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Chemistry Home Student Research Organic Chemistry
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Research 
Reed Larson (left) and Michael Waul Quest for the Prize Reed Larson, Michael Waul, and Ron Brisbois We spent the summer as part of a research team in chemical genetics, a collaborative project of the biology and chemistry departments, with the goal of synthesizing compounds thought to inhibit the plant hormone auxin and various auxin signaling pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana, a flowering plant whose small genome and rapid life cycle make it a model organism for plant study. At the same time, students of biology professor Paul Overvoorde designed and carried out experiments to determine the utility of these compounds for their biological effects in Arabidopsis. 
Arabidopsis thaliana We honed our skills in instrumental analysis (mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance), purification methods (flash column chromatography and recrystallization), reaction set-up and operation (inert atmosphere), and laboratory safety. Each day was a quest for the prize. Often, we would spend days on the same reaction, changing the amount of reactants used, rearranging their order of addition, lengthening reaction times, or trying different reaction temperatures. The attention to detail was worthwhile - there is nothing like the feeling of exhilaration experienced when the hard work has paid off, and you have made a molecule never before reported in the scientific literature. This decription is adapted from Reed Larson's story. To view the complete story, please click here |
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