Past Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows

2018 Awardeees

Elise Brutschea

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Saint Joseph’s University
Mentor: Mark Forman
Research Project: Electroreduction: A Greener Alternative to the Synthesis of the Pyramidalized Alkene Pentacyclo[4.3.0.0 ^2,4 .0 ^3,8 .0 ^5,7 ]non-4-ene

Amy Chan

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Yale University
Mentor: Jonathan Ellman
Research Project: Potent and Selective Isoquinuclidine Ligands to G-Protein Coupled Receptors

Rania Daboul

Sponsor: Merck
School: University of Michigan
Mentor: Corinna Schindler
Research Project: Application of catalytic carbonyl olefin metathesis reactions to the asymmetric synthesis of sesquiterpene natural products

Jake Grabowski

School: Illinois State University Mentor: Andy Mitchell
Research Project: Feist-Bénary Furan Synthesis Toward the Total Synthesis of Toxicodenane A
Sponsors: Pfizer and Biogen

Noel Jameson

Sponsor: Amgen
School: Occidental College
Mentor: Roul Navarro
Research Project: Total Synthesis of Swerilactone A via a Novel Electrophilic Dearomatization Reaction

Spencer Lawson

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Delaware
Mentor: Donald Watson
Research Project: Development of a Nickel-Catalyzed Aza-Heck Cyclization

Gina Partipilo

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Mentor: Jefferson Chan
Research Project: Reversible Probe for the Detection of Nitric Oxide in vivo Using Photoacoustic Imaging

Eric Rizzo

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Stony Brook University
Mentor: Ming-Yu Ngai
Research Project: Chiral Catalysts for Asymmetric Visible-Light Photocatalytic Reactions

Matthew Thompson

Sponsor: Merck
School: Case Western Reserve University
Mentor: Drew Adams
Research Project: Developing Selective Covalent Inhibitors through the Synthesis of Novel Sulfonyl-Fluoride Probes

2017 Awardeees

Amanda Cowfer

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Illinois
Mentor: Paul Hergenrother
Research Project: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a Compound Library Derived from Lycorine

Alex Cusumano

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: North Carolina State University
Mentor: Joshua Pierce
Research Project: Utility of the 3-Hydroxy-1,5-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-2-one Scaffold in the Synthesis of alpha-Quaternary Centers Containing Beta-Homo Prolines and Beta-Lactams

Katherine Forbes

Sponsor: Merck
School: Occidental College
Mentor: Jeffrey Cannon
Research Project: Synthesis of Furanolactone Motifs through a Photocatalyzed Ketyl Radical Cyclization

Margaret McEwan

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Christopher Newport University
Mentor: Jeffrey Carney
Research Project: Towards the Total Synthesis of Torreyunlignans A-D

Lucus Oxtoby

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Wisconsin-Madison
Mentor: Jennifer Schomaker
Research Project: Investigating Analogs of Eflornithine, an Irreversible Inhibitor of Ornithine Decarboxylase

Maximilian Palkowitz

Sponsor: Merck
School: Boston College
Mentor: James Morken
Research Project: Stereoselective Synthesis of Cyclopropyl- and Cyclobutylboronic Esters via Diastereoselective alpha-Boryl-Carbanion Cyclizations

Ambarneil Saha

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Cornell University
Mentor: Song Lin
Research Project: Recycling CO2 for Amino Acid Synthesis

Holt Sakai

Sponsor: Merck
School: Yale
Mentor: Timothy Newhouse
Research Project: Nickel-Catalyzed Intramolecular alpha-Vinylation for the Synthesis of Bicyclic Systems

Emma Streff

Sponsor: Merck
School: Washington University in St. Louis
Mentor: Vladimir Birman
Research Project: Amidine-Based Catalysts with Enhanced Nucleophilicity: Synthesis, Study, and Applications

2016 Awardeees

Harrison Besser

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Harvard University
Mentor: Eric Jacobsen
Research Project: Development of an Iron Catalyst for Carbon-Hydrogen Oxidation

Hannah Burdge

Sponsor: Merck
School: Towson University
Mentor: Keith Reber
Research Project: Total Synthesis of Cladosin C

Shivansh Chawla 

Sponsor: Merck School: Cornell University
Mentor: Yimon Aye
Research Project: Synthesis of a Fluorescent Redox-Targeting Toolset for Use in Multicellular Organisms

