Elizabeth T. Karnas, Ph.D.

Dr. Elizabeth Karnas is an organic chemist with expertise that spans a number of sub disciplines, including small molecule synthesis, supramolecular chemistry, drug discovery, imaging, and energy. She recently completed postdoctoral studies with Prof. Daniel G. Nocera at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she worked on the synthesis and characterization of quantum dot based nanosensors capable of monitoring in vivo tissue oxygen levels during therapeutic protocols.

Prior to her postdoctoral work, Dr. Karnas completed a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin with Prof. Jonathan L. Sessler. She studied anion binding and transport phenomena with a view to treating diseases such as cystic fibrosis. She also characterized anion-induced electron transfer reactions within synthetic systems that could lead to novel organic battery designs. As a graduate student, Dr. Karnas received three fellowships from the Japanese government for collaborative research that she carried out at Osaka University in the group of Prof. Shunichi Fukuzumi. She also held a leadership position in the UT Chapter of Iota Sigma Pi, an honor society for women in chemistry.

Dr. Karnas has co-authored multiple research articles in peer-reviewed journals, including Science, The Journal of the American Chemical Society and Nature Chemistry.  She also co-authored a book chapter entitled “Porphyrins and Expanded Porphyrins as Receptors” for a major chemistry compendium that was published in early 2012.

Professional Affiliations

• American Chemical Society

Publications

• Sessler, J. L.; Karnas, E.; Sedenberg, E. Porphyrins and Expanded Porphyrins as Receptors; Supramolecular Chemistry from Molecules to Nanomaterials, Vol. 3 Publishers: John Wiley & Sons: ISBN: 978-0-470-74640-0, 2012.
• Fukuzumi, S.; Mase, K.; Ohkubo, K.; Fu, Z.; Karnas, E.; Sessler, J. L.; Kadish, K. M. “Disproportionation of the Dipyrrolylquinoxaline Radical Anions via the Internal Protons of the Pyrrole Moieties,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 7284.
• Gong, H-Y.; Rambo, B. M.; Karnas, E.; Lynch, V. M.; Keller, K. M.; Sessler, J. L. “Environmentally Responsive Threading, Dethreading, and Fixation of Anion-Induced Pseudorotaxanes,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 1526.
• Karnas, E.; Kim, S. K.; Johnson, K. A.; Sessler, J. L.; Ohkubo, K.; Fukuzumi, S.  “Stopped-Flow Kinetic Analysis of the Interaction of Cyclo[8]pyrrole with Anions,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 16617.
• Park, J. S.; Karnas, E.; Ohkubo, K.; Chen, P.; Kadish, K. M.; Fukuzumi, S.; Bielawski, C. W.; Hudnall, T. W.; Lynch, V. M.; Sessler, J. L. “Ion-Mediated Electron Transfer in a Supramolecular Donor-Acceptor Ensemble,” Science 2010, 329, 1324.
• Gale, P. A.; Tong, C. C.; Haynes, C. J. E.; Adeosun, O.; Gross, D. E.; Karnas, E.; Sedenberg, E.; Quesada, R.; Sessler, J. L. “Octafluorocalix[4]pyrrole: A Chloride/Bicarbonate Antiport Agent,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 3240.
• Gong, H-Y.; Rambo, B. M.; Karnas, E.; Lynch, V. M.; Sessler, J. L. “A ‘Texas-sized’ Molecular Box that Forms an Anion-Induced Supramolecular Necklace,” Nat. Chem. 2010, 2, 406.
• Grimm, B.; Karnas, E.; Brettreich, M.; Ohta, K.; Hirsch, A.; Guldi, D. M.; Torres, T.; Sessler, J. L. “Charge Transfer in Sapphyrin-Fullerene Hybrids,” J. Phys. Chem. B 2010, 114, 14134.
• Cuesta, L.; Karnas, E.; Lynch, V. M.; Ping, C.; Kadish, K. M.; Ohkubo, K.; Fukuzumi, S.; Sessler, J. L. “Metalloporphycenes: Synthesis and Characterization of (Pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)ruthenium Sitting-Atop and p-Complexes,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 13538.
• Sessler, J. L.; Karnas, E.; Kim, S. K.; Ou, Z.; Zhang, M.; Kadish, K. M.; Ohkubo, K.; Fukuzumi, S. “‘Umpolung’ Photoinduced Charge Separation in an Anion-Bound Supramolecular Complex,” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 15256.

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• Cuesta, L.; Karnas, E.; Lynch, V. M.; Sessler, J. L.; Kajonkijya, W.; Zhu, W.; Zhang, M.; Ou, Z.; Kadish, K. M.; Ohkubo, K.; Fukuzumi, S. “(Pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)ruthenium p-Complexes of Metalloporphyrins: Platforms with Novel Photo- and Electrochemical Properties,” Chem. Eur. J. 2008, 14, 10206.
• Benziger, J.; Chia, E.; Karnas, E.; Moxley, J.; Teuscher, C.; and Kevrekidis, I. G. “The Stirred Tank Reactor Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell,” AIChE Journal 2004, 50, 1889.