.M.E. Bowdish); high-throughput fluorescence and mass spectrometric assay methods (J.D. Brennan); bioanalytical chemistry, metabolomics, cellulomics (P. Britz-McKibbin); silicon-based biomaterials (M.A. Brook); novel therapeutic targets in antibacterial research (E.D. Brown); Bacterial adhesions and bio-film formation (L. Burrows); organic and medicinal chemistry, drug discovery (F. Capretta); Microbiological biochemistry and antimicrobial research, cell biology and gene regulation (B. Coombes); bioinformatics and functional genomics, microbiology and plant biology (M. Elliot); relationship between membrane properties and biological function (R.M. Epand); microbial genetics and genomics of soil microorganisms (T. Finan); dynamics of single molecules inside biological systems (C. Fradin); structural and functional studies of DNA mismatch repair proteins and DNA segregation proteins (A. Guarne); bio-organic chemistry and biosynthesis (P.H.M. Harrison); analysis of bulk and surfaces using electron beam and synchrotron radiation based spectroscopies and microscopes (A.P. Hitchcock); molecular evolution of functional nucleic acids (Y. Li); natural product biosynthesis & drug discovery, metabolomics, small molecule/chemical signalling (N. Magarvey); bioinformatics, functional genomics, and computational biology (A. McArthur); organic synthesis, chemical biology, anticancer drugs (J. McNulty); biological NMR, protein structure and dynamics, biomolecular interactions (G. Melacini); bacteria as multicellular organisms (Jose M. Moran-Mirabal); bioanalytical chemistry, protein quality control systems, electron microscopy studies of the HtrA family of proteases (J. Ortega); targeted genetic approaches to studying lipid transport and its role in complex disease (B.L. Trigatti); polyglutamine expansion diseases (R. Truant); medical applications of radioisotopes (J. Valliant); Diabetes mellitus; cardiovascular disease (G. Werstuck); microbiological biochemistry and antimicrobial research (G.D. Wright); A more detailed description of current research projects for each faculty member and a list of their recent publications are available on individual websites.

Facilities for Research

Acquisitions funded by both the provincial and federal governments have provided state-of-the-art facilities for research in chemical biology and include the Centre for Microbial Chemical Biology (fhs.mcmaster.ca/cmcb); the McMaster Biophotonics and Imaging Facility (www.macbiophotonics.ca); the Biointerface Institute (http://biointerface.mcmaster.ca); the Magnetic Resonance Facility, the Regional Centre for Mass Spectrometry, and the Single Crystal X-ray Facility in addition to protein preparation and purification facilities, cell culture facilities, computational facilities and extensive optical spectroscopy resources. More information about our research facilities is available on individual departmental websites.

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Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology provides facilities for students intending to proceed to the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees as described in the information below. The Department is also a participant in the interdisciplinary graduate program in Chemical Biology described earlier in this section of the Calendar.

Enquiries: 905 525-9140 Ext. 23489
Fax: 905 522-2509
E-mail: chemgrad@mcmaster.ca

Website: http://www.chemistry.mcmaster.ca/

Faculty / Fall 2021

Professors

Alex Adronov, B.Sc. (McMaster), Ph.D. (Berkeley)
Paul W. Ayers, B.Sc. (Lipscomb), Ph.D. (UNC Chapel Hill)/ Canada Research Chair
Paul J. Berti, B.Sc. (Waterloo), M.Sc. (Ottawa), Ph.D. (McGill) / Joint appointment with Biochemistry
John D. Brennan, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Toronto) / Canada Research Chair
Philip Britz-McKibbin, B.Sc. (Toronto), Ph.D. (British Columbia)
Michael A. Brook, B.Sc. (Toronto), Ph.D. (McGill), M.C.I.C.
David J.H. Emslie, B.Sc., Ph.D. (Bristol)
Gillian R. Goward, B.Sc. (McMaster), Ph.D. (Waterloo)


Yingfu Li, B.Sc. (Anhui), M.Sc. (Beijing), Ph.D. (Simon Fraser)/ Joint appointment with Biochemistry / Canada Research Chair
James McNulty, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Toronto)
Giuseppe Melacini, B.Sc. (Milan), Ph.D. (California-San Diego)/ Joint appointment with Biochemistry
Yurij Mozharivskyj, B.Sc. (Lviv), Ph.D. (Iowa State) / Canada Research Chair
Gary J. Schrobilgen, B.Sc. (Dubuque, Iowa), M.Sc. (Brock), Ph.D.(McMaster), F.R.S.C.
Harald D. H. Stöver, B.Sc. (Darmstadt), Ph.D. (Ottawa), M.C.I.C.
John F. Valliant, B.Sc., Ph.D. (McMaster)

