chemistry and biochemistry neWs Fall 2017 Richmond Wins Priestley Medal INSIDE 2 Knight Campus Gift 3 Department Head’s Perspective 4 Faculty Awards and Honors 5 New Faculty 6 News Briefs 7 Alumni News From All Over 11 Chemistry Gifts eri Richmond has won the 2018 Priestley track faculty member hired in the UO chemistry GMedal, the top prize of the American department, has received several other ACS Chemical Society. The ACS recognized and American Physical Society awards along “her pioneering contributions to our with the National Medal of Science. In 2006 understanding of the molecular properties of she was inducted into the American Academy liquid surfaces and her extraordinary service to of Arts and Sciences, and into the National chemistry on a global level” when awarding her Academy of Science in 2011. That same year its highest honor. She will receive the award at the ACS named her a fellow and gave her the the ACS’s national meeting in March 2018. Joel Henry Hildebrand Award. In 2012 she was Richmond, the Presidential Chair in Science named to the National Science Board, which and a professor of chemistry at the UO, will is the governing board of the National Science be the fourth woman to receive the Priestley Foundation and helps guide national science Medal since the award was established in 1923. policy. Since 2014 Richmond has served as a US “I’m so honored and thrilled to be selected as State Department science envoy for Southeast the 2018 Priestley Medal recipient,” she says. Asia and in 2015 as President of the American “It is a testament to the incredible work of the Association for the Advancement of Science. students and postdocs that have worked in my Since the start of her science career in the laboratory over the years here at Oregon. I am 1970s, Richmond has studied the interactions CHEM so grateful to all of them.” Chemistry Richmond, who was the first female tenure- continued on page 4 Knight Gift for New UO Science Campus Means the Future Starts Now Conceptual rendering, The University of Oregon’s Phil and estimated at more than $1 billion and to not final building design Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating be largely donor-funded, will fully develop Scientific Impact is an ambitious over the next decade. The state of Oregon $1 billion initiative to fast-track scientific approved $50 million in bonds in 2017, with discoveries into innovations that improve legislative intent to fund an additional $50 quality of life for people in Oregon, the million in 2019. nation, and the world. When fully operational, the campus will Read the full article in Announced October 18, 2016, the Knight generate $80 million in economic activity Around the O (around. Campus will work to reshape the state’s public each year, while supporting 750 jobs. The uoregon.edu/content/ higher education landscape by training new university plans to start construction in changes-everything- generations of scientists, engaging in new 2018. The first phase of construction calls president-announces- interdisciplinary research, forging tighter ties for two buildings, which are slated to open historic-knight-gift) with industry and entrepreneurs, and creating in the first half 2020. new educational opportunities for graduate Designers are now mapping how the and undergraduate students. building will fit on its available site, and Penny and Phil Knight’s $500 million lead a conversation of what activities will be gift is the largest ever for a public flagship accommodated is underway. This fall, virtual institution. The handful of previous megagifts reality technology will allow planners to have gone to private institutions, medical immersively visualize and “walk through” schools, or multiuniversity partnerships. the spaces that are being designed. visit The overall vision for the Knight Campus, accelerate.uoregon.edu for updates. 2 UNIveRSITy OF ORegON CollEgE of ArtS AND SCIENCES Fall 2017 Department Head’s Perspective I f you haven’t visited the department lately, you would be amazed at the changes that are occurring. Let’s start with our recent hires, because new faculty “ We have great members always bring fresh energy and new hires, modern excitement to a department. This summer laboratories, and a we welcomed Christopher Hendon, a modern curriculum computational chemist with an interest in all things, but primarily materials. Scott Hansen, a that prepares students new biochemistry hire, will join us in fall term to make their mark on after completing his postdoctoral fellowship. the world.” Chris and Scott are just the beginning—this Department Head fall term we will be searching for a physical David Tyler chemist and another biochemist. In