Dr. Ichikawa Flyer Title: Natural Recognition Motifs for the E3 Ligase Adapter Cereblon Abstract: Understanding the biology of drug target proteins is essential to enhance drug discovery efforts and mechanistic studies. The clinical drugs thalidomide and its derivatives, known as immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), are recognized by a conserved binding domain on the E3 ligase adapter […]
Michael Lawson Seminar Title: Defining the Pathways of Eukaryotic Translational Quality Control Abstract: My research examines how protein synthesis concludes on normal and defective mRNAs. Understanding how these processes are choregraphed is crucial for human health; for example, 11% of all heritable human diseases are caused by premature stop codons. As a postdoctoral fellow, I […]
Abstract:Â The synthesis of natural products is motivated by their potent biological effects, enigmatic biosynthetic origins, and complex molecular structures. Computational tools such as density functional theory and machine learning can provide mechanistic insights and predict reactivity in silico to inform synthetic campaigns. In addition, computational tools and predictive analytics can guide the development and application […]
Strain is a foundational concept in organic chemistry. Its presence can transform an inert molecule into one with exciting properties, or steer a reaction toward a single product with exquisite control. Understanding—and importantly, predicting—the delicate balance between strain and reactivity will enable the full potential of strain to be harnessed for drug discovery, materials chemistry, […]
Prof. Yoon Flyer Stereocontrol in Photochemical Synthesis Abstract: Photochemistry is intriguing as a synthetic tool because the absorption of light by an organic molecule results in the formation of exceptionally energetic reactive intermediates that can react in ways that are inaccessible to ground-state molecules. However, this high reactivity is also a challenge for stereoselective synthesis: […]
Flyer: Sarah Keane Flyer Title: Structure of pre-miR-31 reveals an active role in Dicer processing Abstract: As an essential post-transcriptional regulator of gene expression, microRNA (miR) levels must be strictly maintained. The biogenesis of many, but not all, miRs is mediated by trans-acting protein partners through a variety of mechanisms, including remodeling of the RNA […]
Dr. Jovanovic Flyer Title: "Delocalized Bonding in Extended Systems: From Molecules to Quantum Materials" Abstract: A long list of words attached to extensions of two-center two-electron bonding, such as conjugation, aromaticity, electron-deficient, and electron-rich bonding, testifies to the ubiquity of electron delocalization and its importance in chemistry. Delocalization certainly has consequences – in spectroscopic, ionization, […]
Title: Cationic indium in catalysis: Generation of functionalized copolymers from commodity monomers Abstract: Cationic indium complexes are rare in the field of catalysis. We have developed families of cationic indium complexes supported by tridentate and tetradentate aminophenolate ligands which show reactivity towards cyclic esters, cyclic ethers, and copolymerizations with CO 2. We show that, depending […]
Modern drug discovery has benefited from advancements in chemical reaction development. For example, C–H functionalization reactions has transformed how synthetic chemists approach the retrosynthetic analysis of bioactive compounds. Despite recent advances, the development of site-selective reactions remains a grand challenge in metal-catalyzed C–H functionalization. Typical retrosynthetic analysis results in simplified fragments by the removal of […]
Flyer: Dr. Elena Meirzadeh Flyer Title: From small molecules to infinite superatomic sheets Abstract: Developing a precise understanding of structure-function relationships in molecular crystals can allow us to generate a wide range of properties from extremely simple building blocks. In the first half of my talk, I will discuss how crystal engineering and defects affect […]
Flyer: Dr. Agnes Thorarinsdottir flyer Title: New Approaches to Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Energy Catalysis Through Chemical Design Abstract: Synthetic chemistry is a powerful tool for realizing molecules and materials with novel functions for addressing grand challenges in biomedical, environmental, and energy science. This presentation will discuss two avenues by which specific molecular and materials […]
Prof. Bozovic Flyer Title: Physics of the Auditory System Abstract:Â Hair cells of the auditory system constitute a remarkable biological sensor that exhibits nanometer-scale sensitivity of mechanical detection. Our experiments explore the active nonlinear processes behind the detection of very weak signals. We demonstrate the presence of chaos in the innate motility of active bundles, and […]
Tales in Molecular Evolution:  From Chiral Symmetry Breaking to New-to-Nature Biocatalysis The evolutionary journey of chemistry on our planet, from small molecules to genetic polymers, presents fascinating opportunities for the organic chemist. At one end, mysterious early steps evoke grand questions at the foundations of chemistry, while at the other, biology’s extraordinary machinery lies primed for creative manipulation.  […]
Prof. Wickens Flyer Selective Synthesis via Light and Electricity Abstract: We are investigating how organic radical ions–typically thought of as fleeting intermediates–can be tamed and exploited as a new family of organocatalysts and small molecule reagents. We identified selective generation of such species as a key hurdle stymying exploration these electronically-destabilized systems. To address this […]
Flyer: Zhipeng Lu Flyer Title: What does RNA look like in cells? Structures, interactions and modifications. Abstract: RNA in living cells are in constant motion, form dynamic structures, and interact with many molecules, including other RNAs. Direct determination of RNA structures and interactions in vivo is essential to understanding their functions, and developing new RNA-based […]