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Research and Publications

Research Interests

  • Cr- and Ni-induced cancers
  • Vanadium bioinorganic chemistry
  • Structural and spectroscopic studies of heme proteins
  • Electrochemistry
  • Ruthenium and osmium chemistry and anti-cancer drugs
  • Copper anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Fullerene and fulleride electrochemistry and spectroscopy
  • Inorganic reaction mechanisms
  • Solvation, p-backbonding and p-bonding effects on reactivity of transition metal complexes
  • Bioinorganic Chemistry: Various aspects of the chemistry, biochemistry and cell biology of transition metal complexes of Cr and Ni (occupational cancers), V (anti-cancer and anti-diabetic agents), Fe (heme proteins) Ru and Os (anti-cancer agents), and Cu (anti-inflammatory drugs) have been studied. A wide variety of spectroscopic, structural, biochemical and cell biology techniques have been employed to better understand the bioinorganic chemistry of these transition metals and to develop protective dietary protocols for metal induced cancers and to develop new potential pharmaceuticals.
  • Physical Inorganic Chemistry: A large range of spectroscopic, electrochemical and structural techniques has been used to gain fundamental insights into chemical reactivity of transition metal complexes and solvation effects on chemical reactivity. This also includes detailed studies of fullerenes and fullerides.

Selected Publications

  • Specific Hydrogen-Bonding Contributions to the Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Electron Transfer. Modifications to the Classical and Semiclassical Theories of Electron Transfer. Lay, P. A. J. Phys. Chem. 1986, 90, 878-885.
  • Chromium(V)-Induced Cleavage of DNA: Are Chromium(V) Complexes the Active Carcinogens in Chromium(VI)-Induced Cancers? Farrell, R. P.; Judd, R. J.; Lay, P. A.; Dixon, N. E.; Baker, R. S. U.; Bonin, A. M. Chem. Res. Toxicol. 1989, 2, 227-229.
  • EPR Spectroscopic Studies on the Reactions of Cr(VI) with L-Ascorbic Acid, L-Dehydroascorbic Acid and 5,6-O-Isopropylidene-L-ascorbic Acid. Implications for Chromium(VI) Genotoxicity. Zhang, L.; Lay, P. A. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 12624-12637.
  • Activation of Molecular Oxygen During the Reactions of Chromium(VI/V/IV) with Biological Reductants: Implications for Chromium-Induced Cancers. Lay, P. A.; Levina, A. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 6704-6714.
  • Determination of Fe-Ligand Bond Lengths and the Fe-N-O Bond Angle in Horse Heart Ferric and Ferrous Nitrosylmyoglobin Using Multiple-Scattering EXAFS Analyses. Rich, A. R.; Armstrong, R. S.; Ellis, P. J.; Lay, P. A. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 10827-10836.
  • Reactions of Chromium(VI/V/IV) with Bis(O-ethyl-L-cysteinato-N,S)zinc(II): A Model for the Action of Carcinogenic Chromium on Zinc-Finger Proteins. Levina, A.; Bailey, A. M.; Champion, G.; Lay, P. A. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 6208-6216.
  • Chromium in Biology: Nutritional Aspects and Toxicology. Levina, A.; Codd, R.; Dillon, C. T.; Lay, P. A. Prog. Inorg. Chem. 2003, 51, 145-250.
  • Biological Oxidation of Chromium(III): Does the Anti-Diabetic Activity of Chromium(III) Involve Carcinogenic Chromium(VI)?” Mulyani, I.; Levina, A.; Lay, P. A. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2004, 43, 4504-4507.
  • Chromium, Lay, P. A.; Levina, A. in Comprehensive Coordination Chemistry II, From Biology to Nanotechnology, McCleverty, J. A.; Meyer, T. J., Eds. Volume 4, Wedd, A. J., Vol Ed., Elsevier, Oxford, UK, 2004, Chapter 4.6, pp 313-413.
  • Bonding in HNO-Myoglobin as Characterized by X-Ray Absorbance and Resonance Raman Spectroscopies. Immoos, C. E.; Sulc, F.; Farmer, P. J.; Czarnecki, K.; Bocian, D. F.; Levina, A.; Aitken, J. B.; Armstrong, R. S.; Lay, P. A. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 814-815.