Prof. Julie Lukesh

Julie LukeshProf. Julie Lukesh has been exploring the Development of Chemical Sensors for Measuring Antioxidant levels in Food, with Professor Yolanda Jones of Alcorn State University and funded by the USDA. The need for developing a method to test for flavonoid content of sweet potatoes is important since sweet potatoes with high antioxidant content are considered value added crops. To analyze for flavonoid content, a chemical sensor is needed. A chemically sensitive coating will be prepared via molecular imprinting technologies. The syntheses of the coatings (i.e.; polymers) will be carried out using a combinatorial approach at the UW-Green Bay with the help of undergraduate students. Not will this research benefit farmers growing sweet potatoes, but also for the fulfilling the mission statement of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay – connecting learning to life. Students involved in this project will learn basic chemistry research skills and will be more prepared to enter the work force or graduate school.