Dr. Martin McCullagh, Colorado State University

November 2, 2016
11:00 – 11:50am
C – 121

“The Physics Behind the Hydrophobic Effect”

The hydrophobic effect is implicated as a driving force for a variety of important chemical and biological applications including protein folding, protein-ligand binding and self-assembly. The term “hydrophobic” is inherently misleading and, even when used correctly, can be a difficult concept to grasp. In this talk, I will define the hydrophobic effect and present a new statistical mechanical framework with which to understand this effect. The discussion will include a description of how water both prevents and promotes aggregation of non-polar solutes. I will demonstrate the use of this framework for computer simulations on the aggregation behavior of a set of alkanes. Lastly I will demonstrate the strength of this new approach for the simulation of self-assembling peptides for biomaterials applications.
In addition, I will briefly discuss the graduate program in Chemistry at Colorado State University. I will highlight a few important programs and exciting faculty members in our department as well as the lifestyle benefits of living in Fort Collins Colorado.