Shara K. Compton
Widener University
One University Place
Chester, PA 19013
Phone: (610) 499-4008
skcompton@widener.edu
EDUCATION:
University of California, Davis – Davis, CA – 2003 - 2008
Ph.D. in Biophysical Chemistry – August 2008
Dissertation Title: Temperature dependence of alanine racemase free energy profiles
Thesis advisor: Michael D. Toney
Purdue University – West Lafayette, IN – 1999 - 2002
B.S. in Chemistry - December 2002
Undergraduate research advisor: Jonathan J. Wilker
Universidad Complutense de Madrid – Madrid, Spain – September 2000 - June 2001
Study Abroad Program through Purdue University
TEACHING APPOINTMENTS:
2011-Present
Senior Lecturer of Chemistry
Widener University, Chester, PA – Dept. of Chemistry
Courses taught:
Chemistry 145 and 147, General Chemistry. First semester of two-course general
chemistry lecture and laboratory series. Topics include atomic and molecular structure,
bond theory, stoichiometry, gas behavior, and thermochemistry.
Chemistry 105 and 106, Nursing Chemistry. One semester general, organic, and
biochemistry lecture and laboratory course designed for nursing majors. Topics include
atomic structure, bonding, acid-base equilibrium, organic functional groups, and
properties of biologically significant molecules.
Chemistry 257, Organic Chemistry Laboratory. Introductory organic chemistry
laboratory with emphasis on green chemistry techniques.
Biochemistry 453, Biochemistry Laboratory. Introductory biochemistry laboratory with
emphasis on bioanalytical techniques. Topics included protein quantification, protein
purification, Western blotting, and enzyme kinetics.
2009-2011
Teaching Postdoctoral Scholar
Roosevelt University, Chicago, IL – Dept. of Biological, Chemical and Physical Sciences
NSF-STEP Grant Project Coordinator. Established and supervised embedded peer
tutoring program for core biology and chemistry courses. Designed and taught one-week
summer enrichment course for introductory organic chemistry students. Coordinated
recruitment initiatives with grant partner community college.
NIH-Bridges to the Baccalaureate Summer Program Instructor. One-month intensive
program introducing a cohort of community college science students to career
opportunities in biomedical research. Lecture topics included experimental design, oral
and written presentation of scientific data, ethics in biomedical research, and career
planning. Laboratory exercises introduced modern biochemistry research techniques.
Shara K. Compton
Courses taught:
Chemistry 201 and 202, General Chemistry. Two-course general chemistry lecture and
laboratory series. Topics included atomic and molecular structure, bond theory,
stoichiometry, acid-base chemistry, equilibrium, thermodynamics, and kinetics.
Chemistry 212, Organic Chemistry. Second semester of a two-course organic chemistry
lecture and laboratory series. Topics included spectroscopy, oxidation-reduction, and
reactions of alcohols, carbonyl compounds, and substituted benzenes.
2008-2009
Visiting Assistant Professor
Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH – Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Courses taught:
Chemistry 102, General Chemistry Lecture. Second semester of a two-course general
chemistry series. Topics included equilibrium, acid-base chemistry, thermodynamics,
electrochemistry, and kinetics.
Chemistry 205, Organic Chemistry Laboratory. Introductory organic chemistry
laboratory with emphasis on green chemistry and experimental design. Techniques
included separation and purification, synthesis of carbonyl compounds, and
spectroscopic analysis.
2008-2009
(cont’d)
Chemistry 374, Biochemistry. Upper-division biochemistry lecture and laboratory
course. Course emphasized structure-function relationships and metabolic pathways for
proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.
Chemistry 404, Topics in Biochemistry. Mechanistic enzymology course for upperdivision biochemistry students. Course content emphasized readings and discussion on
enzyme mechanisms, structures, and drug design from recent primary literature.
2006-2007
Lecturer
California State University, Sacramento, CA – Dept. of Chemistry
Courses taught:
Chemistry 162, Introductory Biochemistry Laboratory. Upper-division biochemistry
laboratory course with weekly lecture component. Topics included amino acid
sequencing, protein purification, enzyme kinetics, and PCR amplification.
Chemistry 164, Advanced Biochemistry Laboratory. Supervised undergraduate students
in advanced biochemistry lab techniques with emphasis on research methods.
2005- 2007
Teaching Assistant Training Coordinator
University of California, Davis – Dept. of Chemistry
Organized and administered week-long departmental training session for 50-60 new
graduate student teaching assistants each academic year. Supported TA teaching
development through classroom visits, mid-term evaluations and supplemental training.
2003-2008
Teaching Assistant
University of California, Davis – Dept. of Chemistry
Supervised laboratory activities of undergraduate students in general chemistry courses.
Prepared and supervised weekly discussion and laboratory sections and exam review
sessions. As head teaching assistant, served as administrative support for general
chemistry courses of 300-400 students and 8-12 teaching assistants.
Shara K. Compton
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:
2008-2009
Principal Investigator – Oberlin College
Supervised four undergraduate students on project exploring kinetic and thermodynamic
properties of pyridoxal 5’phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes. Students synthesized
PLP analogs for non-enzymatic temperature-dependent kinetic studies.
2004 - 2008
Research Assistant – University of California, Davis
Principal Investigator: Michael D. Toney. Investigated temperature-dependent free
energy profiles of alanine racemase. Developed novel computational methodologies for
global analysis of circular dichroism-based kinetic data. Supervised two undergraduate
students on independent enzyme kinetics projects.
2001-2002
Undergraduate Research Assistant – Purdue University
Principal Investigator: Jonathan J. Wilker. Investigated inhibition of DNA alkylation
using vanadium salts.
Summer 2002 NSF REU – City University of New York-College of Staten Island, Staten Island, NY
Principal Investigator: Ruth E. Stark. Studied protein-ligand interactions of liver fatty
acid-binding protein via multi-dimensional NMR.
Summer 2000 Bioanalytical Chemistry Intern – Bayer Corporation, Elkhart, IN
Performed bioanalytical assays in Diabetes Care Quality Control laboratory using HPLC,
SDS-PAGE, and UV-Vis spectroscopy.
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS:
Chan-Huot, M.; Dos, A.; Zander, R.; Sharif, S.; Tolstoy, P.; Compton, S.; Fogle, E.; Toney, M.;
Shenderovich, I.; Denisov, G.; Limbach, H.H. NMR Studies of Protonation and Hydrogen Bond States of
Internal Aldimines of Pyridoxal 5'-Phosphate Acid-Base in Alanine Racemase, Aspartate
Aminotransferase and Poly-L-Lysine. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135 (48), 18160–18175.
Compton, S. K.; Toney, M.D. Temperature dependent free energy profiles of alanine racemase from
Staphylococcus aureus., Presented at the 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 1014, 2006.
Pettit, S.K.; Yang, X; Wang, H.; Estephan, R.; Stark R.E. Protein-ligand interactions of liver fatty acidbinding protein: NMR studies., Presented at the 225th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, March
23-27, 2003.
HONORS AND AWARDS:
Graduate Student Travel Award – Sacramento Division of the American Chemical Society – 2006
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award – University of California, Davis – Dept. of Chemistry – 2005
Bradford Borge Graduate Fellowship – University of California, Davis – 2004 - 2005
Research Experience for Undergraduates Travel Award – National Science Foundation – 2003
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
American Chemical Society, Member – 2002 – present
Delaware Valley Enzymology Club, Member – 2011 – present