Frank Turecek

Professor of Chemistry
(PhD, Charles University (Czechoslovakia), 1977)

(206) 685-2041
turecek@chem.washington.edu

Research Interests

The Turecek lab is currently involved in several lines of research using mass spectrometry as the core technique. A unique tandem mass spectrometer (declared tongue-in-cheek "Seattle's best mass spectrometer" by a local weekly and immortalized in an abstract painting sold to an art collector in Manchester, England) is used to generate transient neutral intermediates of chemical reactions relevant to the chemistries of the atmosphere, flames, and radiation damage. This research involves ion chemistry, kinetic measurements on the microsecond time scale, laser photoexcitation, isotope labeling, and theory. These studies have recently been expanded to the generation of biologically interesting transient intermediates. An important component of this research relies on high-level quantum chemical calculations including tunnel effects and unimolecular kinetics. To this end, the interested graduate students use the new cluster of 428 Xeon 3.0 GHz, 64-bit processors with many GBytes of fast memory.

Special instruments for ion-surface interactions are the latest addition to the armory of mass spectrometers in the Turecek lab. Soft and reactive landing of proteins is used for dry immobilization on metal surfaces while retaining the protein function, such as enzymatic activity or substrate recognition. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering is used to characterize the structures of the immobilized molecules with <1 zeptomole detection limits.

Collaboration with the labs of Profs M.H. Gelb (UW Chemistry and Biochemistry) and R.C. Scott (UW Pediatrics and Seattle Children’s Hospital), resulted in the development of multiplex strategies for assaying enzymes and proteomics. Enzymes responsible for genetic diseases in children are studied in cells and dried blood spots and their action quantified by electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry to provide medical diagnosis. This line of research involves a good deal of organic chemistry in combination with instrumental analysis. The ICAT technology that was developed in this collaboration and licensed to Applera Co. is the most important modern tool in functional proteomics. Collaborative development of new tools for proteomics continues.

Graduate students in the Turecek group are exposed to a variety of ideas, techniques, and projects, which all contribute to a quality education. Ph.D. graduates enjoy excellent job opportunities in the booming mass spectrometry community in research, academia, drug development, and instrument manufacture.