About The Vanderwal Lab

The Vanderwal lab comprises a diverse group of graduate and undergraduate researchers, postdoctoral associates, and visiting scholars.

We are primarily engaged in strategy-guided synthesis of complex, biologically interesting natural products. Prototypical projects focus on designing and executing short syntheses of bioactive targets, with the goal of also accessing focused analogues for basic SAR studies. Ideally, information gathered from those studies will inform the synthesis of chemical probe molecules to unearth novel mechanisms of action.

Since the founding of the lab over 15 years ago, our research has led to concise syntheses and collaborative biological studies of complex alkaloids, terpenoids, and polyhalogenated natural products. We have also engaged in new methods development, investigations of novel chemical scaffolds, biosynthesis experiments, and discovery of previously unseen biochemical interactions.

Recent News

– After a successful defense, Lucas is now Dr. Johnson! Congratulations Lucas!
– Brandon Sarrels was awarded an Honorable Mention for the 2024 NSF GRFP – outstanding work Brandon!
– Excited to announce our group has grown by two: Seamus Higgins and Theo Elvebak have joined the ranks of the Vanderwal Lab!
– After a successful defense, Joe is now Dr. Capani! Congratulations Joe!
– Congratulations on your successful defense, Dr. Bonnie Pak!
– Scott’s synthesis of a complex analogue to brasilicardin A has been published in the nick of time. Scott, we look forward to your imminent defense!
– Ryan, Hanh, and Michael have published their method detailing a stereoselective Birch reduction/alkylation protocol using esters of salicylic acid. Congratulations!
– Our report describing a method for radical-based annulation using cobalt-catalyzed MHAT has been accepted for publication – congratulations to Lucas, Griffin, and Sebastian!
– Jono, Joe, Matthias, and Philipp published their syntheses of wickerols A and B – congratulations!
– Natalie’s enantiospecific synthesis of isoneoamphilectane is out! Nice work Natalie!
– A big welcome to the newest members of the Vanderwal Lab: Matt Furry, Jonathan Iaconelli, Mira Milic, and Brandon Sarrels.
– Congratulations to Griffin and Allen for publication of their work using synthesis to investigate the biogenesis of alstonlarsine A!
– Excited to announce the arrival of postdoctoral scholar Dr. Ryan Barrett and our newest graduate student Franco Llamas!
– To start the 2022-2023 academic year, we welcome Julian Bendix and Franco Llamas to rotate in our lab.
– We are pleased to announce that Jose Medina successfully completed his 2022 summer research in our lab with his mentor, Lucas Johnson. We wish you the best for your next journey in your academic career.
– We would like to extend our warmest welcome to our new undergraduate researchers: Samantha Nguyen, Sebastian Fernandez, Amber Sheu, and Jose Medina.
– To our delight, G2 student Hanh Nguyen was awarded the 2022 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.
– Congratulations to Ryan on completing his Ph.D. Our lab sent the best wishes to Ryan for his new position at Turning Point Therapeutics, Inc.
– Congrats to Natalie and Vincenzo on their recent publication on regioselective enolate formation!
– Congratulations to Lucas, Scott, and Darius on their synthesis of plebeianiol A!
– Congratulations to Darius for successfully defending his thesis!
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