Students Enjoy Serious Chemistry Fun in Research.

Learn and have research fun with Chemistry at the Norton NanoLaboratories facility.

All work and no play make a dull group.

Dr. Norton’s Chemistry Students 2003-2004:

Graduate student Aoune Barhoumi. His major project is synthesis and characterization of "large scale nanostructures", building large structures with atomic precision.

Graduate Student Fan Zhang. Her major project is the characterization of DNA nanoarray assembly including growth kinetics and nanoarray functionalization.

Graduate Student Trabtip Rugarcheep. Her major project involves the characterization of nanostructure assembly using dynamic light scattering.

Postdoctoral Fellow Ashish Vaidya, master synthetic agent in the lab. Major project: Implementing surface attachment and derivatization chemistries for DNA based objects.

Technician Jennifer Cooke (left) and Laboratory Coordinator Dejia Cai (right)

Imaging Specialist David Neff (left) and Dr. Victor Fett (right) observing novel features of scorpions using the Scanning Electron Microscope.

Undergraduate student Erica Roberts, Designing oligonucleotide sensor sequences

The Nanocircle Sensor Team: Erica Roberts (left) and Samantha Beever-Cook (right)

Erica Roberts (left) and Robert Rambacher (right). Rob's projects included the temperature dependent characterization of fluorescence of molecular probes.

Undergraduate student Mikala Shremshock at the Pacific Nanotechnologies AFM. Her major project involves silicon surface modification and DNA functionalization for nanostructure immobilization. 

Adam Ritchie's studies involved the modeling of molecular assemblies labeled with tags, including streptavidin functionalized nanogold particles.

Undergraduate summer researcher Cindy Schreiber (Virginia Tech). Her major project is the development of rapid methodologies for DNA amplification.

Meagan Watts studied Chromatin as a part of her capstone project. The objective of this study, performed with mentor Philippe Georgel, is to study chromatin structure using an AFM, the Topometrix system, which has an associated inverted fluorescence microscope.

Science Teacher Jayshree Shah (left) and Erica Roberts (right). A major part of Ms. Shah's effort is directed toward the development of research projects related to DNA identification which are appropriate for high school students.

Elizabeth Fet, and expert in genotyping, introduces students to essential DNA methods, including PCR and gel electrophoresis. Timothy Hayes, a science teacher at Fairland High School, mentors the students and performs research in the application area of DNA markers for organism identification.

Emanuel Gunn and Caitlin Midkiff are optimizing PCR methods for the rapid genotyping for identification of SNP related genetic predispositions to disease.

Nick Adams and Caitlin Midkiff use PCR for the identification of genetic markers. Nick's project involves markers introduced into foods. Caitlin's project involved human markers of predisposition to disease.

Chris Tucker is a fan of computers, which is helpful, since we would like to automate everything, from PCR systems to array fabrication.

Sameera Kumar investigated the application of PCR to marker identification.

The Vandalia Group

Skunk Works Lab December, 2003

Mike Norton, Justin Swick, Liz Murray, Derek Gregg and Herb Tesser

Raed Al-Shaikh, Amy Wolfe and Aoune Barhoumi all work on different facets of DNA production.

The tools seen here and others are utilized to aid in understanding nanomachines and  their related elements through nanotechnology. Nanochemistry is an important component of our success and is being investigated by Dr. Michael L. Norton. Contact Norton Laboratories with your interests.

The Norton Group is serious about chemistry and fun. Time off to enjoy camaraderie among members helps to round our education and form a deep appreciation for all of our talents and skills.

The Norton Group

Current Students / Member List

Former Student / Member List

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Department of Chemistry - Marshall University, 1 John Marshall Drive, Huntington, WV 25755