Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

No Molecule is an Island: Intermolecular Forces Rule! Most chemistry takes place in the liquid phase where many important properties such as vapour pressure, boiling point, surface tension, and viscosity can be explained in terms of the interactions between molecules. Intermolecular interactions are one of the principal forces that govern molecular recognition and influence the structures of proteins, DNA, and solid materials. They also play a significant role in the control of interactions of certain drugs with DNA and the conductive properties of molecular wires (single molecules that can form electrically conducting bridges).How intermolecular interactions affect a liquid's physical and molecular properties is the focus of Dr. Dale Keefe's research. Keefe investigates the microscopic properties of molecules and, in particular, their vibrations.  These interactions are studied using techniques such as infrared and Raman spectroscopy and computer simulations.  This research has the potential to have impact in many areas of chemistry, biochemistry, biology and chemical physics.