Magnetic resonance uses the behavior of nuclear spins and electron spins in magnetic fields as probes of chemical and biological systems. This field encompasses several spectroscopies that are employed to elucidate structure and dynamics of chemical systems: nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and electron pair resonance (EPR).

NMR and MRI: We use magnetic resonance phenomena exhibited by nuclei to study the physical, chemical, and biological properties of both solids and liquids. NMR/MRI research being undertaken at Washington University is very diverse and includes as focus areas:

• enzyme kinetics
• drug-target interactions
• protein-membrane interactions
• local dynamics and structure of polymers
• peptidoglycan structures in bacteria
• laser-enhanced NMR of semiconductors, quantum wells, quantum dots
• photoswitchable organic compounds
• motion of H and D atoms in metal hydrides
• hyperpolarized gas NMR, including MR imaging of lungs of patients and animals
• neuroimaging for quantification of cell injury
• cancer biology of tumor metabolism

EPR: The magnetic resonance behavior of unpaired electron spins can be used to study structure and dynamics of the paramagnetic species. EPR is currently being applied in these areas:

• free radical reactions in zeolites (mesoporous materials)
• zero field experiments of photo-excited triplet states in organic molecules.

In addition to the faculty and group pages (above), please also see:

• the High Resolution NMR Facility
• The St. Louis NMR Discussion Group, co-directed by Joel Garbow, Mark Conradi,and Sophia Hayes; subscribe to the listserv here.
  The seminar schedule is also available here.