For 13 years, the Chemistry of Life Processes Institute has provided financial support for promising undergraduate Chemistry majors to conduct research for two consecutive years through the Institute’s Lambert Fellowship Program. This year, three new fellows, Monica Jones, Young Chi Li, and Daniel Yang joined the current cohort that includes 4th-year students JoJo Holm, and Anthony Tam.
In addition to a stipend that covers their living expenses, Lambert Fellows also receive laboratory funding that covers research materials and supplies as well as travel and academic conference fees. The Fellowship also includes a mentoring plan that allows students to develop their skills with CLP faculty members and postdoctoral and graduate students who share the same interests.
Recently, CLP spoke with awardees about their research projects, experience in the fellowship program and plans for the future.
MONICA JONES
Hometown: Austin, TX
Year: 2nd
Major: Chemistry
CLP Mentor: Regan Thomson (Chemistry)
What is the focus of your Lambert Fellowship Research Project?
In the past five years or so, there has been a wave within the drug synthesis community to recreate a lot of drugs that we already produce with changes, such as exchanging a hydrogen atom for a heavier deuterium atom. Many promising studies have shown that drugs with a change in that atom would stay longer in the human body and would allow people to take fewer doses of medication. This provides another avenue for developing extended-release 24-hour medications.
We think that if you exchange some of the components that just have hydrogen in them for deuterated components, then you would be able to add deuterium at a certain location on a molecule that you’re using for drug synthesis. The mechanisms I used during the summer had about a 40% yield which wasn’t great. It wasn’t what we were looking for. However, I did find a mechanism that uses a catalyst that we thought could have potential as well as other projects with biocomponents that we would like to investigate further.
Why did you apply for the Lambert Fellowship?
Originally, I applied for the CLP Summer Research grant because I wanted to do research last summer, but I didn’t have the money. However, after discussing the project with my professor, Regan Thomas, we realized that it would take longer than a summer, so he encouraged me to apply for the Lambert Fellowship instead. What it has meant to me is stability within this lab and within this project. I can keep working for a long time. My professor also really appreciated that extra funding for supplies.
Do you know yet what you want to do after completing your education?
I want to get a PhD at some point. Initially, I thought I wanted to go directly into a graduate program, but I’m not sure if that’s the best idea anymore because they don’t get paid very much and it would be good to work and build some industry connections. Eventually, I’d like to work in the pharmaceuticals industry, or possibly for a food-related or cosmetic company. But I want to stay in organic chemistry. Since I also work in the [Franz] Geiger lab, I have some interest in spectroscopy as well.
YOUNG CHI LI
Hometown: Hong Kong
Year: 3rd
Major: Chemistry and Integrated Science
CLP Mentor: Xiaoyu Zhang, PhD (Chemistry)
What is the focus of your Lambert Fellowship Research Project?
I screen for drugs that can degrade androgen [sex hormone family to which testosterone belongs] receptor variants in prostate cancer. Improper hormone signaling is one of the factors contributing to the development of prostate cancer. The first line of defense in treating prostate cancer is chemical or physical castration to lower the secretion of androgen. However, this isn’t a permanent solution. A second line of defense is androgen antagonist drugs, but they work only for a short time. Eventually, the cell creates variants of androgen receptors and the hormone signaling continues. My project is to find drugs to target these receptors.
Why did you apply for the Lambert Fellowship?
I worked in Professor Zhang’s lab in the summer of my freshman year and I really enjoyed working with him, so we decided to make a long-term plan to apply for the Lambert Fellowship because it offers two years of support. He also thought that the fellowship could give me some experience in research, whether going into industry or academia. I also wanted to meet more people through the Fellowship and connect with alumni, so I decided to apply.
Do you know yet what you want to do after completing your education?
I am probably going to pursue computer science or finance: something related to math or tech.
DANIEL YANG
Hometown: Webster, NY (born in Shenzhen, China)
Year: 3rd
Major: Chemistry, Biology and Integrated Science
CLP Mentor: Karl Scheidt (Chemistry)
What is the focus of your Lambert Fellowship Research Project?
My research project targets an enzyme that plays a key role in pancreatic cancer metastasis. We are trying to modify a chemical inhibitor to shut down the pathway for metastasis. By binding to an upstream signaling kinase, we hope to shut down that enzyme, blocking the signal that calls for cell proliferation from reaching the end of the pathway and causing uncontrolled cell division. My project is focused on modifying the inhibitor’s chemical structure to make it more potent and selective for that specific kinase.
Why did you apply for the Lambert Fellowship?
Through my junior year, I worked with Professor Scheidt and was able to explore a variety of organic chemistry projects, which ultimately led me to medicinal chemistry. There, I realized that the project required long-term commitment and thus applied to the Lambert Fellowship. Through it, I have gained an understanding of what it is like to work in an academic lab. The Lambert has also given me the opportunity to talk to other scholars that are my age through the different conferences that CLP plans.
Do you know yet what you want to do after completing your education?
I’d like to go into medicine. I think this project has helped me build a good foundation for medical studies and solidified a connection between synthetic chemicals and biological pathways.
Second year fellows, JoJo Holm and Anthony Tam, plan to go back to school after graduating from Northwestern. JoJo intends to apply to medical school, while Anthony will pursue a PhD in chemistry.
The Lambert Fellowship was founded in 2010, and endowed in 2016, by CLP Executive Advisory Board Chairman and Senior Vice President of Research Biology at Genentech, Andrew Chan, MD, PhD (Weinberg). The program is named in honor of Dr. Joseph B. Lambert, the Clare Hamilton Hall Professor of Chemistry. Lambert was Dr. Chan’s advisor in the late 1970’s at Northwestern and helped him succeed as a student; Lambert had a profound impact on Chan’s educational experience.
by Lisa La Vallee