{"id":437,"date":"2013-12-18T11:08:25","date_gmt":"2013-12-18T19:08:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/?page_id=437"},"modified":"2025-12-11T13:37:29","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T21:37:29","slug":"research","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/faculty-staff\/vosburg\/research\/","title":{"rendered":"David A. Vosburg Research"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Research Description<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Students in the Vosburg lab seek to make medicinally useful molecules in new ways. We especially try to make them in biomimetic ways, using chemistry that imitates how such molecules are believed to be formed naturally in plants. In ideal cases, it almost seems like the molecules are making themselves! We also seek to use environmentally friendly methods that minimize waste, toxicity and hazards. Some of our target molecules can be used to fight inflammation, bacteria, fungi, or tuberculosis. Often we make molecules that no one else has ever made before!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Research Interests<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>natural product synthesis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>natural product biosynthesis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>biomimetic cyclizations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>cascade reactions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>green chemistry<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>molecular self-assembly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>reaction development<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>asymmetric catalysis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>structure, strain, and reactivity of organic molecules<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Current Research Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Nora O\u2019Connor \u201926<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Liesel Hilkemeyer \u201927<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Johnson Ho \u201927<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Max Schernikau \u201927<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jiakang Chen \u201928<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tiffany Wu\u00a0\u201928<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Former Research Students<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paul Dossa &#8217;06<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kaitlyn Gray &#8217;06<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Martha Cavanaugh-O&#8217;Keefe &#8217;07<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Frances Hocutt &#8217;07<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kathryn (Poindexter) Scherpelz (Pomona &#8217;07)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Karen (Brown) Morrison &#8217;08<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Julian Evans &#8217;08 (joint research with Prof. Cave)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sam &#8220;Bunny&#8221; Sobelman &#8217;08<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alison Lee &#8217;09<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jonathan Litz &#8217;09<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ken Loh &#8217;09<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rachel Nishimura &#8217;09<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ryan Pakula &#8217;09<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Seanna Vine &#8217;09 (joint research with Prof. Cave)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Terence Wong &#8217;09<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Andrew Chung &#8217;10<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Helen Fitzmaurice &#8217;10<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chiara Giammanco &#8217;10<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eric Nacsa &#8217;10<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Camille Sultana &#8217;10<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Athena Anderson &#8217;11<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Anna Cunningham &#8217;11<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Laura Poindexter &#8217;11<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brigid Poling &#8217;11<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Zara Seibel &#8217;11<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kanny Wan &#8217;11<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tom Aldrich &#8217;12 (joint research with Prof. Maloney)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alix Chan &#8217;12<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Haley Ham &#8217;12<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kim Quach &#8217;12<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jeep Srisuknimit &#8217;12<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mary Van Vleet &#8217;12<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Erin Chen (Mt. SAC &#8217;11, UCLA &#8217;13)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cory Evans-Klock &#8217;13<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Katie Hilleke &#8217;13<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alex Kreisman (Pitzer &#8217;13)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mika Nakashige (Williams &#8217;13)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bethany Okada &#8217;13<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bryan Visser &#8217;13<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nick Chiappini (Drew &#8217;14)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brian Fielder &#8217;14<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eva Gao &#8217;14<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jonathan Keim (Baylor &#8217;14)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Julia Lee &#8217;14<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Katherine Muller &#8217;14<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Anastasia Patterson &#8217;14<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Christian Stevens &#8217;14<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Emily Yu (Mt. SAC &#8217;12, UCLA &#8217;14)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coline Devin &#8217;15<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eun Bin Go &#8217;15<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Grace Kim &#8216;(Williams &#8217;15)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mary May &#8217;15<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Arthur Chang &#8217;16<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stephanie Cheng (Mt. SAC &#8217;14, USC&#8217;16)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Max Frenkel &#8217;16<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shannon Wetzler &#8217;16<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Annisa Dea &#8217;17<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lee Joon Kim &#8217;17<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kareesa Kron &#8217;18<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Geneva Miller &#8217;18<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Omar Velazquez &#8217;18<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Giovanni Castro &#8217;19<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Johnson Hoang &#8217;20<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Emily Shimizu &#8217;20<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Josh Hunter &#8217;21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keo