Associate Professors

Alfredo Capretta, B.Sc., Ph.D. (McMaster)
Randall S. Dumont, B.Sc. (Western), Ph.D. (Toronto), M.C.I.C.
Paul H.M. Harrison, B.A.Hons.(Chem) (Oxford), Ph.D. (Alberta), M.C.I.C.
Peter Kruse, Dipl. Chem. (Friedrich Schiller University Jena), Ph.D.(California-San Diego)
Jose M. Moran-Mirabal, B.Sc., M.Sc. (TESM, Mexico), Ph.D. (Cornell)
Kalaichelvi Saravanamuttu, B.Sc., Ph.D. (McGill)
Ignacio Vargas-Baca, B.Sc., M.Sc. (UNAM), Ph.D. (Calgary)

Assistant Professors

Katherine Bujold, B.Sc., Ph.D. (McGill)
Sarah A. Styler, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Toronto)
Ryan Wylie, B.Sc. (Concordia), Ph.D. (Toronto)

Associate Members

Dawn Bowdish (Biochemistry), B.Sc. (Guelph), Ph.D. (British Columbia)
Jakob Magolan (Biochemistry), B.Sc. (Queen’s), Ph.D. (Western Ontario)
Anthony F. Rullo (Pathology), B.Sc. (McMaster), M.Sc. (Guelph), Ph.D. (Toronto)
Gregory F. Slater (Geography), B.Sc. (McMaster), M.Sc. , Ph.D. (Toronto)

Professors Emeriti

Jacques Barbier, Dipl. Ing. Chimiste (Paris), M.Sc. (Toronto), Ph.D. (A.N.U.)
Ronald F. Childs, B.Sc. (Bath University of Technology), Ph.D., D.Sc.(Nottingham), F.C.I.C.
Peter T. Dawson, B.Sc. (Birmingham), Ph.D. (Cambridge)
Ronald J. Gillespie, B.Sc., Ph.D., D.Sc. (London), F.R.S., F.R.S.C.,F.R.S.C. (U.K.), F.C.I.C.
John E. Greedan, B.A. (Bucknell), Ph.D. (Tufts), F.C.I.C. (Research Active)
Adam P. Hitchcock, B.Sc. (McMaster), Ph.D. (British Columbia),F.R.S.C., F.C.I.C. / Senior Canada Research Chair
David A. Humphreys, B.Sc., M.Sc. (London), Ph.D. (McMaster),F.C.I.C.
Joseph D. Laposa, B.Sc. (St. Louis), M.S. (Chicago), Ph.D. (Loyola)
William J. Leigh, B.Sc., Ph.D. (Western), F.C.I.C.
Michael J. McGlinchey, B.Sc., Ph.D. (Manchester), F.C.I.C.
Ian D. Spenser, B.Sc. (Birmingham), Ph.D., D.Sc. (London, McMaster), F.R.S.C., F.R.S.C. (U.K.), F.R.I.C., F.C.I.C.
Johan K. Terlouw, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. (Utrecht)
Nick H. Werstiuk, B.Sc. (Alberta), M.A., Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins),F.C.I.C.

Departmental Colloquia and Seminars

‘The departmental colloquium program is a mandatory component for both M.Sc. and direct-entry Ph.D. students., designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop scientific presentation and critical thinking skills. All students must present a colloquium describing their own research during the second year of graduate studies. Colloquium presenters are expected to provide detailed, professional presentations of their research progress. Attendance at departmental colloquia is expected from all graduate students, and is mandatory for M.Sc. students and direct-entry Ph.D. students. Students attending the colloquia are expected to ask critical questions of the presenter.

Attendance at departmental seminars is expected of all students within the department. These seminars comprise a combination of externally invited speakers, faculty members from McMaster, and senior Ph.D. students who are nearing the Ph.D. defence.

Research in Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology provides opportunities for research in a broad range of fundamental and applied research topics in six fields of Chemistry: Analytical and Environmental, Biological, Inorganic, Materials, Organic, Physical and Theoretical.