Corrine Elliott

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Kentucky
Mentor: Susan Odom
Research Project: Steric Manipulation of Electrochemical Potentials in Conjugated Organic Molecules

Chris Fritschi

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Niagara University
Mentor: Luis Sanchez
Research Project: Developing a Synthetic Route to Caramboxin, a Rare Bioactive Non-peptidic Amino Acid

Anneliese Gest

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Macalester College
Mentor: Leah Witus
Research Project: Development of a Colorimetric Assay for the Screening of Peptide Catalysts

Evan Hurlow

Sponsor: Merck
School: University of Utah
Mentor: Jon Rainier
Research Project: The Derivatization of an Aggregate-Busing Quinone-Amino Acid Conjugate

Tyler Pabst

Sponsor: Merck
School: Youngstown State University
Mentor: Douglas Genna
Research Project: Transition Metal-Mediated C-CO ₂ Coupling Reactions for the Synthesis of Industrial Carbon Feedstocks

Tekenari Tienabeso

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Oklahoma
Mentor: Indrajeet Sharma
Research Project: Synthetic Access to the Psurotin Core via a Diazo-OH Insertion/Conia-Ene Cascade

2015 Awardeees

Adonis Cruz

Sponsor: Merck
School: Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Mentor: Justin Miller
Research Project: Solid-Phase Total Synthesis of Cysteine-Containing, Depsipeptidic Natural Products and Analogs

Carl Ferber

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of San Diego
Mentor: Timothy Clark
Research Project: Stereoselective Diboration/Homologation Sequence of Aldehydes using Lithiated Epoxides

Tyler Fulton

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Bucknell University
Mentor: Michael Krout
Research Project: Development of Copper Mediated Conjugate Addition Reactions Towards Complex Molecule Synthesis

Catherine McGeough

Sponsor: Merck
School: Smith College
Mentor: Kevin Shea
Research Project: Synthesis and Characterization of Derivatives of Neurole nin A and B

Amanda O’Loughlin

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Nevada, Reno
Mentor: Wesley A. Chalifoux
Research Project: Efficient Synthesis of Bicyclo[4.4.0]decanes by Tandem Double Diels-Alder

Melissa Ramirez

Sponsor: Merck
School: University of Pennsylvania
Mentor: Gary A. Molander
Research Project: B-X Functionalization of Borazarobenzofurans and Bioisosteric Activity of Azaborines

Shafer Soars

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Illinois College/ Yale University
Mentors: Brent Chandler/Scott Miller
Research Project: Development of a Catalyst Controlled Enantioselective and Diastereoselective Rauhut-Currier Reaction

Jessica Spradlin

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Tufts University
Mentor: Clay Bennett
Research Project: Synthesis of the Pentasaccharide Fragment of Saquayamycin Z

Fuhua Zhao

Sponsor: Merck
School: Stoney Brook University
Mentor: Ming-Yu Ngai
Research Project: Trifluoromethoxylation of Heteroarenes

2014 Awardeees

Alexander Cleveland

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Tennessee Technological University
Mentor: Jessie Carrick
Research Project: Investigation of the asymmetric induction of the hetero-Diels-Alder reaction with β-alkoxyaldehydes and Chiral chromium(III) catalysts

Nicolle Doering

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of California Santa Barbara
Mentor: Armen Zakarian
Research Project: Synthesis of Imidazoline LOXL2 Analogs

Richard Liu

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Harvard University
Mentor: Eric Jacobsen
Research Project: Small Molecule Hydrogen-Bond Catalysts for Asymmetric C–N Bond Formation

Moises Morales

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Washington State University
Mentor: Philip Garner
Research Project: A β-Aspartyl Thioester Building Block for Convergent Glycosylative Ligation of Peptides

Julia Murphy

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Swarthmore
Mentor: Robert Paley
Research Project: Azaspirocycle Formation Directed by a Planer Chiral iron(O) Tricarbonyl diene complex

Riley Svec

Sponsor: Cubist
School: University of Iowa
Mentor: Hien Nguyen
Research Project: Synthesis and affinity studies of mannose-derived glycopolymers for binding to antibody 2G12 which recognizes the gp120 epitope within the HIV envelope