addition, searches for interdepartmental “cluster” hires in the areas of genomics as well as energy and sustainable materials will lead to additional colleagues in the department. Remember Klamath Hall? Built in 1967, chemistry, with industrial internships and a Klamath is beginning to show its age so it is study-abroad component. At the graduate being renovated one floor at a time. Newly level, students benefit from new courses in renovated research space for physical chemistry professional development, such as scientific in the basement was completed during the past writing and entrepreneurial skills. At both year. Renovations to the second floor, home to the undergraduate and graduate level, new much of our biochemistry division, were also classrooms facilitate active learning methods recently completed. Remodeling will soon start of teaching. on the third floor, where our synthetic groups Overall, the mood in the department are located. Future plans call for modernizing is gung ho and optimistic. We have great the physical chemistry research labs on the new hires with more on the way, modern first floor. In combination with our world-class laboratories in new or soon-to-be remodeled facilities in Streisinger Hall, Lewis Integrative spaces, and a modern curriculum that prepares Science Building, Lokey Laboratories, and students to make their mark on the world. I the newly remodeled science library, the hope you can stop by and see these changes renovations to Klamath Hall will make the for yourself sometime soon. department’s physical facilities modern and state-of-the-art. Best wishes for a pleasant and productive year! The faculty continues to pour time and energy into making our curriculum David Tyler contemporary and relevant. Undergraduates not only take courses in standard technical areas, but also new courses in interdisciplinary areas like green design and business. Plans are underway to create a new major in applied chemistry.uoregon.edu DePARTMeNT OF CHeMISTRy AND BIOCHeMISTRy CHEM 3 Chemistry Faculty Awards and Honors Mike Pluth receives Fund for Faculty excellence Award The UO announced in June that Mike Pluth would receive a Fund for Faculty excellence Award. Pluth, an associate professor, was one of 16 UO faculty members named to receive the award in 2017, bringing the total number of FFe recipients in the department to 10. Philanthropist Lorry Lokey established the award in 2006 to recognize and highlight world-class teaching and research. The salary supplements ensure that the UO faculty who are operating at the highest levels in their field are honored and recognized by the university community. George Nazin Promoted to Associate Professor The university has awarded george Nazin tenure with the announcement in May of his promotion from assistant to associate professor. Since joining the UO faculty in 2010 from Brookhaven National Laboratory, Nazin has shown excellence in his science and earned a National Science Foundation Career Award in 2015. His research group probes the chemistry of molecular and nanoscale materials and how those materials perform in devices. Richmond Wins Priestley Medal continued from page 1 at the surfaces of oil and water and water More than 18,000 scientists have participated and air. “Our studies have progressed to in COACh programs in the US and more than more and more complex aqueous surfaces, 20 developing countries in Africa, Asia, and building on the fundamental knowledge Latin America. “I am very happy that the acquired over all these years,” Richmond recognition includes my efforts to ensure that explains. “I’m very excited about our current we are attracting the best and brightest to the studies of multicomponent aqueous surfaces global STeM workforce, especially those from of atmospheric relevance and our studies of underrepresented groups and under- the surface of oil-water nanoemulsions and represented countries,” Richmond says. understanding the synergy that occurs when “It’s been a powerful team effort.” mixtures of polymers and different surfactants “I want to also express my sincere adsorb at the oil-water planar interface.” gratitude for the key role that the University All along the way as she developed a of Oregon, its leadership, and the chemistry stellar research program, Richmond has department has played in this recognition,” ensured that students who also want to she says. “The university took a considerable succeed, particularly women, have a path to do risk when they hired me back in 1985 given so. In 1998 she cofounded COACh (Committee that I was coming from a faculty position at a on the Advancement of Women Chemists; small college. It’s indeed a lesson in the value coach.uoregon.edu) to