The research interests of current faculty members include: design, synthesis and study of functional polymers and carbon nanotubes (A. Adronov); theoretical chemistry and electronic structure theory (P.W. Ayers); transition state analysis in biochemical systems (P.J. Berti); biosensors, sol-gel biomaterials (J.D. Brennan); bioanalytical chemistry, metabolomics, cellulomics (P. Britz-McKibbin); silicon chemistry, silicone polymers and biomaterials (M.A. Brook); organic and medicinal chemistry, drug discovery (A. Capretta); quantum molecular dynamics and NMR spectrum simulation (R.S. Dumont); organometallic synthesis, ligand design, catalysis, Atomic Layer Deposition, f-element chemistry  (D.J.H. Emslie); applications of advanced solid-state NMR techniques (G.R. Goward); structure-properties relations in metal oxides (J.E. Greedan); bio-organic chemistry and biosynthesis (P.H.M. Harrison); synchrotron radiation based spectromicroscopy of soft matter, environmental and biological samples; quasielastic and inelastic electron scattering of gases (A.P. Hitchcock); surface science of electronic materials, scanning probe microscopy and dissipative nanopatterning (P. Kruse); organic and organometallic photochemistry and Group 14 reactive intermediates (W.J. Leigh); DNA catalysis (Y. Li); organic synthesis, chemical biology, anticancer drugs (J. McNulty); biological NMR, protein structure and dynamics, biomolecular interactions (G. Melacini); the study of biomolecular interactions through micropatterning and high-resolution fluorescence microscopy (J.M. Moran-Mirabal); magnetocaloric and thermoelectric inorganic solids, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (Y. Mozharivskyj); fundamentals and applications of nonlinear photochemical processes (K. Saravanamuttu); main group inorganic chemistry (G.J. Schrobilgen); polymer and colloid synthesis (H.D.H. Stöver); medical applications of radioisotopes (J.F. Valliant); main group inorganic and materials chemistry (I. Vargas-Baca), polymer-protein conjugates (R.G. Wylie)

A more detailed description of current research projects for each faculty member and a list of their recent publications is available on our departmental website  (https://www.chemistry.mcmaster.ca/research/research-areas.html). 

Research in Chemical Biology

This interdisciplinary area of research is jointly supported by the Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences and Biology. It is described earlier in this section of the Calendar.

Research in Chemical Physics

This interdisciplinary area of research is jointly supported by the Departments of Chemistry and Physics & Astronomy. It is described in the Interdisciplinary  section of the Calendar.

Facilities for Research

The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology maintains four excellent research facilities with instruments that are available to all graduate students and researchers: the Magnetic Resonance Facility, the Regional Centre for Mass Spectrometry, and the McMaster Analytical X-ray (MAX) Diffraction Facility. In addition, individual faculty maintain a wide variety of minor research equipment in their own laboratories. Members of the Department also have access to a well-equipped machine shop, and a student machine shop for do-it-yourself projects.

The Magnetic Resonance Facility houses six instruments including 850 MHz, 700 MHz (x2), 600 MHz, 500 MHz , and 200 MHz spectrometers with a variety of probes for solid and liquid samples at variable temperature. Both 700 MHz NMR spectrometers are equipped with cryoprobes for a six-fold increase in sensitivity. Students are trained to record their own NMR data, and all McMaster students and staff may use one of the BrukerTopSpin software licenses to process the NMR data on their own computer. The McMaster Regional Centre for Mass Spectrometry houses six instruments covering a wide range of ionization sources (EI, CI, MALDI and ESI) and mass measurement techniques (sector, triple quadruple and time-of-flight), as well as GCMS and LCMS instrumentation. The McMaster Analytical X-ray (MAX) Diffraction Facility houses one Bruker SMART APEX2 system with a Mo sealed-tube source and low (88 K) - high (370 K) temperature capability; one Bruker SMART6000 system with a Rigaku Cu rotatinganode source; one Stoe Image Plate system with a Mo sealed-tube source, a RigakuRAXIS-IV++ image plate protein diffractometer with focused Osmic optics, and a Bruker D8 Discover 2D powder diffractometer with a Vantec500 area detector (and optional point detector), three sample rotation axes, Co and Cu sources, RT to 900C sample chamber, and an x-y mapping stage . There are also two high- and low-resolution Cu powder diffractometers plus one PANalyticalX’Pert system with monochromatic Cu Ka1 and Co sealed-tube sources. The X-ray Facility is run from a user friendly control room, so students can participate in or run their own structural analyses. 

A number of faculty in the Department are members of the Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research and, as such, have access to the extensive instrument facilities in that institute. They include the Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy (high-resolution transmission and scanning electron microscopes, plus a scanning tunneling microscope and two atomic force microscopes), the Thermal Analysis laboratory, the Crystal Growth facility and the Materials Preparation facility. More information is available on the BIMR website (http://www.bimr.ca/). Several faculty in the Department (Hitchcock, Kruse, Stöver, Britten) are also active users of the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron Facilities in Saskatoon.

More information and a downloadable brochure about our research facilities, as well as virtual tours, are available on our departmental website (https://www.chemistry.mcmaster.ca/

Programs

• Chemical Biology, M.Sc.
• Chemistry, M.Sc.

• Chemical Biology, Ph.D.
• Chemistry, Ph.D

• Chemical Biology Courses
• Chemistry Courses