2013 Awardeees

Pete Barnes

Sponsor: Genentech/Roche
School: Boise State University
Mentor: Don Warner
Research Project: Toward a Convergent Synthesis of Aziridinomitosenes

Craig Burt

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Williams College
Mentor: Thomas Smith
Research Project: Asymmetric Synthesis of Enigmazole A

Masha Elkin

Sponsor: The ACS Organic Division
School: Washington University
Mentor: Vladimir Birman
Research Project: An Efficient and Flexible Synthetic Route to Chiral Ligands

Michelle Ferreira

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Swarthmore College
Mentor: Liliya Yatsunyk
Research Project: Synthesis of Novel Polyamide Derivatives of Protoporphyrin-IX And Mesoporphyrin-IX As Potential G-Quadruplex Stabilizers

Terry Huh

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Bryn Mawr College
Mentor: Bill Malachowski
Research Project: Synthesis of Bicyclic Rings with Quaternary Centers through Sequential Birch Reduction-Alkylation and Cycloisomerization

Samuel Levi

Sponsor: Merck
School: University of Pennsylvania
Mentor: Jeffrey Winkler
Research Project: The Design and Synthesis of Novel Chloroquine Derivatives to Block Autophagy in Cancer Cells

Lydia Wolfe

Sponsor: Cubist
School: St. Olaf College
Mentor: Dipannita Kalyani
Research Project: Nickel Catalyzed Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation

2012 Awardeees

Ronald Besandre

Sponsor: Division of Organic Chemistry
School: University of Houston
Mentor: Jeremy A. May
Research Project: Synthesis of Indoles from α-Arylketones and Amines using Copper (I)

Alexander Burckle

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Utah
Mentor: Matthew S. Sigman
Research Project: Tandem Cross-Coupling using Heck Substrates and Selective β-hydride Elimination to Generate Vinyl Halides

Blake Daniels

Sponsor: Division of Organic Chemistry
School: University of Chicago
Mentor: Hisashi Yamamoto
Research Project: TBOx-Catalyzed Nitroso Hetero-Diels-Alder Reactions

Bennett Ferris

Sponsor: Cubist
School: Brown University
Mentor: Jason Sello
Research Project: Investigation of a Domino Reaction in the Target and Diversity-Oriented Synthesis of a Novel Antibacterial Agent

Drew Heitz

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Iowa
Mentor: Hien Nguyen
Research Project: Rhodium-Catalyzed Amination of Allylic Trichloroacetimidates and the Development of Antiretroviral Analogues

Rebecca Johnson

Sponsor: Roche
School: Barnard College
Mentor: Christian Rojas
Research Project: Using a Copper (II) Catalyst to Achieve Stereo-and Chemoselective Glucal 3-Carbamate Amidoglycoslation Reactions

Hilary Kerchner

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Delaware
Mentor: Mary P. Watson
Research Project: Enantioselective, Copper-Catalyzed Additions of Arylboronic Acids to Chromene Acetals

Anna Koster

Sponsor: Division of Organic Chemistry
School: University of Nevada, Reno
Mentor: Christopher S. Jeffrey
Research Project: Synthesis of Aldol Products through Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution of Aza-Oxyallyl Cation Intermediates

Matthew Landry

Sponsor: Merck
School: Princeton University
Mentor: Abigail Doyle
Research Project: Total Synthesis of Paecilospirone

Jaron Mercer

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Harvard University
Mentor: Andrew G. Myers
Research Project: A New Synthetic Route to Substituted Tetrahydroisoquinolines

Richard Thornbury

Sponsor: Division of Organic Chemistry
School: University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign
Mentor: Scott E. Denmark
Research Project: Asymmetric Chlorinations of Alkenes Using Chiral Quaternary Ammonium Polyhalide Salts

Alice Wong

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Swarthmore College
Mentor: Robert Paley
Research Project: Diastereoselective Allyl Silane-Iminium Ion Cyclization Directed by a Planar Chiral Iron (0) Tricarbonyl Diene Complex

2011 Awardeees

Derek Ahneman

Sponsor: Division of Organic Chemistry
School: University of Delaware
Mentor: Donald Watson
Research Project: Developing a catalyst for asymmetric alcohol alkylation

