1995 - 2002 Howard University Ph.D. (Physical Chemistry)
1991 - 1995 Norfolk State University B. S. (Chemistry)

Email: khpatrick@nsu.edu
Phone: 757-823-2031

Address: Department of Chemistry
Norfolk State University
700 Park Avenue, WSB 326A
Norfolk, VA 23504
 

Surfaces play a major role in biology and medicine since most biological reactions occur at the surface or common interfaces. Surfaces are easily available for reaction since they have a low energy barrier to mobility within the plane. The surface plane can be used to ease complex reactions such as clustering, conformational changes, and exposure and burial in membranes whereas high surface area geometries can be created to enhance reaction turnover rates. Therefore a clear understanding of the topography of the reaction site is essential to understanding the reactions that take place amongst many biological samples. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a technique that produces visual images of the topography of a surface with nanometer resolution. It is capable of imaging surfaces that are either electrical insulators or conductors as well as probe the sample’s mechanical and electrical properties. This is advantageous in biological applications since most biological materials are not conductors. By using AFM, characterization of the topography, electronic structure and the geometrical arrangement of the molecules on a given biological surface will be determined.