Bio

Abraham Badu-Tawiah obtained his B.Sc. (2002) and M.Sc. (2005) degrees from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi – Ghana, and M.S. (2007) degree in Chemistry from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana PA. He received Ph.D. (2012) in Chemistry from Purdue University (under the supervision of R. Graham Cooks), where he was awarded Andrews (2007 – 2009), Bisland Dissertation (2011), and Lilly Innovative (2012) Fellowships. From 2012 to 2014, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University under the direction of George M. Whitesides. He joined The Ohio State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in July 2014. Dr. Badu-Tawiah is a recipient of 2020 Sloan Fellowship Award, 2019 NIH MIRA for New Investigators Award, 2018 ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Arthur F. Findeis Award, 2017 Eli Lilly Young Investigator Award in Analytical Chemistry, 2017 American Society for Mass Spectrometry Research Award, and 2016 Department of Energy Early Career Award.

Research Overview

The Badu Research Group currently has three main research foci: (i) diagnostic mass spectrometry (MS) - in this project we focus on the development of new MS tools for non-experts (e.g., surgeon, immunologist, neuroscientist, etc.), and to make MS data acquisition and interpretation easier for them. We are developing new chemical probes that enable mass spectrometric analysis of proteins, antibodies, DNA, and other disease biomarkers under ambient conditions. (ii) Accelerated droplet reactions - here, we focus on the development of new tools to study organic/bio-molecular reactions using droplets as reaction vessels. We are interested in green catalysis, new reaction pathways, and the mechanism governing reactions in the micro-droplet environment. (iii) Aerosol therapy - in which we use MS as a tool to characterize drug aerosols, and to improve on their efficacy. All students that study in the Badu research group become exposed to the fundamentals of ambient ion chemistry (in a droplet or at an interface), modern MS instrumentation, bio-molecule handling, and bio-assay/immunoassay development. 

We are currently interested in accepting new students.

 

Simplified diagram of accelerated droplet reactions.

Recent Publications

1. Swiner, D.J.; Jackson, S.; Burris, B. Badu-Tawiah, A.K. “Applications of Mass Spectrometry for Clinical Diagnostics: The Influence of Turnaround Time” Analytical Chemistry, 2020, 92, 1, 183–202
    
2. Kulyk, D.S.; Swiner, D.J.; Sahraeian, T.; Badu-Tawiah, A.K. “Direct Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Complex Mixtures by Nano-Electrospray with Simultaneous Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Capabilities” Analytical Chemistry 2019, 91(18), 11562-11568
    
3. Damon, D.; Yin, M.; Tanny, C.J.; Maher, Y.S.; Oyola-Reynoso, S.; Smith, B.L.; Maher, S.; Thuo, M.M.; Badu-Tawiah, A.K. “Dried Blood Spheroids for Dry-state Room Temperature Stabilization of Microliter Blood Samples” Analytical Chemistry, 2018, 90 (15), 9353
    
4. Wan, Q.; Chen, S.; Badu-Tawiah, A.K. “An Integrated Mass Spectrometry Platform Enables Picomole-Scale Real-time Electrosynthetic Reaction Screening and Discovery” Chemical Science, 2018, 9, 5724
    
5. Jackson, S.; Swiner, D.J.; Capone, P.C.; Badu-Tawiah, A.K. “Thread Spray Mass Spectrometry for Direct Analysis of Capsaicinoids in Pepper Products”  Analytica Chimica Acta, 2018, 1023, 81
    
6. Chen, S.; Wan, Q.; Badu-Tawiah, A.K. “Mass Spectrometry for Paper-based Immunoassays: Towards On-demand Diagnosis” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2016, 138(20), 6356–6359
    
7. Chen, S.; Wan, Q.; Badu-Tawiah, A.K. “Picomole-scale Real Time Photoreaction Screening: Rapid Discovery of Visible-light Promoted Dehydrogenation of Tetrahydroquinolines under Ambient Conditions” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 9345 –9349
    
8. Damon, D.E.; Davis, K.M.; Moreira, C.R.; Capone, P.; Cruttenden, R.; Badu-Tawiah, A.K. “Direct  Biofluid Analysis using Hydrophobic Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry” Anal. Chem., 2016, 88 (3), 1878–1884
    
9. Damon, D.E.; Maher, Y.S.; Yin, M.; Jjunju, F.P.M. Maher, S.; Taylor, S.; Badu-Tawiah, A. K. “2D Wax-printed paper substrates with extended solvent supply capabilities allow low voltage paper spray ionization” Analyst, 2016, 141, 3866-3873
    
10. Kulyk, D.S.; Miller, C.F.; Badu-Tawiah, A.K. “Reactive Charged Droplets for Reduction of Matrix Effects in Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry” Anal. Chem., 2015, 87 (21), 10988.