Chemistry graduate student Charles Shanahan has been invited to participate in the 2011 Abbott Scholars Symposium, to be held at Abbott’s Corporate Headquarters in Abbott Park, Illinois on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 where he will present his research. The purpose of this biannual event is to bring together outstanding chemists from chemistry departments receiving support from Abbott Laboratories to share their research results with each other and with scientists from Abbott.
Shanahan works in the lab of Professor Stephen Martin and his research has centered on the total synthesis of the stemofoline alkaloids. These complex alkaloids are characterized by their caged hexacyclic architecture and their interesting array of biological properties including: anticaner, pesticidal, and delousing activities. His synthesis of these alkaloids has bore out a novel 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction, which he features as the key step in the construction of the fully functionalized core of these alkaloids. Additionally, he has also completed a project using the Pauson-Khand reaction as a novel way to construct various bridged azabicyclic ring systems.
Shanahan grew up mainly in Arizona and calls Wickenburg his hometown. He attended the University of Arizona, where he received a B.S. degree in Chemistry. During his time there he performed 3 years of undergraduate research in the laboratories of Dominic V. McGrath as a Undergraduate Biology Research Program (UBRP) Fellow funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
After receiving his doctorate, Shanahan is headed to the University of Maryland to work as a postdoctoral associate in the laboratories of Michal P. Doyle.