Catriona E. Blunt

Sponsor: Novartis
School: Smith College
Mentor: Kevin Shea
Research Project: Scope of a tandem Diels-Alder/Pauson-Khand synthesis for tetracycles

Adam N. Boynton

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Trinity College
Mentor: Timothy Curran
Research Project: Coordination of a peptide B-turn mimetic to tungsten: possible applications for the study of B-sheets

Zachary Brill

Sponsor: Division of Organic Chemistry
School: Columbia University
Mentor: Scott Snyder
Research Project: Total synthesis of Caraphenols B and C and related natural products

Taryn Campbell

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Connecticut College
Mentor: Timo Ovaska
Research Project: Studies toward the total synthesis of Frondosin D

Noelle Catarineu

Sponsor: Roche
School: New York University
Mentor: James Canary
Research Project: Synthesis and study of redox- active chiroptical molecular switches

Marc Giesener

Sponsor: Division of Organic Chemistry
School: Northwestern University
Mentor: Fraser Stoddart
Research Project: Multiple successive post synthetic modifications on metal- organic frameworks

Emily Hartman

Sponsor: Cubist
School: Brown University
Mentor: Amit Basu
Research Project: A chemical genetic analysis of galactose biochemistry in growing pollen tubes

David Kaphan

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Rochester
Mentor: Robert Boeckman
Research Project: Studies toward the diversification Of Diels-Alder Reactions of cyclic isoimidium salts

Victor W. Mak

Sponsor: Amgen
School: University of California, Irvine
Mentor: Kenneth Shea
Research Project: A concise total synthesis of (-)-Stenine

Wystan Neil Palmer

Sponsor: Division of Organic Chemistry
School: Swarthmore College
Mentor: Robert Paley
Research Project: Diastereoselective synthesis of bis-spiroketals directed by planar chiral 2-sulfinyl diene iron(0) tricarbonyl complexes

Ian Pendleton

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Eastern Michigan University
Mentor: Harriet Lindsay
Research Project: Determining the origins of stereocontrol in the Lewis acid-mediated aza-Cope rearrangement-Mannich cyclization of conformationally mobile iminium cations

Ryan Spencer Shinabery

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Mentor: Nan Zheng
Research Project: Photocatalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition of bicyclic cyclopropylamines with olefins by a ruthenium (II) complex

Alexander W. Sun

Sponsor: Cephalon
School: University of Pennsylvania
Mentor: Amos B. Smith III
Research Project: Synthesis of HIV-1 entry inhibitors: region II/III analogs of NBD-556

2010 Awardeees

Nadia C. Abascal

Sponsor: Boehringer Ingelheim
School: Barnard College
Mentor: Christian Rojas
Research Project: A soluble iodosobenzene derivative for 2-amino sugar synthesis

Juan Carlos Baso

Sponsor: Organic Division
School: University of South Florida
Mentor: Jon Antilla
Research Project: Enantioselective reduction of imines; A strategy for the construction of the Dragmacidin core and potential structural analogues

James Beckett

Sponsor: Organic Division
School: Kenyon College
Mentor: John Hofferberth
Research Project: Exploring the versatility of a novel route to the cyclopenta[c]pyridine substructure

Megan Marie Blewett

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Harvard University
Mentor: EJ Corey
Research Project: C-H functionalization with metallosalen complexes

Kurt James Cox

Sponsor: Organic Division
School: University of Arizona
Mentor: Indraneel Ghosh
Research Project: A synthetic bivalent approach for targeting protein kinases

Mary E. Daub

Sponsor: Cubist
School: Williams College
Mentor: Thomas Smith
Research Project: Asymmetric synthesis of Jerangolid D

Althea Gaffney

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Swarthmore College
Mentor: Robert Paley
Research Project: Planar chiral 2-sulfinyldiene iron( 0) tricarbonyl complexes as a platform for diastereo- selective synthesis of spiroketals

Anthony S. Grillo

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Michigan
Mentor: Masato Koreeda
Research Project: Development of a novel chiral heterocyclic carbene to be used in ruthenium catalyzed olefin metathesis

Dennis Hu

Sponsor: Organic Division
School: Northwestern University
Mentor: Regan Thomson
Research Project: Synthesis and structure / functional studies of Streptorubin B

