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Chemical Sensors, Quantum Mechanical Molecular Modeling, Demilitarization of Explosives, Photocatalytic Destruction of Organics in Water
1968 B.S. Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
1971 M.S. Cell Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
1974 Ph.D. Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette. IN. Advisor, Professor F. L. Crane
1974-1975 Postdoctoral Research with Dr. C.P. Lee, Johnson Research Foundation, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
1975-77 Postdoctoral Research with Prof. Britton Chance, Johnson Research Foundation, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA
2000- Professor, Oklahoma State University, Professor of Physics; Center for Sensors and Sensor Technology
1997 – 2000 Professor, Oklahoma State University, Joint appointment in Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and Department of Physics.
1993-1997 Professor, Oklahoma State University, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Professor of Physics; Coordinator, Intellectual Properties, Oklahoma State University
1992-93 Professor, Oklahoma State University, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics; Adjunct Professor of Physics, Coordinator, Intellectual Properties, Oklahoma State University
1990-92 Professor, Oklahoma State University, Department of Microbiology; Adjunct Professor of Physics
1988-90 Professor, Oklahoma State University, Joint Appointment in Physics and Zoology
1983-88 Associate Professor, Oklahoma State University, Joint Appointment in Physics and Zoology
1977-83 Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University
1969-72 Instructor, Principles of Biology Laboratories, Biology Department, Purdue University
Design of Solid State Chemical Sensors. This project designs and tests solid-state (no liquid reagents present) chemical sensors to identify the type as well as amount of chemical analytes or species present in water or air samples. The system uses the changes in optical/spectral characteristics of immobilized indicator reagents (porphyrins) that change their absorbance characteristics on binding the analyte. We are currently able to identify and quantitate the presence of the following in aqueous samples: Fe, Zn, Cd, Ni, benzene, formaldehyde, naphthalene, amino acids, nucleic acids, and sugars. A chemical sensor can be used to determine the presence of environmental hazards as well as the presence of metabolites and other compounds in industrial processes. The results are obtained in real-time (results now, not next week) and can be remotely coupled via fiber optics. Immediate interests are in Chemical and Biological Warfare agents with the capability of detecting cyanide in water and air, cholinesterase inhibitors such as pesticides and nerve agents, and mustard agent vapors at extremely low levels (parts per trillion in some cases). This project is strong in physics and chemistry and interacts with the Center for Sensors and Sensor Technologies.
Modeling of Analyte-Indicator Interactions. It is impossible to measure the spectral changes of each compound in the world on our indicator molecules. We are working to perform molecular modeling to determine the 3-D arrangement of "docking" with the indicator and attempting to predict the resulting changes in optical absorbance spectra of porphyrins and changes in molecules such as TNT.
Photocatalytic Modification of Organic Molecules. One project here is funded by NASA to improve the water recycling system of the Manned Mars Mission system using visible light and porphyrins as photocatalytic. A second much larger project in collaboration with the US Army Defense Ammunition Center in McAlester OK investigates the visible light catalyzed destruction of high energetics such as TNT, etc.
