Chemistry Department
A picture of Professor Laurie Tyler

Laurie Tyler

Job Title
Professor of Chemistry
ISEC 281

Research interests

My field of expertise is synthetic inorganic chemistry with my primary research interests being in the area of synthetic bioinorganic chemistry. This research utilizes synthetic chemistry to design, synthesize and characterize biologically relevant complexes to help elucidate the roles of metals in biological systems. I have also used my expertise in synthetic inorganic chemistry to study structure-function relationships in transition metal complexes and synthetic catalysts. Overall, these studies aim to provide insight into the factors that govern the reactivity of metal complexes. My current research project involves the design, synthesis and characterization of copper compounds that are then assessed for their biological interactions including 1) DNA binding, 2) DNA cleavage, 3) bovine serum albumin binding and 4) evaluation of their cytotoxic properties on human cancer cell lines. This multifaceted, interdisciplinary project was developed in response to the ever growing body of literature that delineates the important biological functions of copper. This area of research could provide important information toward the development and use of copper complexes as metallopharmaceuticals.

Teaching interests

CHM 101 Introductory Chemistry I & Lab
CHM 102 Introductory Chemistry II & Lab
CHM 260 Inorganic Chemistry & Lab
CHM 360 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry: Bioinorganic

Additional media

Publications

  • Publications
    • Ramsey A. Steiner, David Foreman, Han X. Lin, Bruce K. Carney, Kristin M. Fox, Lynne Cassimeris, Joseph M. Tanski, Laurie A. Tyler*; Synthesis, Characterization, Crystal Structures and Biological Activity of a Set of Cu(II) Benzothiazole Complexes: Artificial Nucleases with Cytotoxic Activities, Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 2014, 137, 1 – 11.
    • Patrick J. Cappillino, John R. Miecznikowski, Laurie A. Tyler, Wayne Lo, Matthew D. Krzyaniak, John L. McCracken, William H. Armstrong, John P. Caradonna*; Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of Iron (II) and Iron (III) Compounds with fac-N2O1, cis-N2O2 and N2O3 Donor Ligands: Models for the 2-His 1-Carboxylate Motif of Mononuclear Nonheme Iron Oxygenases, Dalton Transaction, 2012, 41, 5662-5677.
    • Matthew A. Lynn, Lauren J. Carlson, Hyeon Hwangbo, Joseph M. Tanski, Laurie A. Tyler*; Structural Influences on the Oxidation of a Series of 2-Benzothiazoline Analogues, Journal of Molecular Structure, 2012, 1011, 81-93.
    • Lauren J. Carlson, Jenna L. Welby, Kelly A. Zebrowski, Matthew M. Wilk, Rachel Giroux, Nicole Cianicio, Joseph M. Tanski, Amy Bradley, Laurie A. Tyler*; Spectroscopic Differences Between Heterocyclic Benzothiazoline, -Thiazole and Imine Containing Ligands and Comparison of the Co and Cu Pyridine Benzothiazole and Imine Complexes, Inorganica Chimica Acta, 2011, 365, 159-166.
    • Linah Rusere, Tamila Shalumova, Joseph M. Tanski, Laurie A. Tyler*; Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Ni(II), Cu(II) and m-oxo-Fe(III) Complexes of a Salen Type Ligand and Comparison to the Co(II) Analogue: Mononuclear Versus Multi-nuclear Complex Formation Based on the Identity of the Metal Center, Polyhedron, 2009, 28(17), 3804-3810.
    • Jenna Welby, Linah Rusere, Joseph M. Tanski, Laurie A. Tyler*; Syntheses and Crystal Structures of Mono-, Di- and Trinuclear Cobalt Complexes of a Salen Type Ligand, Inorganica Chimica Acta, 2009, 362(5), 1405-1411.

Academic credentials

B.A., University of Washington at Seattle; Ph.D., University of California at Santa Cruz