The Department of Medicinal Chemistry hosted its annual awards ceremony on June 28 to recognize the top scholarly achievements during the 2023-24 academic year. The event offers an opportunity for the faculty to recognize outstanding student performance and thank everyone who contributed to advancing the department’s research. Congratulations to all the award winners listed below.
Junior Awards for Excellence:
Emma Ellis & Peter Ramdhan
Exemplary Student Service Award:
Vanisa Petriti, Alexis Bragg, & Alexis Smith, Breanne Freeman
Best Seminar, Junior Division:
Meng-Lun Hsieh, “Engineered skin bacteria induce antitumor T cell responses against melanoma”
Best Seminar, Senior Division:
Alexis Smith, “Development of Noncovalent Small-Molecule Keap1-Nrf2 Inhibitors by Fragment-Based Drug Discovery”
Best Research Paper Award:
- Dipesh Dhakal; Dimitris Kallifidas; Manyun Chen; Sofia Kokkaliari; Qi-Yin Chen; Valerie J. Paul; Yousong Ding*; Hendrik Luesch.* “Heterologous Production of the C33‒C45 Polyketide Fragment of Anticancer Apratoxins in a Cyanobacterial Host.” Org. Lett. 2023, 25, 2238‒2242.
- Kristen H. Scherrer; Shainnel O. Eans; Jessica M. Medina; Sanjeewa N. Senadheera; Tanvir Khaliq; Thomas F. Murray; Jay P. McLaughlin; Jane V. Aldrich.* “Tryptophan Substitution in CJ-15,208 (cyclo[Phe-D-Pro-Phe-Trp]) Introduces δ-Opioid Receptor Antagonism, Preventing Antinociceptive Tolerance and Stress-Induced Reinstatement of Extinguished Cocaine-Conditioned Place Preference.” Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16, 1218.
- Tao Xiao; Ke Liu; Qiwen Gao; Manyun Chen; Young S. Kim; Shouguang Jin; Yousong Ding; Robert W. Huigens III.* “Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Carbonate-Linked Halogenated Phenazine-Quinone Prodrugs with Improved Water-Solubility and Potent Antibacterial Profiles.” ACS Infect. Dis. 2023, 9, 899-915.
Margaret O. James Top Graduating Student Award:
Zachary Rabinowitz
Department Awards Over the Years
Review all the Department of Medicinal Chemistry award winners from previous years.
