Carlos A. Valdez

Portrait of  Carlos A. Valdez

  • Title
    Scientist
  • Email
    valdez11@llnl.gov
  • Phone
    (925) 423-1804
  • Organization
    STE PLS-STE NACSD-NUCLEAR & CHEMICAL SCIENCE DIVISION

Research Interests

Current research interests lie in the field of chemical warfare agent non-proliferation and broadly cover methods for their forensic analysis (GC-MS, LC-MS and NMR Spectroscopy), destruction using novel, regiospecific catalytic processes and the development of medical countermeasures against them.

 

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 2008

Ph.D., Chemistry, University of California at Berkeley, 2006

Postbaccalaureate Research Associate, National Cancer Institute, 2001

B.S., Chemistry, Florida International University, 2000

65. Valdez, C. A.*, Vu, A. K., Hok, S., Alcaraz. A. “Practical benzylation of N,N-substituted ethanolamines related to chemical warfare agents for analysis and detection by Electron Ionization Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry”. J. Forensic Sci. 2023, In Press. [DOI]

64. Valdez, C. A.*; Rosales, J. A.; Vu, A. K.; Leif, R. N. “Detection and Confirmation of Fentanyls for in High Clay-Content Soil by Electron Ionization Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry”.  J. Forensic Sci. 2023, In Press. [DOI]

63. Mayer, B. P.*; Dreyer, M. L.; Pietro Conaway, M. C.; Valdez, C. A.; Corzett, T. H.; Leif, R. N.; Williams, A. M. “Towards Machine Learning-Driven Mass Spectrometric Identification of Trichothecenes in the Absence of Standard Reference Materials”. Anal. Chem. 2023, 95, 13064-13072. [DOI]

62.  Valdez, C. A.*; Lam, D.; Lao, V.; Subramanian, A.; Enright, H. A.; Malfatti, M. A.; Be, N. A.; Dreyer, M. L.  “Improved Chemical Synthesis, Identification and Evaluation of Prospective Centrally Active Oxime Antidotes for the Treatment of Nerve Agent Exposure”.  Tetrahedron 2023, 144, 133598. [DOI]

61. Valdez, C. A.*; Rosales, J. A.; Leif, R. N. “Determination of Fentanyl and Acetylfentanyl in Soil in Their Intact Form and Orthogonal Corroboration of Their Presence by EI-GC-MS Using Chloroformate Chemistry”. Forensic Chem. 2023, 34, 100504. [DOI]

60.  Lau, E. Y.*; Enright, H. A.; Malfatti, M. A.; Lao, V.; Mayer, B. P.; Williams, A. M.;  Valdez, C. A.* “Evaluation of 6-OxP-CD, an Oxime-based cyclodextrin as a viable medical countermeasure against nerve agent poisoning: Experimental and molecular dynamic simulation studies on its inclusion complexes with cyclosarin, soman and VX”. PLOS ONE 2023, 18, e0283181. [DOI]

59. Mayer, B. P.*; Kennedy, D. J.; Lau, E. Y.; Valdez, C. A.*Evaluation of Polyanionic Cyclodextrins as High Affinity Binding Scaffolds for Fentanyl”. Sci. Rep. 2023, 13, 2680. [DOI]

58. Subramanian, A.; Rosales, J. A.; Leif, R. N.; Valdez, C. A.* “Benzylation of phosphonic acids related to nerve agents using benzyl trichloroacetimidates for their analysis by EI-GC-MS: Application to the detection of pinacolyl methylphosphonate during OPCW Proficiency Test scenarios”. Sci. Rep. 2022, 12, 21299. [DOI]

57. Valdez, C. A.*; Leif, R. N.; Corzett, T. H.; Dreyer, M. L. “Analysis, Identification and  Confirmation of Synthetic Opioids using Chloroformate Chemistry: Retrospective Detection of Fentanyl and Acetylfentanyl in Urine and Plasma Samples by EI-GC-MS and HR-LC-MS”PLOS ONE 2022, 17, e0275931. [DOI]

56.  Lam, D.; Sebastian, A.; Bogguri, C.; Hum, N. R.; Ladd, A.; Cadena, J.; Valdez, C. A.; Fischer, N. O.; Loots, G. G.; Enright, H. A.* “Dose-dependent consequences of sub-chronic fentanyl exposure on neuron and glial co-cultures” Front. Toxicol. 2022, 4, 983415. [DOI]

55.  Kmak, K. N.*; Valdez, C. A.; Anex, D. S.; Despotopulos, J. D. “Extraction of 197mHg with TIBPS in HNO3 and HCl media”  J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 2022331, 1629-1634. [DOI]

