Born and raised in Wichita and alumni of Newman University, Ryan is thrilled to be teaching at his alma mater in his hometown. After earning a Chemistry Bachelor’s of Science degree from Newman University, he pursued his doctoral degree at Rice University in Houston Texas, eventually earning a Ph.D. in chemistry. His research included synthesis of nanoparticles, cancer therapeutic drug delivery, and plasmonics (study of how light interacts with metals). At Newman University, he has the distinct pleasure of both teaching and researching chemistry.
Rice University; Houston, TX
Ph. D Chemistry, 2007-2012 (Dissertation Title: Light-triggered Release from Plasmonic Nanoparticles)
Newman University; Wichita, KS
M.A. Chemistry 2009 Dissertation Title: Optical Release of Antisense Oligonucleotides from Nanoshell Gene Therapy Delivery Vectors, 2003-07
Newman University; Wichita, KS
B.S. Chemistry, Summa cum laude
- Analytical Chemistry
- Nanoparticle Synthesis
- Earth & Space Science
My research interests are three fold:
1. As an Analytical chemist, I am interested in analyzing samples both quantitatively and qualitatively from a variety of areas of science including agriculture, biochemistry, biology, forensics, medicine, environmental science, geology and materials science. Of course, analyzing samples accurately requires cool toys (fancy instrumentation) for chemical analyses like High Performance Liquid Chromatography, Gas Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry, UV-Visible Spectrophotometry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy, and X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy.
2. As a nanoparticle chemist, I am interested in the synthesis of metal nanoparticles and researching future applications of nanoparticles.
3. As a professor focused on teaching effectiveness, I am interested in teaching methods that improve student outcomes. For example, in the classroom, I use interactive simulations via laptops and tablets to engage students through an intuitive, game-like environment where students learn through exploration and discovery. Strategies involving active learning are constantly being researched and implemented.
- Blankschien, M.D.; Pretzer, L.A.; Huschka, R.; Halas, N.J.; Gonzalez, R.; Wong, M.S. “Light-Triggered Biocatalysis Using Thermophilic Enzyme-Gold Nanoparticle Complexes.” ACS Nano, 2013, 7, 654-663. DOI: 10.1021/nn3048445 2.
- Huschka; R.; Barhoumi, A.; Liu, Q.; Roth, J.A.; Ji, L.; Halas, N.J. “Gene Silencing by Gold Nanoshell-Mediated Delivery and Laser-Triggered Release of Antisense Oligonucleotide and siRNA.” ACS Nano 2012, 6, 7681-7691. DOI: 10.1021/nn301135w
- Hester, B.; Campbell, G.K.; Lopez-Mariscal, C.; Filgueira, C.L.; Huschka, R.; Halas, N. J.; Helmerson, K., "Tunable optical tweezers for wavelength-dependent measurements," Review of Scientific Instruments, 83, 4, pp. 043114,043114-8, Apr 2012 DOI: 10.1063/1.4704373
- Huschka R.; Zuloaga, J.; Knight, M.W.; Brown, L.V.; Nordlander, P.; Halas, N.J. “Light-Induced Release of DNA from Gold Nanoparticles: Nanoshells and Nanorods.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 12247–12255. DOI: 10.1021/ja204578e
- Huschka, R.*; Neumann, O.*; Barhoumi, A.; Halas, N.J. “Visualizing Light-Triggered Release of Molecules Inside Living Cells.” Nano Letters, 2010, 10, 4117–4122. (*equal contribution). DOI: 10.1021/nl102293b
- Barhoumi, A.; Huschka, R.; Bardhan, R.; Knight, M.W.; Halas, N.J. “Light-Induced Release of DNA from Plasmon-Resonant nanoparticles: Towards Light-controlled Gene Therapy.” Chem. Phys. Lett., 2009, 482, 171-179. DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2009.09.076
- Bardhan, R.*; Wenxue Chen, W.*; Perez-Torres, C.; Bartels, M.; Huschka, R.; Zhao, L.; Morosan, E.; Pautler, R.; Joshi, A.; Halas, N.J. “Nanoshells with Targeted Simultaneous Enhancement of Magnetic and Optical Imaging and Photothermal Therapeutic Response.” Adv. Func. Mater., 2009, 19, 3901-3909 (*equal contribution). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.200901235
- “Light triggered release of gene therapeutics from cationic polylysine Au nanoshells: A non-viral delivery vector” 243rd ACS National Meeting; San Diego, California.
- “Visualizing Light-Triggered Release of Molecules Inside Living Cells”, Poster, University of Arkansas 2010 Advances in Breast Cancer Research Conference; Fayetteville, Arkansas.
- “Controlled Optical Release of Antisense Oligonucleotides from Gold Nanoshells” Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University; Houston, Texas.
- American Chemical Society Member