Eduardo V. Mercado

Sponsor: Roche
School: University of California, Santa Barbara
Mentor: Thomas Pettus
Research Project: Synthetic approach toward unsymmetrical napthoquinone natural products: B-rubromycin, christazarin, echinochrome A and echinamines B

Jason Pflueger

Sponsor: Novartis
School: Columbia University
Mentor: Scott Snyder
Research Project: The total synthesis of Heimiol A, a Resveratrol-based natural product

James Phelan

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Grinnell College
Mentor: Stephen Sieck
Research Project: Investigation of N-acyl nitrones and their application in isoxazolidine synthesis

Katie Schaefer

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Utah
Mentor: Matthew Sigman
Research Project: Three dimensional mathematical modeling of modular pyridine ligands for the enantioselective alkylation of ketones

Jonathan Schultz

Sponsor: Organic Division
School: North Dakota State University
Mentor: Gregory Cook
Research Project: Catalytic enantioselective synthesis of chiral allylboronates

Justin Su

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: The University of Texas at Austin
Mentor: Stephen Martin
Research Project: Synthesis of a diverse Protoberberine- based small molecule library for biological screening

2009 Awardeees

Valerie Angell

Sponsor: Organic Division
School: Union College
Mentor: James Adrian
Research Project: Developing methods for preparing and testing libraries of pyrrolidine-triazoles: a new class of organocatalysts

Joseph Michael Azzarelli

Sponsor: Symyx Technologies
School: Stanford University (Montana State University)
Mentor: Barry Trost
Research Project: Cationic palladium (II) directed stereoselective β-glycosylations

Ross W. Cheloha

Sponsor: American Chemical Society
School: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Mentor: David Berkowitz
Research Project: Chemoenzymatic entry into dihydrocinnamayte building blocks and their synthetic elaboration: control of absolute and relative stereochemistry

Andrew Chung

Sponsor: Organic Division
School: Harvey Mudd College
Mentor: David Vosburg
Research Project: Biomimetic synthesis of the Endiandric Acids

Rachel Dorset

Sponsor: Sepracor
School: Smith College
Mentor: Kevin Shea
Research Project: Scope and limitations of cationic Diels-Alder dienophiles stabilized by cobalt-complexed alkynes

Nathaniel Erskine

Sponsor: Organic Division
School: Swarthmore College
Mentor: Robert Paley
Research Project: Diastereoselective synthesis of spiroketals using planar chiral iron(0) tricarbonyl complexes

Reid M. Faylor

Sponsor: Organic Division
School: Xavier University
Mentor: Richard Mullins
Research Project: Asymmetric conjugate addition for synthesis of pilocarpine and related compounds

Michelle Grau

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of San Diego
Mentor: Debbie Tahmassebi
Research Project: Synthesis and structural studies of a novel nucleoside analogue

Joshua Green

Sponsor: Cubist Pharmaceuticals
School: Harvard University
Mentor: Tobias Ritter
Research Project: Development of a reaction discovery methodology employing mass spectrometry

Jonathan James Hulce

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of Vermont
Mentor: Paul Krapcho
Research Project: A potential therapy for neurologic disorders via inhibition of the endogenous neurotoxin-like protein, “Lynx”

Lauren E. Kennedy

Sponsor: Wyeth
School: University of Pennsylvania
Mentor: Gary Molander
Research Project: Deprotection of potassium trifluoroborates to the corresponding boronic acids

Cameron Moore

Sponsor: American Chemical Society
School: Western Washington University
Mentor: Timothy Clark
Research Project: Copper-catalyzed diboration of ketones; facile synthesis of tertiary α-hydroxy boronate esters

Joseph Nagano-Gerace

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: Brown University
Mentor: Christopher Seto
Research Project: Unlocking glycosidase using an assay of synthetic fluorescent substrates

Andy I. Nguyen

Sponsor: Pfizer
School: University of California, Irvine
Mentor: Alan Heyduk
Research Project: Developing tantalum (V)-imido complexes with redox-active ligands for catalytic amination of C-H bonds and aziridination of olefins

Shreyas Shah

Sponsor: Organic Division
School: Rutgers University
Mentor: Ki-Bum Lee
Research Project: Multivalent nanoparticles as potent epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)

Shannon Stone

Sponsor: Novartis
School: Brown University
Mentor: Amit Basu
Research Project: Click chemistry to visualize the carbohydrates behind the growth of pollen tubes