54. Valdez, C. A.*; Leif, R. N. “Development of a trimethyloxonium-mediated methylation strategy for chlorinated phenols in various soils for analysis by EI-GC-MS” Sci. Rep. 2022, 12, 1401. [DOI]

53. Ferrier, M. G.; Valdez, C. A.; Singh, S. K.; Hok, S.; Ray, D.; Gagliardi, L.; Despotopulos, J. D.* “Transactinides Studies with Unsaturated Sulfur Macrocyclic Extractant using Mercury” Inorg. Chem. 2022, 61, 807-817. [DOI]

52. Valdez, C. A.* “Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Synthetic Opioids Belonging to the Fentanyl Class: A Review” Crit. Rev. Anal. Chem. 2022, 52, 1938-1968. [DOI]

51. Valdez, C. A.*; Leif, R. N.; Sanner, R. D.; Corzett, T. H.; Dreyer, M. L.; Mason, K. E. “Structural Modification of Fentanyls for their Retrospective Identification by Gas Chromatographic Analysis Using Chloroformate Chemistry” Sci. Rep. 2021, 11, 22489. [DOI]

50. Valdez, C. A.*, Leif, R. N. “Analysis of Organophosphorus-Based Nerve Agent Degradation Products by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS): Current Derivatization Reactions in the Analytical Chemistry Toolbox” Molecules 2021, 26, 4631-4649. [DOI]

49. Bennion, B. J.; Malfatti, M. A.; Enright, H. A.; Be, N. A.; Hok, S.; Linn Cadieux, C.; Carpenter, T. S.; Lao, V.; Kuhn, E. A.; McNerney, M. W.; Lightstone, F. C.; Nguyen, T. H.; Valdez, C. A.* “An Iterative Approach for the Development of a CNS-active Reactivator for Nerve Agent Exposure” Sci. Rep. 2021, 11, 15567. [DOI]

48. Gheorghiu, M.*; Valdez, C. A.; Racovenau, A. “1H NMR and Conformational Analysis of Diastereotopic Methylene Protons in Achiral Molecules” Rev. Roum. Chim. 2021, 66, 135-148. (Collaboration with San José State University). [DOI]

47. Valdez, C. A.*; Leif, R. N.; Salazar, E. P.; Vu, A. K. “Trocylation of 3-Quinuclidinol, a Key Marker for the Chemical Warfare Agent BZ, for Its Enhanced Detection at Low Levels in Complex Soil Matrices by Electron Ionization Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry” Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2021, 35, e9123. [DOI]

46. Valdez, C. A.*; Corzett, T. H.; Fisher, C. L.; Leif, R. N.; Hok, S.; Koester, C. J.; Alcaraz, A. “Acylation as a Successful Derivatization Strategy for the Analysis of Pinacolyl Alcohol in a Glycerol-Rich Matrix by EI-GC-MS: Application During an OPCW Proficiency Test” Anal. Bioanal. Chem. 2021, 413, 3145-3151. [DOI]

45. France, C. P.*; Ahern, G. P.; Averick, S.; Disney, A.; Enright, H. A.; Esmaeli-Azad, B.; Federico, A.; Gerak, L. R.; Husbands, S. M.; Kolber, B.; Lau, E. Y.; Lao, V.; Maguire, D. R.; Malfatti, M. A.; Martinez, G.; Mayer, B. P.; Pravetoni, M.; Sahibzada, N.; Skolnick, P.; Snyder, E. Y.; Tomycz, N.; Valdez, C. A.; Zapf, J. “Countermeasures for Preventing and Treating Opioid Overdose” Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 2021, 109, 578-590. [DOI]

44. Ferrier, M. G.; Kmak, K. N.; Kerlin, W. M.; Valdez, C. A.; Despotopulos, J. D.* “Transactinides Studies with Sulfur Macrocyclic Extractant Using Mercury” J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 2020, 326, 215-222. [DOI]

43. Li, Y.; Chen, C.; Meshot, E. R.; Buchsbaum, S. F.; Herbert, M.; Zhu, R.; Kulikov, O.; McDonald, B.; Bui, N. T. N.; Jue, M. L.; Park, S. J.; Valdez, C. A.; Hok, S.; He, Q.; Doona, C. J.; Wu, K. J.; Swager, T. M.*; Fornasiero, F.* “Autonomously Responsive Membranes for Chemical Warfare Protection” Adv. Funct. Mater. 2020, 30, 2000258. [DOI]

42. Valdez, C. A.*; Leif, R. N.; Hok, S. “Carbene-based Difluoromethylation of Bisphenols: Application to the Instantaneous Tagging of Bisphenol A in Spiked Soil for Its Detection and Identification by Electron Ionization Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry” Sci. Rep. 2019, 9, 17360. [DOI]

