Magdalini Vamvouka

MAGDALINI VAMVOUKA, Ph.D

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Dr. Vamvouka has a long history of teaching in many university settings and in a wide range of Chemistry subjects including Introduction to Chemical Principles, University Chemistry 1 Lecture and Laboratory, Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory, General Organic and Biological Chemistry (GOB). Dr. Vamvouka’s teaching philosophy focuses on providing the best possible environment, multiple ways of learning the material, and all of the additional tools necessary for the students to develop analytical and problem-solving skills and ultimately to think and understand what chemistry is about. It is not just about learning only the facts, but also about developing the ability to apply those facts, to hypothesize, test theories, interpret data, and formulate conclusions. 

Dr.Vamvouka has been teaching at the Department of Natural Sciences at Lawrence Technological University since 2015. 

EDUCATION

University of Crete, Ph.D. in Chemistry, December Dissertation: “Spectroscopic Characterization of the binding of exogenous ligands to cytochrome c oxidase”.

University of Crete, Ms. in Biochemistry, November. Dissertation: “Spectroscopic characterization of the interaction of N3-, CN- and CO ligands with the binuclear center of cytochrome c aa3 from P. denitrificans and quinol cytochrome bo3 from E. coli”.

University of Crete, B.Sc. in Chemistry 

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE 

Research Associate, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL

Use of enzyme chemistry and kinetics in conjunction with x-ray crystallography to understand the enzymatic catalysis of the enzyme 2,4,5-trihydroxytoluene dioxygenase (THT-DO) from Burkholderia sp. strain DNT. The THT-DO enzyme is involved in the biodegradation of 2,4-dinitrotoluene, a priority pollutant of  EPA.

Research Associate, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

1) Use of the site-directed spin labeling technique along with pulse and continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies to determine inter-residue distances in the voltage-dependent KvAP potassium channel under native conditions, for the first time. 2) Crystal structure of the KcsA potassium channel from Streptomyces lividans in an open (conductive) state.    

Senior Research Associate, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL

Manual synthesis of fragments of the triple helix of the fibrous collagen (type I and II). Crystallized and determined the structure of the synthesized peptides in an effort to elucidate the structure of the fibrous collagen.          

LANGUAGES

English, Greek