Erin Knappen-Kleingardner

Research:

Multiheme systems are being investigated with the specific targets being peptides and cytochrome c (cyt c) proteins. The purpose of the former is to design heme-containing peptides with the ultimate goal of creating porphyrin arrays that are able to capture visible light and produce an efficient charge-separated state when conjugated to a single-walled carbon nanotube. The motivation for the latter is to better understand the factors that modulate reduction potential in multiheme cyts c, proteins that access extremely low reduction potentials.