Group Members
Current Group Members
Bryan C. Jones
(BS, Louisiana College, Pineville, LA, 2014)
2015 – present
Synthetic Studies Toward Virotoxins
Joshua A. Lutz
(BS, Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA)
(BS, Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA, 2014)
2015 – present
Synthetic Studies Toward the Microbisporicins
Group Alumni
PhD Students
Chyree S. Batton
BS Spelman College, Atlanta, GA (2009)
PhD, Louisiana State University (December 2014)
Synthetic Routes to Therapeutic Agents via Masked Functionalities: from Orthogonal Peptide Crosslink to Photothermal Cancer Prodrug
Senior Associate Chemist, Product Formulation, SC Johnson, SC Johnson, Racine, WI (2015-present)
Saroj Yadav
BSc Hons, Panjab University, India (2006)
MSc Hons (Panjab University, India (2008)
PhD, Louisiana State University (December 2013)
Synthesis of the Western Hemisphere of Theonellamide C
Postdoctoral Associate with Professor Suri Iyer, Georgia State University, Athens, GA (2014)Analyst, Noramco, Inc, Atlanta, GA (2014-present)
Chamini V. Karunaratne
BSc, Colombo University, Sri Lanka (2008)
PhD, Louisiana State University (December 2013)
Structural and Synthesis Studies of the Pro143 Region of Skp1 in Dictyostelium discoideum.
Postdoctoral Associate with Professor Hong Wang, University of Miami, Oxford, OH (2014-present)
Douglas Wong
BS, Louisiana State University (2003)
PhD, Louisiana State University (December 2013)
Synthetic Efforts Toward the Eastern Hemisphere of Theonellamide C
Ning Xie
BS, Louisiana State University (2007)
PhD, Louisiana State University (December 2013)
Oligomers of β-Arabinosides of Hydroxyproline: Synthesis of the Carbohydrate Epitope of the Art v 1 Allergen
Contract Researcher, TumorEnd, Baton Rouge (2013-14)
Research Chemist, SASOL, North America (2014-present)
Benson J. Edagwa
BSc, Moi University, Kenya (2005)
PhD, Louisiana State University (May 2012)
Total Synthesis of a Virotoxin and Analogs for Conformational Studies
Postdoctoral Associate with Professors Narayanasamy and Gendleman, University of Nebraska Medical Center (2012-present)
Karen Bang
BSc, University of Auckland (1999)
MSc, University of Auckland (2001)
Determination of Selectivity by Calf Pregastric Lipase
PhD, Massey University (2006)
Synthesis and Analysis of Libraries of Flavour Compounds
Research Scientist, SCION, Rotorua, New Zealand
Jae Park
BSc Hons, University of Auckland (1998)
PhD, University of Auckland, 2002
Synthesis of Natural Products Containing Hydroxylated Pyrrolidines
Advanced Chemtech, Louisville, KY (2003-05)Protein Technologies, Tuczon, AR (2005-08)
Principal Investigator, Purdue Pharma, NJ, USA (2008-present)
Claudette A. Weir
BSc Hons, University of Auckland (1997)
PhD, University of Auckland (2000)
The Synthesis of 3,4-Dihydroxyprolines and the Incorporation of Hydroxylated Prolines into Peptides and GlycopeptidesPostdoctoral
Associate with Hindsgaul, University of Alberta (2000-01)
Auckland Cancer Research CenterBotany Downs Secondary School
Undergraduate Researchers
Julie Dagenhardt
BS, Louisiana State University, Class of 2013
Chemistry Major, Chem3900 Student (Fall 2013)
Complementary Protecting Groups for Peptide Synthesis
Julie Ngo
BS, Louisiana State University, Class of 2013
Chemistry Major, Chem3900 Student (Spring 2012)
Synthesis of Fmoc-Protected Thiaprolines
Katie Moreaux
BS, Louisiana State University, Class of 2014
Biochemistry Major, Group Member (2011-13)
Contributions to the Z-Aminovinylcysteine Moiety
Thien Nguyen
Group Member (2011-12)
Contributions to the Synthesis of Histidinoalanine
University of Louisiana at Monroe, School of Pharmacy
Jarret Curtis
BS Hons, Louisiana State University, Class of 2012
Chemistry Major, Group Member 2010-12
Contributions to the Synthesis of an α-Helical Mimetic
University of South Alabama Medical School, Mobile, AL (2012-present)
Alex Nguyen
BS, Louisiana State University, Class of 2010
Chemistry Major, Group Member (2010-11)
Synthesis of Apoa and Aboa
Graduate Student, Chemistry, LSU (Smith/Vicente Group)
Lauren Sheehan
BS Louisiana State University, Class of Chem 3900 (Summer 2009)
Synthesis of a Biotin Carboxylase Inhibitor
Michael Bujol
Nicholas Bullard
Karl J. Shaffern
BSc Hons, Massey University (2006)
β-Glycosylated Hydroxyproline via an Umpolung ApproachPhD with Paul Plieger, Massey University
Postdoctoral Associate with Professor Robin Smith, University of Otago
Postdoctoral Fellows
Weihua Wang - Louisiana State University, 2006-07
Krishanthi Jayasundera Massey University
Julie M. Locke Massey University
Renaud Hardre Massey University
William D. Barker