RESEARCH
800 MHz Cryoprobe NMR spectrometer
12 T SolariX FT-ICR Mass Spectrometer
Complex Mixtures
The structure elucidation of compounds contained within complex mixtures is a challenging task. We develop multidimensional NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry methods, in combination with chemical modification schemes, to investigate the most complex mixtures on earth: humic substances (HS) - heterogeneous mixtures containing thousands of organic molecules produced by the degradation of plant and animal residues. We apply these methods not only to soil organic matter but also dissolved organic matter in collaboration with Scottish Water. Another challenging mixture we study by NMR and MS is Scotch whisky in collaboration with the Scotch Whisky Research Institute.
W.Kew and Dusan Uhrin
W.Kew, J.W.T. Blackburn and Dusan Uhrin. Anal.chem.89, 5968-5971 (2018) DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b00332
W.Kew, C.L.Mackay, I.Goodall, D.J.Clarke and Dusan Uhrin. Anal.Chem. 2018, 90, 11265-11272
Carbohydrates
We study conformation of carbohydrates using scalar and residual dipolar coupling constants and develop NMR methods tailored for complex and heterogeneous carbohydrate samples such as those obtained by depolymerisation of polysaccharides. We also study marine carbohydrates obtained from marine organisms like sea cucumbers in collaboration with GlycoMar.
Bell, N.G.A, Rigg, G., Masters, S., Bella, J., Uhrín, D., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.15, 18223-18234 (2013).
T.J. Simmons et al., Photochemistry 95, 322–332 (2013)
N.Brodaczewska, Z.Košťálová and Dušan Uhrín. Biomolecular NMR, 2018, 70, 115-122.
Carbohydrate-protein interactions
We investigate the protein-carbohydrate interactions and study complexes between GAGs and selectins, peptides and viral capsids as well as complement protein-carbohydrate interactions.
Panagos, C.G., Thomson, D.S., Moss, C., Hughes, A.D., Kelly, M.S., Liu, Y., Chai, W., Venkatasamy, R., Spina, D., Page, C.P., Hogwood, J., Woods, R.J., Mulloy, B., Bavington, C.D., Uhrín, D., J. Biol. Chem. 289, 28284–28298 (2014).
Muhamad, A., Ho, K.L., Rahman, M.B.A., Tejo, B.A., Uhrín, D. Tan,W.S., Org. Biomol. Chem., 13, 7780- 7789 (2015).
Blaum, B.S., Hannan, J.P., Herbert, A.P., Kavanagh, D., Uhrín, D, Stehle, T., Nature Chem. Biol. 11, 77–82 (2015).