Chui &#8217;22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kelvin Lee &#8217;22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Michelle Lee &#8217;22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Celine Wang &#8217;22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eleanor Bentley &#8217;23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eugene Gao &#8217;23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nate Luis &#8217;23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cooper Nissenbaum &#8217;23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sydney Neibert &#8217;24<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Luke Stemple \u201924<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kasey Chung \u201925<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tanner Gasteazoro \u201925<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Grant Miller (Pomona \u201925)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Oriole Song \u201925<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lijinghan &#8220;Alice&#8221; Chen (Pomona \u201926)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lan Zhu (Pomona \u201926)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Angela Milo \u201928<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2013Vlabcage.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"487\" height=\"411\" data-id=\"439\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2013Vlabcage.jpg\" alt=\"Summer 2013 lab participants\" class=\"wp-image-439\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2013Vlabcage.jpg 487w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2013Vlabcage-300x253.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Summer 2013 lab. <br>Top edges of cage: Brian, Prof. Vosburg, Jonathan. Bottom edges of cage: Shannon, Nick, Eun Bin. Trapped in cage: Stephanie.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/Vosburg1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"326\" data-id=\"601\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/Vosburg1.jpg\" alt=\"Summer 2012 lab participants\" class=\"wp-image-601\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/Vosburg1.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/Vosburg1-300x196.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Summer 2012 lab. <br>Top row: Katie, Cory, Prof. Vosburg, Brian, Bethany. Bottom row: Eva, Julia, Mika, Emily.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2011Vlab.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1080\" data-id=\"441\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2011Vlab.jpg\" alt=\"Summer 2011 lab participants\" class=\"wp-image-441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2011Vlab.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2011Vlab-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2011Vlab-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2011Vlab-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Summer 2011 lab.<br> Top row: Anastasia, Prof. Vosburg, Cory. Bottom row: Katie, Mary, Erin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2010Vlab.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"473\" height=\"334\" data-id=\"446\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2010Vlab.jpg\" alt=\"Summer 2010 lab participants\" class=\"wp-image-446\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2010Vlab.jpg 473w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2010Vlab-300x212.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 473px) 100vw, 473px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Summer 2010 microwave lab. <br>Top: Laura, Prof. Vosburg, Zara. Bottom: Kanny, Jeep.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2009Vlab-scaled-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1376\" data-id=\"442\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2009Vlab-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"Summer 2009 lab participants\" class=\"wp-image-442\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2009Vlab-scaled-1.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2009Vlab-scaled-1-300x161.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2009Vlab-scaled-1-1024x550.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2009Vlab-scaled-1-768x413.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2009Vlab-scaled-1-1536x826.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2009Vlab-scaled-1-2048x1101.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Summer 2009 lab.<br> Pictured left to right: Andrew, Anna, Kanny, Prof. Vosburg, Eric, Rachel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2008HMC.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2419\" height=\"1385\" data-id=\"444\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2008HMC.jpg\" alt=\"Summer 2008 lab participants\" class=\"wp-image-444\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2008HMC.jpg 2419w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2008HMC-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2008HMC-1024x586.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2008HMC-768x440.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2008HMC-1536x879.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2008HMC-2048x1173.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2419px) 100vw, 2419px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Summer 2008 &#8220;HMC&#8221; lab.<br> Pictured left to right: Prof. Vosburg, Jonathan, Andrew, Rachel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2007Vlab1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2272\" height=\"1704\" data-id=\"448\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2007Vlab1.jpg\" alt=\"Summer 2007 lab participants\" class=\"wp-image-448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2007Vlab1.jpg 2272w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2007Vlab1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2007Vlab1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2007Vlab1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2007Vlab1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/2007Vlab1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2272px) 100vw, 2272px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Summer 2007 lab. <br>Top row: Kathryn, Terence. Bottom row: Karen, Prof. Vosburg, Ken.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/VosburgLabSummer2006.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"273\" data-id=\"835\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/VosburgLabSummer2006.jpg\" alt=\"Summer 2006 lab participants\" class=\"wp-image-835\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/VosburgLabSummer2006.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2013\/12\/VosburgLabSummer2006-300x137.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Summer 2006 &#8220;V&#8221; lab. <br>Pictured left to right: Sam, Kathryn, Helen, Prof. Vosburg.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Summer Labs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Research Description Students in the Vosburg lab seek to make medicinally useful molecules in new ways. We especially try to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":187,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-437","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=437"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/437\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9374,"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/437\/revisions\/9374"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hmc.edu\/chemistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}