Faculty/Staff Directory
Dr. Upendra Adhikari
478.471.2047
Assistant Professor
| Office Hours: | MTWR: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm |
| Locations: (Campus & Office) |
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| Syllabi: | |
| Teaching and Research Interests: | I am interested in teaching both Survey of Chemistry courses for health science majors and Principles of Chemistry courses for natural science majors, as well as upper-level undergraduate courses such as Physical Chemistry and Introductory Computational Chemistry. I enjoy teaching students from diverse academic backgrounds helping them build a strong foundation in chemistry. I am committed to mentoring students through active classroom interaction and approaches that encourage curiosity and a lasting interest in chemistry. My research interests focus on using computational chemistry, especially quantum mechanical calculations and molecular dynamics simulations, to better understand complex biomolecular processes. I am particularly interested in how noncovalent interactions govern poloxamer-based drug delivery, protein and peptide folding, and antimicrobial peptide–membrane interactions. By integrating theory with advanced simulation techniques, my work aims to provide molecular-level insight that supports and informs experimental studies. An important component of my research program is the active involvement of undergraduate students in interdisciplinary, hands-on projects that link physical chemistry concepts to real-world biological and pharmaceutical applications. |
| Courses: | CHEM 1151 CHEM 1152 CHEM 1211 CHEM 1212 SCIE 2999 |
| Education: (All institutions attended and degrees or credentials earned) | PhD in Chemistry, Utah State University, Logan, UT BS/MS in Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Publications and Scholarships: (Last 5 Years) | Selected Publications: U. Adhikari, B. Mostofian, J. Copperman, S. R. Subramanian, A. Petersen, D.M. Zuckerman, Computational estimation of ms-sec atomistic folding times, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2019, 141, 6519-6526. U. Adhikari, A. Goliaei, M. Berkowitz, Nanobubbles, Cavitation, Shock Waves and Traumatic Brain Injury, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2016, 18, 32638-32652. A. Goliaei, E. Y. Lau, U. Adhikari, E. Schwegler, M. Berkowitz, Behavior of P85 and P188 Poloxamer Molecules: Computer Simulations Using United Atom Force Field, J. Phys. Chem. B 2016, 120 (33), pp 8631–8641. U. Adhikari, A. Goliaei, L. Tsereteli, M. Berkowitz, Properties of Poloxamer Molecules and Poloxamer Micelles Dissolved in Water and Next to Lipid Bilayers: Results from Computer Simulations, J. Phys. Chem. B 2015, 120, 5823-5830. U. Adhikari, A. Goliaei, M. Berkowitz, Mechanism of Membrane Poration by Shock Wave Induced Nanobubble Collapse: A Molecular Dynamics Study, J. Phys. Chem. B 2015, 119, 6625-6234. U. Adhikari, S. Scheiner, Effects of Charge and Substituent on the S•••N Chalcogen Bond, J. Phys. Chem. A 2014, 118, 3183-3192. U. Adhikari, S. Scheiner, A. Roy, T. Kar, Do Phenolic and Carboxylic Groups Coexist at the Tip of Oxidized Single-wall Carbon Nanotubes (o-SWNTs)?, Carbon 2014, 73, 194-205. S. Horowitz, L. M. A. Dirk, J. D. Yesselman, J. S. Nimtz, U. Adhikari, R. A. Mehl, S. Scheiner, R. L. Houtz, H. M. Al-Hashimi, R. C. Trievel, Conservation and Functional Importance of Carbon-Oxygen Hydrogen Bonding in AdoMet-Dependent Methyltransferases, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 15536-15548. U. Adhikari, S. Scheiner, Preferred Configurations of Peptide-Peptide Interactions, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2013, 117, 489-496.5. U. Adhikari, S. Scheiner, Substituent Effects on Cl•••N, S•••N and P•••N Noncovalent Bonds, J. Phys. Chem. A 2012, 116, 3487-3497. |
| Organizations: | American Chemical Society |
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