encourage women to of taking risks in hiring faculty that may seem pursue careers in science and engineering. a bit out of the norm.” 4 UNIveRSITy OF ORegON CollEgE of ArtS AND SCIENCES Fall 2017 GeOrGe NAzIN MIKe PlUTH New Faculty Christopher Hendon Christopher Hendon joined the faculty this summer as the first member of the cluster hire in sustainable materials. Hendon joined after a short postdoc at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Hendon is a computational chemist who uses supercomputers to examine the electronic structure of functional materials. Besides having access to national supercomputers, Hendon will be one of the primary users of Talapas, the recent high-performance computer investment at the UO. “The application of high-performance computers in chemistry is proving to be valuable in providing chemical insights into evasive materials properties that are otherwise indistinguishable in experiment,” he says. “With Talapas we are now only limited by our chemical and physical curiosities.” Hendon says he is delighted to be at the UO where, throughout the hiring process, emphasis was placed strongly on multidisciplinary collaboration. The nature of computational chemistry also lends itself to strong undergraduate students, capitalizing on the exceptional early career students. Scott Hansen Scott Hansen will join the faculty in November after a four-year postdoctoral research position in the lab of Jay T. groves at the University of California-Berkeley. “The ability of cells to regulate the localization of molecules in both time and space is the hallmark of cellular organization,” Hansen says. “My research ambitions are rooted in understanding the general principles cells use to generate spatial heterogeneity in signaling reactions on intracellular membranes.” Hansen’s research group will use supported membrane technology and a variety of fluorescence microscopy techniques to characterize how lipid modifying enzymes and other signaling molecules are activated on membrane surfaces. “Learning molecular details about individual proteins is the first step towards understanding more complex, systems-level behaviors that result from the coordinated action of multiple signaling molecules,” he says. “Overall, we will try to build a systems-level understanding of how membrane associated lipid kinases-phosphatases signaling reactions are executed in cells and how these processes are perturbed in human disease.” Hansen chose to apply to UO in part due to the strength of the department’s recent hires and the potential for building an interdisciplinary biochemistry research group at the UO that collaborates with cell biologists, physicists, and material scientists. Get ConneCted chemistry.uoregon.edu lIkE uS! follow uS! JoIN uS! on.fb.me/JYkoPh @uoCHandBIC linkd.in/1cwp6fQ chemistry.uoregon.edu DePARTMeNT OF CHeMISTRy AND BIOCHeMISTRy CHEM 5 Chemistry SCOTT HANSeN CHrISTOPHer HeNDON News Briefs Alumnus Hager Selected for 2017 ACS Grady-Stack Award UO alumnus Thomas Hager recently received the 2017 grady-Stack Award from the American Chemical Society. The award for science writing recognizes people with science backgrounds who convey complex ideas in a way that is enjoyable and easily understood. While at the UO, Hager studied science and journalism. His most recent book, The Alchemy of Air (amazon.com/Alchemy- Air-Jewish-Scientific-Discovery/dp/0307351793), is about the development of synthetic fertilizer. Hager has also published six other science-focused books. Hutchison Hosts ACS Webinar Jim Hutchison hosted an American Chemical Society webinar on how to create nanomaterials through sustainable design. The webinar focused on how green chemistry techniques can be applied to nanotechnology to achieve high performance while simultaneously preventing or reducing health and environmental impacts. OeC Celebrates Scientists: Haack, Green Chemistry The Oregon environmental Council recently profiled Julie Haack as part of their Scientists blog, in anticipation of earth Day in April to help readers learn about scientists working to protect Oregon’s air, water, and climate. Haack is the assistant department head, faculty advisor, and a second-level senior instructor. In addition, she helps lead the Tyler Invention greenhouse (942olive.uoregon .edu/tyler-invention-greenhouse/), which is helping entrepreneurs and designers create more green products. lab Preparator Bradley Publishes Science-Based Children’s Book Autumn Bradley, a lab preparator within the department, has published a book called Astrophysicist Akimie. It is the first edition for the Science Starters Collection (thesciencestarters.org), a series dedicated to expanding how children might answer