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Leah Spangler, Ph.D. - VCU College of Engineering. Richmond, VA, US

Leah Spangler, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Chemical and Life Science Engineering | VCU College of Engineering

Richmond, VA, UNITED STATES

Dr. Spangler's research interests include protein engineering, developing sustainable biomaterials, and renewable energy.

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Biography

Leah obtained her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University where she studied the single enzyme biomineralization of semiconductor quantum dots for biomedical and energy applications. Leah then continued her research career as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Prof. Gregory Scholes’ lab at Princeton University where she studied the relationship between protein structure and optical properties of photosynthetic proteins, amyloid fibers, and de novo proteins. Leah’s current research interests include engineering de novo proteins with enzymatic activity for application in scalable biomaterial synthesis, and using time resolved spectroscopy to elucidate the photophysical mechanisms of newly discovered optical properties in supramolecular protein systems.

Education (3)

Princeton University: Postdoctoral Associate 2022

Lehigh University: PhD, Chemical Engineering 2018

Drexel University: BS/MS, Chemical Engineering 2013

Media Appearances (1)

Rebecca Jarrell lands first place at the VCU 27th Annual Graduate Research Symposium

VCU  online

Spangler lab graduate student Rebecca Jarrell won 1st place presenting her work on enzymatically synthesized CdS quantum dots!

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Research Grants (1)

De Novo Protein Design to Capture and Release REEs for Low-cost Purification

DARPA 

2024-05-01

Separation and Purification of Rare Earth Elements (SPREE) ARC

Selected Articles (1)

Understanding Biomineralization Mechanisms to Produce Size-Controlled, Tailored Nanocrystals for Optoelectronic and Catalytic Applications: A Review

ACS Applied Nano Materials

Toriana Vigil and Leah Spangler

2024-02-29

Published as part of "Women in Nano" Special Edition

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