Saumen Chakraborty, Ph.D.

Los Alamos, NM 87544 (734) 277-4621 saumenrkm@gmail.com

PROFILE
Results-oriented and innovative Interdisciplinary Chemist / Researcher offering 9+ years of progressive
experience conducting cutting-edge chemical and bioanalytical research at state-of-the-art research facilities and
universities. Demonstrated ability to perform complex experiments, manage research projects, and solve the most
difficult problems to produce exceptional outcomes. Proven leader competent in developing strategic direction and
setting course of research. Ensures and oversees laboratory safety. Efficient in maintaining and repairing
sophisticated laboratory equipment. Work well independently or as member of a research team. Successful in
obtaining grants of up to $10 million to fund scientific research. Accomplished educator with experience in
teaching chemistry courses to college students. Detail oriented with ability to adapt quickly to changing work
environments. Polished communicator with numerous peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations.
Research & Development
Inorganic Chemistry
Intellectual Property Management
Peptide & Protein Chemistry
Valuable Technical Resource & Mentor

Project Management & Planning

Regulatory Compliance & Lab Safety
Quality Control / Assurance
Nanomaterials / Nanotechnology
Energy Industry Research

Laboratory Experiments
Data Collection & Analysis
Grant Writing
Molecular Biology
Spectroscopy

PROFESSIONAL

Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL

Postdoctoral Scholar

2014 Present
2011 2013

EDUCATION
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Ph.D., Chemistry

2006-2011

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India

M.Sc., Chemistry

2004-2006

R.K. Mission Residential College, Calcutta, India

B.Sc., Chemistry (graduated with 1st class Honors)

2001-2004

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
2014 Present
Conduct laboratory research focused on the synthesis, and characterization of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), silver
nanoclusters (AgNCs), and biomaterials and their applications in energy, catalysis, and bioimaging. Design various
DNA-hosted luminescent gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) and employ them as electrocatalysts for enzymatic fuel cells
in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and for chemical catalysis. Design and synthesis of DNA-templated
fluorescent silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) for application in bio imaging. Design polypeptides that self-assemble into
pre-defined 2D and 3D materials of various shapes and sizes. Deliver research presentations at group meetings and
conferences. Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and write proposals for research grants.
Developed synthesis, purification, and characterization methods of DNA-hosted AuNCs.
Created enzymatic activity assays and demonstrated use of these AuNCs as electrocatalysts for ORR in
enzymatic fuel cells using ink composites made of AuNCs / single-walled carbon nanotubes / bilirubin oxidase.
Designed, expressed, and purified short polypeptides and characterized self-assembly into 2D polymeric
structures on carbon and silica surface using various microscopy methods.
Synthesized and characterized fluorescent AgNCs templated by DNA.
Co-investigator at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies on project funded by US Department of Energy.
Received LAPA Award for outstanding achievement, dedication, and safety in 2014.
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL

