Research

• Primase is the enzyme that initiates DNA synthesis during DNA replication. Our goal is to discover the next generation of antibiotics by searching for inhibitors of the bacterial primase.  To help us do this, we seek to understand the structure and function of primase from many bacteria.
• Publications
• Griep Lab Alumni
• Bacterial primase
• DnaB helicase
• DNA replication fork

Regular Teaching

• 2008 Distinguished Teaching Award
• Contributing author of 10 Chemistry in the Movies boxes to the 4th Edition of World of Chemistry by Joesten, Castellion, and Hogg, from Thomson Brooks/Cole
• Chem 105: Chemistry in Context 1
• Chem 109: General Chemistry 1 (Here is my page of animated Bohr atoms)
• Chem 835: Chemical Biology

Honors Seminar Courses

• Chem 191H: The Color Red (Fall 2000)
• Chem 292H: Professional Development (Spring 2001)
• Chem 292H: Radioactive Medicine (Spring 2002)
• Chem 292H: Chemistry in the Movies (Spring 2005)

Chemistry and Society

• UNL Chemistry Day (Every Fall since 2001)
• Songs to use in the chemistry classroom
• Movies to use in the chemistry classroom
• Oxford University Press website for ReAction! Chemistry in the Movies (to be released June 2009) written with my soul mate Marjorie Mikasen 
• Alfred P. Sloan Award in the area of Public Understanding of Science to do the research for chemistry in the movies
• International award-winning sculpture titled Zinc-Binding Domain Ascending a Staircase made in collaboration with my soul mate Marjorie Mikasen

News and Interviews

• Interviewed about the Chemistry Department's 125th Anniversary in 2008: Chemistry Celebrates 125 Years on Campus by Sara Gilliam for Scarlet. At the bottom of the article, they have a link to a slideshow of images from our history.
• Marjorie Mikasen and I were interviewed in 2008: Chemist, Artist Explore Chemistry in the Movies by Jerry Johnston for Nebraska Public Radio 91.3.
• My public lecture on Chemistry in the Movies as part of UNL Chemistry Day was reported in 2006: UNL Prof Finds Chemistry in the Movies by Jerry Johnston for Nebraska Public Radio 91.3.
• Interviewed about my 2005 UNL Chemistry in the Movies course: On-Screen Chemistry: A UNL Researcher Reacts to Science in the Movies by Rachael Seravalli for Lincoln Journal Star.
• Interviewed about my Chemistry in the Movies project in 2004: Chemistry at the Cineplex: Professor Examines Chemistry in Movies by Tom Hancock for Scarlet.
• Quoted in the 2004 magazine article: DNA Forensics: From RFLP to PCR-STR and Beyond by Phillip Jones for Forensic Magazine.
• Mentioned in the 2004 newspaper article: Forget Star Chemistry: How About the Film's by Randy Kennedy for the New York Times.