Michael Webb

Assistant Professor

Chemistry

Office

Science Laboratory Building - SLB 209

Office Hours

M 11-12pm, Th 11:30-12:30pm,
or by appointment.

Office Phone

(309) 438-8576office
phone

miwebb@ilstu.eduemail

Website

webb-lab.weebly.com/website

About
Education
Research

Current Courses

350.001Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

351.001Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Lab

351.002Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Lab

299.006Independent Honor Study In Chemistry

290.006Research in Chemistry

490.005Research In Chemistry

Teaching Interests & Areas

Engaging, honest, and affable, these are the traits that I believe a good teacher should have. In my own experience, the instructors who had these characteristics made the material they were covering more appealing, interesting, and ultimately easier to learn. In my courses, I encourage students to think critically when analyzing a problem, not simply memorizing a solution. Chemistry is a central science, incorporating several aspects of other areas of study. Recognizing and understanding, then applying when you have learned to solve a problem is the ultimate goal. Regurgitation is not part of the curriculum. That being said, I have an open door policy with regards to extra help or questions. If my office door is open, come in! Ask away! If it is closed, email me (miwebb@ilstu.edu) and we can arrange a meeting.

Research Interests & Areas

Research within the Webb group focuses on the occurrence of metals in medicine, as either the therapeutic agent or the target for therapy. Specifically, protein interactions have been observed to be central in either the pathology of several diseases following an interaction with endogenous metal ions, thereby becoming the target for therapy, or in the transportation of metallotherapeutics to their site of action. We are currently investigating several metal-protein interactions, to provide new leads for therapeutic development. For more information on current research and potential opportunities, please visit my personal research webpage.

Post-Doc Bioengineering

University of California Berkeley

Berkeley, CA

Ph D Chemistry

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby, BC, Canada

BS Chemistry

Mount Allison University

Sackville, NB, Canada

Journal Article

Wall, Brendan J.^‡; Will, Mark F.^‡; Yawson, Gideon K.; Bothwell, Paige J.; Platt, David C.; Apuzzo, C. Fiore; Jones, Marjorie A.; Ferrence, Gregory M.; Webb, Michael I. “The Importance of Hydrogen Bonding: Structure-Activity Relationships of Ruthenium(III) Complexes for Alzheimer’s Disease Therapy with Pyridine-based Ligands” Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2021, 64, 10124-10138 (^‡ = each author contributed equally to this work)

Yawson, Gideon K.; Huffman, Samantha E.; Fisher, Samuel S.; Bothwell, Paige J.; Platt, David C.; Jones, Marjorie A.; Ferrence, Gregory M.; Hamaker, Christopher G.; Webb, Michael I. “Ruthenium(III) complexes with imidazole ligands that modulate the aggregation of the amyloid-β peptide via hydrophobic interactions,” Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry 2021, 214(111303), 1-10. DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2020.111303.

Huffman, Samantha, Yawson, Gideon, Fisher, Bothwell, Paige, Platt, David, Jones, Marjorie, Hamaker, Christopher, Webb, Michael. Ruthenium(III) Complexes Containing Thiazole-Based Ligands That Modulate Amyloid-β Aggregation. Metallomics 12:491-503, 2020.

Webb, M., & Walsby, C. Albumin binding and ligand-exchange processes of the Ru(III) anticancer agent NAMI-A and its bis-DMSO analogue determined by ENDOR spectroscopy. Dalton Transactions 44 (2015): 17482-17493.

Jones, M., Mu, C., Wang, M., Webb, M., Walsby, C., & Storr, T. Modulation of the Aβ peptide aggregation pathway by KP1019 limits Aβ-associated neurotoxicity. Metallomics 7 (2014): 129-135.