41. Valdez, C. A.*; Leif, R. N.; Hok, S.; Vu, A. K.; Salazar, E. P.; Alcaraz, A. “Methylation Protocol for the Retrospective Detection of Isopropyl-, Pinacolyl- and Cyclohexylmethylphosphonic Acids, Indicative Markers for the Nerve Agents Sarin, Soman and Cyclosarin, at Low Levels in Soils Using EI-GC-MS” Sci. Total Environ. 2019, 683, 175-184. [DOI]

40. Mayer, B. P.*; Valdez, C. A.; DeHope, A. J.; Spackman, P. E.; Williams. A. M. “Statistical Analysis of the Chemical Attribution Signatures of 3-Methylfentanyl and Its Methods of Production” Talanta 2018, 186, 645-654. [DOI]

39. Williams, A. M.*; Vu, A. K.; Jansson, D.; Mayer, B. P.; Hok, S.; Norlin, R.; Valdez, C. A.; Nilsson, C.; Åstot, C.; Alcaraz, A. “Part 3: Solid Phase Extraction of Russian VX and Its Chemical Attribution Signatures in Food Matrices and Their Detection by GC-MS and LC-MS” Talanta 2018, 186, 607-614. [DOI]

38. Jansson, D.*; Wiklund Lindström, S.; Norlin, R.; Hok, S.; Valdez, C. A.; Williams, A. M.; Alcaraz, A.; Nilsson, C.; Åstot, C. “Part 2: Forensic Attribution Profiling of Russian VX in Food Using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry” Talanta 2018, 186, 597-606. [DOI]

37. Höjer Holmgren, K.; Valdez, C. A.; Magnusson, R.; Vu, A. K.; Lindberg, S.; Williams, A. M.; Alcaraz, A.; Åstot, C.; Hok, S.*; Norlin, R.* “Part 1: Tracing Russian VX to Its Synthetic Routes by Multivariate Statistics of Chemical Attribution Signatures” Talanta 2018, 186, 586-596. [DOI]

36. Valdez, C. A.*, Marchioretto, M. K.; Leif, R. N.; Hok, S. “Efficient Derivatization of Methylphosphonic and Aminoethylsulfonic Acids Related to Nerve Agents Simultaneously via Methylation Employing Trimethyloxonium Tetrafluoroborate for Their Detection and Identification in Soils by EI-GC-MS and GC-FPD” Forensic Sci. Int. 2018, 288, 159-168. [DOI]

35. Valdez, C. A.*, Leif, R. N., Hok, S., Alcaraz, A. “Assessing the Reliability of the NIST Library During Routine GC-MS Analyses: Structure and Spectral Data Corroboration for 5,5-diphenyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-one During a Recent OPCW Proficiency Test” J. Mass Spectrom. 2018, 53, 419-422. [DOI]

34. Valdez, C. A.*; Leif, R. N.; Hok, S.; Hart, B. R. “Analysis of Chemical Warfare Agents by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry: Methods for their Direct Detection and Derivatization Approaches for the Analysis of their Degradation Products” Rev. Anal. Chem. 2018, 37, 1-26. [DOI]

Patents

23. Fornasiero, F.; Lau, E. Y.; Valdez, C. A. “Reactive Membrane Networks for CWA Protection” US 11772087 (2023).

22. Despotopulos, J.; Valdez, C. A.; Kmak, K. N. “Methods of Isolating Radioactive Mercury and Uses Thereof” US11587694 (2023).

21. Lyman, M. G.; Dugan, L.; Leif, R. N.; Rubinfeld, B.; Souza, B. E.; Valdez, C. A. “Biodegradable surfactants and related compositions, methods and systems” US 11066359 (2021).

20. Valdez, C. A.; Lau, E. Y.; Mayer, B. P. “Homopiperazine-based catalysts for neutralization of organophosphorus-based compounds” US 10717713 (2020).

19. Valdez, C. A.; Be, N. A.; Bennion, B. J.; Carpenter, T.; Enright, H. A.; Lightstone, F. C.; Malfatti, M. A.; McNerney, M. W.; Nguyen, T. H.  “Compounds for reactivation of acetylcholinesterase and related compositions, methods and systems” US 10590498 (2020).

18. Kennedy, Daniel Joseph; Mayer, Brian P.; Valdez, Carlos A. “Modified cyclodextrins for the selective sequestration of fentanyl related compounds and uses thereof” US 10442871 (2019).

17. Valdez, C. A.; Lau, E. Y.; Mayer, B. P. “Metal complexes based on a bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine-based scaffold and methods of making the same” US 10189864 (2019).