the question, “What will you be when you grow up?” Using rhymes, Akimie gets to explore the galaxies, stars, and planets. The book also includes a question-and-answer section including answers to common questions and information about what an astrophysicist does during her workday. New Agreement with PNNl Opens Doors for UO scientists The University of Oregon has entered into an agreement with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (located in Richland, Washington) to pave the way toward greater collaboration. The agreement will allow scientists to obtain joint appointments in areas including materials synthesis, electrocatalysis, and green chemistry. The UO and PNNL have partnered together before, but never with such a broad agreement. PNNL is a Department of energy national laboratory, employing more than 4,400 staff members with an annual budget of nearly $1 billion. The first joint appointments will be connected to the UO’s energy and Sustainable Materials Cluster of excellence, which focuses on advancements in materials science. See the video at UO SAACS Annual Pumpkin Drop makes a Splash facebook.com/ The UO’s student affiliates of the American Chemical Society (blogs.uoregon.edu/saacs/) always universityoforegon/ have fun with their annual chemistry demo and pumpkin drop. The 16-plus-minute video shows how videos/1015420970 a pumpkin shatters after it’s been chilled in liquid nitrogen to minus 321 degrees Fahrenheit and 3059842/ dropped from a four-story building. 6 UNIveRSITy OF ORegON CollEgE of ArtS AND SCIENCES Fall 2017 AUTUMN BrADley JUlIe HAACK JAMeS HUTCHISON THOMAS HAGer Alumni News from All Over five years, then spent five years as a CvD engineering manager. earlier this year, Antonelli started a new position as an individual contributor, working for the department manager in Dielectrics leading standardization and work content 2010s mentorship. Sherbow was awarded the reduction projects. LeRoy H. Klemm Award for excellence in Undergraduate Chemical Research. Orion Berryman, PhD ’08, studied Chantal Balesdent, PhD ’13, worked He is currently a graduate student at at the UO with Darren Johnson and in David Tyler’s lab on nitrogen the University of California at Davis, collaborated with Michael Haley. After reduction. While she did not feel drawn working under the guidance of Louise a postdoc with Julius Rebek Jr. at the to a traditional teaching career, she Berben performing inorganic synthetic Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, nevertheless wanted to share her love chemistry. He expects to graduate in Berryman joined the faculty at the of science with others. Her search June 2018. University of Montana in 2012. Berryman resulted in a position with engineering is director of the small molecule X-ray is elementary (eie.org), a nationwide Matthew Tanner, MS ’14, entered the diffraction facility at UM. He recently curriculum based out of the Museum Medical Scientist Training Program at received an NSF CAReeR award to study of Science in Boston, where she’s the University of Rochester Medical halogen bonding organocatalysts and originally from. Now in her third year Center in Rochester, New york, and self-assembly. as a professional development provider began working towards a combined MD/ for eie, Balesdent trains elementary PhD degree where he is investigating Parker Deal, MS ’09, worked in Michael school teachers to help students apply the molecular mechanisms that underlie Haley’s lab synthesizing indenofluorenes science and math skills to real-world myotonic dystrophy. After finishing his for use in organic semiconductors. Deal technologies and problems. She was PhD he plans to finish the last two years is currently a fourth-year graduate recently promoted to program manager of medical school. student at the University of California- for eie’s professional development team. Berkeley working in evan Miller’s lab. His Jason D. Wilson, BS ’11, earned a work involves the development of new Christian Burns, BS ’15, worked with master’s degree through the UO voltage-sensitive dyes, which are used to Diane Hawley on mechanisms of RNA graduate Internship Program (Pv/ study neuronal activity. Polymerase II transcription. Currently Semiconductor path) in 2012 and was Burns is a research assistant for Nobel an undergraduate researcher in the Walter Duncan, MS ’00, worked with laureate David Baltimore at CalTech Dave Johnson lab. Since leaving the UO, David Tyler. He went on to earn his working on RNA splicing in the context Wilson has been a contributor or the PhD from University of Washington in of the inflammatory response. He will be lead engineer on seven patents, four 2007 with Oleg Prezhdo. From 2009 attending the