Nov 18, 2011 - Claremont, CA -

Some natural plant molecules have antibiotic, antifungal or anti-inflammatory properties. However, when the plants are endangered, difficult to acquire or expensive to process, scientists strive to synthesize their beneficial molecules to access their medicinal properties. Sometimes they are even able to create more effective medicines.

Students in Chemistry Professor David Vosburg’s lab work to make synthesis processes more bio-friendly by using green chemistry techniques and imitating natural biological strategies, resulting in fewer steps and less waste.

They also develope fluorescent molecules that act as chemical probes that help identify the presence of a particular amino acid found in proteins. Such probes are potentially valuable tools for biological studies and medical diagnosis.

The project began as part of Harvey Mudd College's ongoing Summer Research Program, which engages students in 10 weeks of full-time research. More than 170 HMC students pursued research projects this summer alongside 45 faculty members in biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics and physics.