16. Kennedy, D. J.; Leif, R. N.; Mayer, B. P.; Valdez, C. A. “Halide-mediated deactivation of phosphotriesters” US 10137324 (2018). 

15. Valdez, C. A.; Lau, E. Y.; Mayer, B. P. “Homopiperazine-based catalysts for neutralization of organophosphorus-based compounds” US 10112912 (2018).

14. Valdez, C. A.; Vu, A. K. “Methods for the selective detection of alkyne-presenting molecules and related compositions and systems” US 9791463 (2018).

13. Valdez, C. A.; Vu, A. K. “Methods for the selective sequestration of alkyne-presenting molecules and related compositions and systems” US 10088491 (2018).

12. Valdez, C. A.; Williams, A. M. “Methods for the selective detection of alkyne-presenting molecules and related compositions and systems” US 10082514 (2018).

11. Zhao, H.; Kolluri, R.; Valdez, C.; Tso, K.; Singh, R.; Ramphal. J. ““Protein kinase C inhibitors and uses thereof” US 9453028 (2016).

10. Floyd III, W. C.; Valdez, C. A.; Aines, R. D.; Baker, S. E.; Satcher Jr., J. H. “Acyclic aza-containing ligands for use as catalytic carbon capture systems” US 9259725 (2016).

9. Singh, R.; Li, H.; Zhao, H.; Kolluri, R.; Tso, K.; Ramphal, J.; Gu, S.; Valdez, C.; Zhang, J.; Stauffer, E.; Duncton, M.; Alvarez, S. “Protein kinase C inhibitors and uses thereof” US 9149475 (2015).

8. Zhao, H.; Kolluri, R.; Valdez, C.; Tso, K.; Singh, R.; Ramphal. J. ““Protein kinase C inhibitors and uses thereof” US 9095593 (2015).

7. Singh, R.; Atuegbu, A.; Ramphal, J.; Li, H.; Gelman, M.; Clough, J.; Valdez, C.; Bhamidipati, S.; Thota, S.; McMurtrie, D. “Pyrimidinediamine kinase inhibitors” US 9040527 (2015).

6. Han, T. Y-j.; Valdez, C. A.; Olson, T. Y.; Kim, S. H.; Satcher Jr., J. H. “Rapid detection and identification of energetic materials with surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)” US 9012241 (2015).

5. Valdez, C. A.; Satcher Jr., J. H.; Aines, R. D.; Wong, S. E.; Baker, S. E.; Lightstone, F. C.; Stolaroff, J. K. “Tethered catalysts for the hydration of carbon dioxide” US 8877069 (2014); WO 2012109374 (11/4/2012).

4. Valdez, C. A.; Satcher Jr., J. H.; Aines, R. D.; Baker, S. E. “Synthesis of triazole-based and imidazole-based zinc catalysts” US 8394351 (2013); WO 2011149620 (3/12/2013).

3. Zhao, H.; Kolluri, R.; Valdez, C.; Tso, K.; Singh, R.; Ramphal. J. ““Protein kinase C inhibitors and uses thereof” US 8394951 (2013).

2. Singh, R.; Li, H.; Zhao, H.; Kolluri, R.; Tso, K.; Ramphal, J.; Gu, S.; Valdez, C.; Zhang, J.; Stauffer, E.; Duncton, M.; Alvarez, S. “Protein kinase C inhibitors and uses thereof” US 8377924 (2013).

1. Singh, R.; Atuegbu, A.; Ramphal, J.; Li, H.; Gelman, M.; Clough, J.; Valdez, C.; Bhamidipati, S.; Thota, S.; McMurtrie, D. “Pyrimidinediamine kinase inhibitors” US 8278299 (2012).

  • Global Security Directorate Spot Award (2022).

  • Global Security Directorate Silver Award (2021).

  • Global Security Directorate Gold Award (2021).

  • Physical and Life Sciences Directorate Award (2020).

  • Global Security Directorate Spot Award (2020).

  • LLNL Mid-Career Research Award (2019).

  • LLNL Excellence in Publication Award in the Applied Sciences (2016).

  • LLNL S Program Tech Base Grant Award (2016).

  • LLNL Excellence in Publication Award (2015).

  • LLNL Director's Institutional Operational Excellence Award (2013)

  • Global Security Gold Award (2013).

  • PLS Chemical Sciences Division Spot Award (2012).

  • National Physical Science Consortium Graduate Fellowship (2001-2006).

  • University of California, Berkeley, College of Chemistry Grant Award (2002-2006).

  • Cancer Research Training Award, National Cancer Institute (2000).