University of Denver for of which have been issued. He’s also he was visiting assistant professor at graduate school starting this summer to had the opportunity to travel quite a Seattle University. He has worked at work with Cedric Asensio on research bit, including to Finland, germany, the Schrodinger, a computational chemistry involving vesicle release and formation in Netherlands, China, Taiwan, Japan, and software company, since 2009 and was the context of type-2 diabetes. Korea working as a materials engineer. recently promoted to associate principal scientist. He is the project manager of Laura McWilliams, PhD’ 16, worked the quality assurance team, which has with geri Richmond researching 2000s testers in Portland, Oregon; New york chemistry at air/liquid interfaces. She is City; and Hyderabad, India. Duncan has currently a California Council on Science Sarah Antonelli, PhD ’06, was mentored two daughters (8 and 6) who take up and Technology policy fellow (fellows by David Johnson. Her research focused most of his non-work time, but he enjoys .ccst.us) working in the California State on characterizing electroless nickel and running trail ultra-marathons in the Assembly in the Utilities and energy cobalt alloys as diffusion barriers for Pacific Northwest when he can. Committee in Sacramento, California. copper lines in semiconductor chips. She had a collaboration with Intel Corp. in Garrett Harp, BA ’07, majored in Tobias Sherbow, BS ’12, performed Hillsboro, Oregon. For 11 years she has biochemistry and earned a minor in undergraduate research with David worked at Intel Corp. Fab 32 in Chandler, the Robert D. Clark Honors College. Tyler and became good friends with Arizona. She was a process engineer in garrett was awarded the 2007 Organic vickie DeRose through classes and a chemical vapor deposition group for Chemistry Achievement Award for chemistry.uoregon.edu DePARTMeNT OF CHeMISTRy AND BIOCHeMISTRy CHEM 7 Chemistry his work in John Keana’s lab. After in Klamath Hall, which he noticed after high point to working in environmental graduation, Harp worked as a certified visiting with Hardwick. After graduation health and safety it’s that it’s a unit that nursing assistant at Salem Hospital Martin worked in a quality control lab touches, even if only briefly, on almost on a medical/surgical inpatient ward for a neutraceuticals company (A.M. every operation and activity that occurs while applying for medical school. He Todd Botanicals) in eugene for eight at the university. If there’s a low point, matriculated at the Keck School of months then moved to Bend, Oregon, it’s having to enforce compliance with Medicine of the University of Southern to work in another quality control lab regulations–it’s sometimes necessary, California and graduated in May 2012. for a biorational pest control plant but being a colleague, working to solve Prior to medical school, Harp also (Suterra). For the past eight years Martin problems collaboratively, is much more applied for the Health Professions has worked at Capsugel (formerly Bend rewarding than being an enforcer.” Scholarship Program through the Research) formulating and understanding When not at work, Stuckmeyer United States Navy. He started military a range of properties of pharmaceutical spent much of the last 20 years either graduate medical education at Naval supplies from preclinical to commercial whitewater kayaking, canoeing, cycling, Medical Center in San Diego after phases. Martin’s current title is Manager skiing, or climbing. Now he spends finishing medical school. While there, he of Late Stage Formulation Development. almost all of his free time with his wife, completed an internship and residency His role ensures a high standard of Christine, and 3-year-old daughter Lucia. in internal medicine and is now a execution as well as a steady rate of They all love to bicycle, hike at Mt. board-certified internist and a fellow in innovation for all the programs within his Pisgah or elsewhere, and float Oregon’s pulmonary and critical care medicine group. rivers on their 16-foot whitewater at Naval Medical Center San Diego. He cataraft. will graduate from his fellowship in June Stacey Standridge, MS ’05, earned 2018. her PhD at Northwestern University in Sara Wisser (Staggs), MS ’05, founded 2010 and completed an AAAS Science UO Women in graduate Science in 2004, Mike Jesperson, PhD ’08, finished and Technology policy fellowship in and was honored as namesake for the doctoral studies in Jim Hutchison’s 2013. She is currently a vice president Sara Staggs Undergraduate Transition laboratory, then accepted an NRC at International Technology Research Award. Wisser was president of Life postdoctoral fellowship at