2011 2013
Performed research focused on metalloprotein / metalloenzyme engineering to design, prepare, and test biosynthetic
models of complex metalloenzymes in nature and understand their reactivity and mechanistic aspects using these
model systems employing various spectroscopic and bioanalytical methods. Presented research during weekly
group meetings and at conferences. Maintained and repaired laboratory equipment. Ensured work safety.
Supervised and trained team of 3 undergraduates and 1 graduate.
Engineered structural and functional biosynthetic mimics of nitric oxide reductases (NORs) within the
myoglobin scaffold.
Established mechanism of the reduction of nitric oxide by the engineered NOR proteins employing various
spectroscopic and bioanalytical methods. Shed light on likely mechanisms of the native enzyme.
Incorporated zinc-heme nonnative cofactor in NOR mimics by replacing native heme, obtaining, solving, and
refining X-ray structures, reconstituting the non-heme Fe site, and characterizing nitric oxide complex of nonheme Fe centers.
Devised binuclear metalloenzyme model of Cyt. C Oxidases (CcOs) consisting of cobalt and a heme within the
myoglobin scaffold. Probed cobalt binding using paramagnetic NMR studies and performed oxidase activity
assays using O2 sensing electrode.
Produced, expressed, purified, and studied mechanism of formation of binuclear electron transfer site in
variants of biosynthetic protein model azurin.
Co-wrote proposals funded by National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health of up to $6
million.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
2006 2011
Graduate Student Research Assistant
Carried out research on de novo protein design to synthesize peptides that self-assemble in solution to form parallel
trimeric bundles and use them for sequestering various heavy metals to understand heavy metal biochemistry and
toxicity as well as future application for heavy metal decontamination from drinking water. Oversaw group safety
and assigned lab duties for all group members. Presented research during weekly group meetings and at
conferences. Maintained and repaired lab equipment. Mentored team of 1 undergraduate and 2 graduate students.
Obtained, solved, and refined X-ray structures of the polypeptides in the presence and absence of metal ions to
define key structural elements that determine such high affinity and selectivity of these metals.
Delineated the rules that govern location-dependent (middle vs. end of the peptides) molecular recognition of 2
identical metal sites within these heavy-metal sequestering systems.
Measured the first ever experimentally determined exchange rate of water bound to a metalloprotein on the tens
of ns time scale using temperature-dependent perturbed angular correlation of gamma rays (PAC) and NMR
spectroscopy.
Elucidated the dynamics and multi-site exchange mechanism of Cd in trimeric peptide bundles by NMR
spectroscopy and theoretical calculations.
Formulated a triple Cys metal binding site in a de novo three-helix bundle protein yielding a well-folded
construct with high affinity for various heavy metals with predefined coordination geometry.
Co-authored proposals funded by National Institutes of Health of up to $4 million.
Honored with Vaughan Symposium Travel Award in 2010.
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, India
2005 2006
Student Researcher
Carried out lab research to derive nutation frequency for a spin 1 system and experimental measurement of NQR
spectra.
Determined nutation frequency for spin 1 system.
Measured 1D and 2D experimental NQR spectra of solid NaC1O3.
Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, India
2005
Summer Fellow at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India
Worked on synthesis and characterization of ruthenium complexes containing polypyridine ligands.
Synthesized, purified, and characterized and elucidated valance-state distribution in the Ruthenium oQuinonoid Systems.
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TECHNICAL SUMMARY
Laboratory Skills & Procedures:
Peptide Synthesis: Solid phase conventional and microwave automated peptide synthesis, resin cleavage;
Molecular Biology: Recombinant DNA cloning, PCR, site-directed mutagenesis, DNA sequence analysis,
Miniprep, DNA hybridization; Biochemistry: Recombinant protein expression in E.coli, isolation and purification
using solution/inclusion bodies/osmotic shock/refolding with cofactors, sonication, microfluidization/French press,
SDS-PAGE, gel extraction, quantification assays; Synthesis: Synthesis of polypyridine ruthenium complexes,
noble metal nanoclusters templated by proteins/DNA/RNA and small molecules (glutathione); Material
Composite Preparation: Preparation of composite materials for bio fuel cell cathodes consisting of single- and
multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT), Nafion, PBSE linker, enzyme, and nanoclusters; dropcasting on electrode
surfaces; Enzymatic Assays: Reductase (NO/NOR), oxidase (O2/CcO), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)
assays; Inert Atmosphere Techniques: Glove bag/box, Schlenk line, lyophilization, special gas handling (NO,
N2O); Bioinformatics: Protein design, Protein engineering, Molecular dynamics simulations, Model building in
PyMol, Sequence alignment, Blast and translation tools, Homology modeling, DNA sequence alignment; Software
on Linux and Windows Platforms: Origin, VNMRJ, MestreC, Mestre Nova, HKL 2000, CCP4, Coot, Phoenix,
Statistical analysis tools, Rosetta, ImageJ, ChemDraw, Office suite
Laboratory Instruments:
Peptide synthesizer: Conventional and microwave solid phase peptide synthesizer; Chromatography:
Fundamental understanding of all forms of chromatography. Hands-on experience with reverse phase HPLC
(Waters/EMPOWER/MassLynx), FPLC (KTA), affinity, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), ion exchange
chromatography using various types of columns for separation of peptides, proteins, DNA, and synthetic molecules;
X-ray Crystallography/Structural Biology: Obtaining and harvesting crystals under aerobic and inert atmosphere
conditions, handling light sensitive crystals, high through put (HTP) automated crystal screening, mounting, data
collection, solving and refining peptide / protein structures; Spectroscopy: 1D and 2D 1H, and heteronuclear NMR,
NOESY, HSQC, TOCSY, PNMR, ESI-MS, ICP-MS, GC-MS, LC-MS, MALDI-TOF, UV-vis, Stopped-flow,
Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, Circular dichroism, FTIR, NIR, X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS),
Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), Perturbed angular correlation of gamma rays (PAC), Nuclear Resonance
Vibrational Spectroscopy (NRVS), Mssbauer spectroscopy, Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS),
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR); Electrochemistry: Three electrode systems, including rotating disk
electrode (RDE), cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry,
spectroelectrochemistry NO, and O2 sensing electrodes; Polymer Characterization: Analytical ultracentrifugation,
dynamic light scattering, DOSY NMR; Microscopy: SEM, TEM, STEM for imaging soft materials and
oligonucleotide-Au nanoclusters drop cast on carbon or silica surfaces; Synchrotron: Data collection at CERN
(Switzerland: PAC data), and APS (Argonne, USA: X-ray, and NRVS data)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