| 2001 | Porphyrins as CB Detectors. H.J. Harmon. Proceedings of the First Joint Conference on Point Detection for Chemical and Biological Defense. |
| 2001 | Spectroscopic Determination of Acetylcholine Esterase-Inhibitor Complex: Determination of Conformational Shifts of Proteins. H.J. Harmon, Biosensors and Bioelectronics 16, 1035-1041. |
| 2001 | Properties Influencing a Water Splitting Photocatalytic Electron Generator Reaction. K.K. Ma and H.J. Harmon. Proceedings of the Research Experience for Undergraduates meeting, Louisville, KY. |
| 2002 | Specific Visible Spectrum Changes in Cytosine-Functionalized Porphyrin Induced by Guanine Binding. H.J. Harmon. Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines 6, 73-77. |
| 2002 | Interaction of Monosulfonate Tetraphenyl Porphyrin, a Competitive Inhibitor, with Acetylcholinesterase. B.J. White and H.J. Harmon. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 17, 463-469. |
| 2002 | Reagentless Detection of a Competitive Inhibitor of Immobilized Acetylcholinesterase. B.J. White, J.A. Legako, and H.J. Harmon. Biosensors and Bioelectronics 17, 361-366. |
| 2002 | Novel Optical Solid-State Glucose Sensor Immobilized Glucose Oxidase. B.J. White and H.J. Harmon. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 296,1069-1074. |
| 2002 | Solid-State Optical Detection of Amino Acids. M.A. Awawdeh, J.A. Legako, and H.J. Harmon. Sensors and Actuators, B, in press. |
| 2002 | Rapid Reagent-less Optical Detection of Inhibitors of Butyrylcholinesterase”. B.J. White, J.A. Legako, and H.J. Harmon. Sensors and Actuators, B, in press. |
| 2002 | Extended Lifetime of Reagentless Detector for Multiple Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase. B.J. White, J.A. Legako, and H.J. Harmon. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, accepted pending revision. |
| 2002 | Optical Detection of Cyanide using Immobilized Porphyrins. J.A. Legako, B.J. White, and H.J. Harmon. Sensors and Actuators, B, in press. |
| 2002 | Spectrophotometric Detection of Cholinesterase Inhibitors with an Integrated Acetyl-/Butyrylcholinesterase Surface. B.J. White, A.J. Legako and H.J. Harmon, Sensors and Actuators, B., in press. |
| 2001 | Porphyrins as CB Detectors. H.J. Harmon. Proceedings of the First Joint Conference on Point Detection for Chemical and Biological Defense, Williamsburg, VA. October 23-27, 2002. |
| 2000 |
Properties Influencing a Water Splitting Photocatalytic Electron Generator Reaction. K.K. Ma and H.J. Harmon. Research Experience for Undergraduates meeting, Louisville, KY, March 2000. |
| 2001 | Extended Lifetime of Reagentless Detector for Multiple Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase. B.J. White, J.A. Legako, and H.J. Harmon. Biosensors 2002, Kyoto, Japan. May 15-17, 2002. |
| 2002 | Metalloporphyrin Photocatalytic Modification of Nitro-Energetic Molecules. H.J. Harmon and Solim Kwak. 10th Global Demil Symposium and Exhibition, Lexington, KY, May 20-24, 2002. |
| 2002 | Solid-State Optical Detection of Amino Acids. M.A. Awawdeh, J.A. Legako, and H.J. Harmon. 9th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors, Boston, MA. July 7-10, 2002. |
| 2002 | Rapid Reagent-less Optical Detection of Inhibitors of Butyrylcholinesterase”. B.J. White, J.A. Legako, and H.J. Harmon. 9th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors, Boston, MA. July 7-10, 2002. |
| 2002 | Optical Detection of Cyanide using Immobilized Porphyrins. J.A. Legako, B.J. White, and H.J. Harmon. 9th International Meeting on Chemical Sensors, Boston, MA. July 7-10, 2002. |
| 2002 | Metalloporphyrin Photocatalytic Modification of Nitro-Energetic Molecules. H.J. Harmon and Solim Kwak. 11th Demil Users Group Meeting, San Diego, CA. October 29-30, 2002. |
| 2002 | Rapid Reagent-less Optical Detection of Inhibitors of Butyrylcholinesterase”. B.J. White, J.A. Legako, and H.J. Harmon. 2002 Joint Service Scientific Conference on Chemical and Biological Defense Research. Hunt Valley, MD. Nov. 19-21, 2002. |
My laboratory houses state-of-the art optical spectroscopy capabilities including a CARY 4E dual beam spectrophotometer; a dual wavelength spectrophotometer for analyzing highly scattering samples; a single wavelength spectrophotometer for measuring kinetics at 30 microsecond resolution; an OLIS (On-Line Instruments) RSM-1000 rapid scanning spectrophotometer capable of recording fluorescence or absorbance spectra each millisecond or performing micro-second kinetics; Spex spectrofluorometer; lasers, light sources, monochromators, etc. Analytical chemistry equipment includes GC-MS, HPLC, and ion chromatographs. Each of the above instruments has a dedicated computer interface. Our 24-CPU parallel computing cluster is used for Quantum Mechanical Modeling. In addition, "general" chemistry and biochemistry/biophysics-type items are present- pH meters, oxygen electrodes, recorders, electrophoresis (DNA as well as SDS), balances, centrifuges, microfuge, etc.