the Air Institute Inc. and provides contract staff Technologies International Women’s Force Research Laboratory in Dayton, support for the National Nanotechnology Influential Network (IWIN) Field Chapter Ohio. He spent seven years in AFRL’s Coordination Office. In this role from 2011–14, then Life’s Sales Advisory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Standridge has worked on a wide range Council from 2010–13, and top genetic working on a range of nanotechnology of projects, including serving as project Analysis Sales Representative in 2013. projects, including nanoparticle liquids, manager for the most recent National She was Chairman’s Club at Thermo photovoltaics, polymer-nanocomposites, Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Fisher Scientific in 2014 and is currently and two-dimensional electronic Plan, leading the office’s international Senior genetic Analysis Representative materials. In 2015 he left AFRL to study activities, and managing several for Life Sciences Division of Thermo law after he was offered a Darrow Nanotechnology Signature Initiatives. Fisher Scientific. Scholarship at the University of Michigan Standridge lives in Arlington, virginia, Law School. Jesperson is currently a with her husband and 3-year-old David Wu, BA ’07, majored in Chinese contributing editor for the Michigan daughter. literature and biochemistry, working Law Review and will graduate with his with victoria DeRose. After working a JD in May 2018. After law school he Steve Stuckmeyer, MS ’01, performed few years in research and development, will practice intellectual property law research in geri Richmond’s lab. He he taught K-12 with Teach for America. as an attorney at Foley & Lardner LLP accumulated 16 years’ work experience Currently Wu is in strategy consulting in Detroit, Michigan. He and his wife, in environmental health and safety: with ernst & young focusing on Danna, live near Ann Arbor, Michigan, seven years managing environmental clinical operations and research and with their three children, Wyatt, 6; compliance in the recreational vehicle development for cancer therapies. Austyn, 4; and Addison, 3. manufacturing industry, and nine years at the UO. “At the UO I’ve had the Zach Martin, BS ’06, received the pleasure to work with many researchers, 1990s Richard Noyes Award for physical faculty, and students, as well as our chemistry. Martin did undergraduate administrative and operations units,” Greg Baxley, PhD ’97, studied with research with John Hardwick focusing Stuckmeyer says. “I can honestly say I David Tyler. His wife, Lara, earned her on IR spectroscopy of mono-deuterated can’t remember having a boring day at PhD from Diane Hawley in 1999. They acetylene. A poster of Martin’s is still up work in those last nine years. If there’s a live in San Luis Obispo, California, and 8 UNIveRSITy OF ORegON CollEgE of ArtS AND SCIENCES Fall 2017 enjoy their positions as instructors polyol synthesis, and medicinal chemistry Erik Lloyd, MA ’93, worked in the lab of at Cuesta College. Lara is currently of neuropsychiatric disorders. He recently Bruce Hudson and is currently working the Academic Senate president. greg served as visiting professor at Kunming as associate director of quality control at received the President’s Leadership University of Science and Technology BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. Award at Cuesta in 2014. in Kunming, China, where he taught six hours of physical organic chemistry Mark Bennett, BS ’92, worked with lectures, participated in many research 1980s Terry Takahashi during his final year at exchanges, and enjoyed a side trip to the the UO. He worked in clinical research Mount everest Base Camp in Tibet. Dave Edlund, PhD ’87, with Richard (pharmaceuticals) for the past two Finke, went to work developing new decades, holding a variety of titles and Kyle Gano, BS ’94, is currently the separations technology at Bend supporting a diverse field of potential chief business development officer at Research Inc. (Bend, Oregon). In 1995, compounds to help sick people. Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. His work he cofounded a company that became Currently Bennett works exclusively focuses on product development and known as IdaTech, where he led the in oncology and is impressed with the business partnering activities, including development of small-scale hydrogen progress on immunotherapy treatments. product and technology evaluation, generators. In 2010 he cofounded He has continued keeping his laboratory in– and out–licensing, and collaborative element 1 Corp., where he is currently “chops” up to par, which led to the 2014 research and development agreements. CeO. His mission is to license state-of- approval of his own patent (“Collagen After more than 10 years of research and the-art hydrogen generator technology Production Compound,” Patent Number development, Ingrezza, a medicine he and other clean and alternative energy 8895034). Using the patent, his wife patented, was approved by the FDA for technology to international partners. He started a business called MultivitaSkin, the treatment of tardive dyskinesia. After authored one technical reference book LLC. Bennett lives in virginia, but visits his BS in chemistry from the UO, gano and chapters in two other textbooks Oregon every 10 years or so. He misses received his BS in biochemistry from the related to hydrogen energy. edlund many fellow Ducks and hopes they are University of Washington (1996), PhD in has been awarded more than 300 US living the best years of their life! organic chemistry from UCLA (2000), and international patents. He is also an and his MBA from the Anderson School award-winning author of action/political Matthew Clifton, BS ’99, earned his at UCLA (2002). Kyle wrote to say, “I thrillers. PhD in biochemistry and molecular owe a lot to the UO as it set a solid biology from Purdue University in 2005. foundation for future growth.” Jung Hee Lee, BS ’85, studied medical A postdoc followed from 2005–10 at imaging, radiology, and MRI. He earned the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Sawan Hurst, BS ’99, founded Phi a PhD in 1990 from the University of Center, where his research focus was Life Sciences, a company that focuses Washington. Lee is a professor in the primarily structure-based drug design on precision health care through Department of Radiology, Samsung and fragment-based lead discovery. molecular testing. Phi Life Sciences Medical Center, at the Sungkyunkwan Clifton’s career started at Beryllium, (philifesciences.com) sequences patient University School of Medicine in South a contract research organization DNA for mutations in genes, such as Korea. specializing in structure determination Cytochrome P450 testing for medication for pharmaceutical companies. In 2015 management, as well as develops novel David O’Kelley, BS ’83, in biochemistry, he moved to San Francisco to work for products for the overall evaluation of a computer science, and aviation, worked Nurix, a startup drug company focused patient’s personalized health profile. with Hayes griffith, Ralph Barnhard, Jim on the ubiquitin proteasome. Clifton has Long, and Chuck Klopfenstein. O’Kelley’s authored more than 27 peer-reviewed David Kuninger, BA ’92, was the family has long roots in eugene and owns papers and more than 300 structures in featured speaker for the first in a series Newman’s Fish Market. He returned to the Protein Data Bank. of neurobiology webinars hosted in eugene after 30 years away and is still partnership between Thermo Fisher working in the field of aviation software Greg Friestad, PhD ’95, with Bruce Scientific and LabRoots. Kuninger is as a consultant. He has joined the Branchaud, is associate professor in associate director and group leader Clark Honors College Advisory Board, the Department of Chemistry at the at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Webinar created a scholarship through CHC University of Iowa, where he continues attendees explored experimental data for science majors in honor of Hayes research in synthetic organic chemistry, from neuronal clusters derived from griffith, continues to work with UO focusing on radical addition to imino human pluoripotent stem cells and admissions, and will be president of the compounds, strategies for stereocontrol in primary rodent neurons. yachats Lions Club. He is also planning chemistry.uoregon.edu DePARTMeNT OF CHeMISTRy AND BIOCHeMISTRy CHEM 9 Chemistry on volunteering as a tutor with our local is currently a senior research fellow and with orchestras. Wright is an author Angell Job Corps, which will eventually in Cardiovascular Discovery at Bristol- on 15 peer-reviewed papers, and a named become his full-time job. Myers Squibb Company in New Jersey. inventor on 13 patented inventions. As Wong has dedicated 35 years to drug a patent agent, he has drafted and filed David Schiraldi, PhD ’82, worked with discovery research and has codiscovered more than 300 patent applications. Rick Finke at the research centers of two blockbuster drugs, losartan Celanese Chemicals in Corpus Christi, (Cozaar/Hyzaar) for the treatment of Texas, from 1983 to 1985, then at Hoechst hypertension and heart failure, and 1960s Celanese Fibers and Films Division in apixaban (eliquis) for the reduction of Charlotte, North Carolina, from 1985 risk of stroke and systemic embolism Gordon Gribble, PhD ’63, with Lloyd