Publications (3 of 12): For details See: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8uNdXagAAAAJ&hl=en
1. Chakraborty, S.; Reed, J.; Ross, M.; Nilges, M. J.; Petrik, I. D.; Ghosh, S.; Hammes-Schiffer, S.; Sage, J. T.;
Zhang, Y.; Schulz, C. E.; Lu, Y. Spectroscopic and Computational Study of a Non-heme Iron-Nitrosyl Center in a
Biosynthetic Model of Nitric Oxide Reductase Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2014, 56, 2417-2421
2. Chakraborty, S.; Kravitz, J. Y.; Thulstrup, P. W.; Hemmingsen, L.; DeGrado, W.F.; Pecoraro, V. L. Design of
a Three-Helix Bundle Capable of Binding Heavy Metals in a Triscysteine Environment Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.
2011, 50, 2049-2053. (Highlighted as Inside Cover)
3. Chakraborty, S.; Touw, D. S.; Peacock, A. F. A.; Stuckey, J. A.; Pecoraro, V. L. Structural Comparisons of
Apo- and Three Stranded Coiled Coils Clarify Metal Binding Determinants in Thiolate Containing Designed
Peptides J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132, 13240-13250
Selected Presentations (3 of 48):
1. Chakraborty, S.; Babanova, S.; Rocha, R.; Desireddy, A.; Artyushkova, K.; Atanassov, P. Martinez, J. "DNAhosted gold nanocluster enhances enzymatic electroreduction of oxygen by mediating efficient electron transfer",
250th American Chemical Society National meeting, Boston, MA, August, 2015
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SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS continued

2. Chakraborty, S.; Artyushkova, K.; Desireddy, A.; Rocha, R.; Goodwin, P.; Babanova, S.; Martinez, J
"Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of DNA-Templated Luminescent Gold Nanocluster", 2015 Materials
Research Society Spring Meeting and Exhibit, San Francisco, April, 2015
3. Chakraborty, S.; Matsumura, H.; Ross, M.; Nilges, M. J.; Menne-Loccoz, P.; Schulz, C. E.; Lu, Y. A
Biosynthetic Approach to Design Structural and Functional Models of Nitric Oxide Reductases, Gordon Research
Seminar, Ventura, USA, CA, January, 2013

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
2006 2007
Graduate Student Instructor Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (Fall 2007)
Graduate Student Instructor Synthesis and Characterization of Organic Compounds (Winter 2007)
Graduate Student Instructor General Chemistry (Fall 2006)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Materials Research Society
American Chemical Society

LANGUAGES
Trilingual: Fluent in English, Hindi, and Bengali

ADDITIONAL
Serve as Editorial Board Member for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Journal. Previously served as
Editorial Board Member from 2013 to 2014 for Current Advances in Bioformatics. Reviewed 30+ scientific
manuscripts in peer-reviewed international journals.