to 2002. In 2002 Schiraldi accepted a in atrial fibrillation. Wong received a Dolby, retired from teaching in August, faculty position in the Department of number of prestigious awards, including at the end of his 49th year at Dartmouth. Macromolecular Science and engineering an elected Fellow of the American Heart He will continue writing and doing at Case Western Reserve University, Association (1991), American Chemical research for a few more years, and hopes receiving tenure, promotion to full Society Team Innovation Award for to turn his 40-year home winemaking professor, and then the Peter A. Asseff the discovery of Cozaar (1997), Robert operation into a small vermont winery. endowed Chair. Schiraldi has served as R. Ruffolo Career Achievement Award His new book, Indole Ring Synthesis–From Chairman of the department for the in Pharmacology from the American Natural Products to Drug Discovery, the past eight years, has graduated 14 PhD Society for Pharmacological experimental culmination of 10 years of work, was students to date, has more than 200 Therapeutics (2013) and American published in 2016. peer-reviewed papers, and is a fellow of Chemical Society Heroes of Chemistry the American Chemical Society. Award for the discovery of eliquis (2015). John Natt, BA ’64, is managing director “My training at the University of Oregon of Clear vision Associates, offering 1970s has allowed me to successfully pursue a forecasting and analysis of forest career in the pharmaceutical industry,” products. He earned an MS in 1966 in he says. “I am indebted to my professors, physical chemistry from University of Dorayi Aminu, PhD ’73, studied Donald Swinehart and edward Herbert. Washington and an MBA in managerial chemistry in Nigeria; Oregon; and My success in drug discovery could not economics from the University of Reading, england. Aminu spent 53 years have happened without their teaching, California-Berkeley. He is now semi- as a teacher, lecturer, and educator, and guidance, and encouragement.” retired after 47 years in the forest also served the Kano State government products industry. Professors Swinehart of Nigeria from 1975–79 as secretary After Brad Wright, BA ’79, graduated and Noyes were his mentors at the UO. of state in the Ministries of education, from the Clark Honors College he Natt has lived in Mill valley, California, Finance, and economic Development and attended Ohio State University where— since 1974. He served on the UO College Trade Industry and Cooperatives. Aminu with Matthew Platz—he studied the of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board for plans to retire in November 2017 at age chemistry and kinetics of carbenes and 15 years. Natt says he is still athletically 75. Post-retirement he plans to write his biradicals at low temperature. While active. autobiography. there, he also met and married Julie, his wife of 35 years. After graduating Dennis Rogers, BA ’68, worked for three David Kamp, PhD ’76, with virgil from Ohio State in 1983 with his PhD, years in organic synthesis at garrett Boekelheide, retired from Hewlett a postdoc at yale with Jerome Berson Research and Development in Laverne, Packard in 2011. ever since graduate followed. Wright then worked at 3M California. He returned to Oregon in school he’s enjoyed outdoor activities for 33 years in basic research and 1971 and earned a pharmacy degree from and continues to do so, with his wife, product development, and more recently Oregon State University in 1974. Rogers Phaik-Foon Kamp. He is active in local as a patent agent in 3M’s Office of worked 10 years as a retail pharmacist, American Chemical Society section Intellectual Property Counsel. In 1999 10 years as a hospital pharmacist, and activities and the golden gate Polymer he received a 3M Corporate Circle of the last 23 years as a managed care Forum. Technical excellence award. In his free pharmacist for health insurance plans. time, he enjoys tutoring, volunteering at He recently retired from pharmacy, and Pancras Wong, BA ’76, earned his PhD science competitions, pro bono patent retired from the Army Reserve after 30 in Pharmacology from the University application drafting, composing music, years as a lieutenant colonel. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, in 1981. He and performing on the recorder—solo 10 UNIveRSITy OF ORegON CollEgE of ArtS AND SCIENCES Fall 2017 Honor roll Chemistry Gifts, July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 your Gifts, Our Thanks! he Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry faculty, Thomas Hackett ’69, MS ’77, Jee-Hong Kim ’10 Tstaff, and students are grateful for your contributions. 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