Phase II Research Projects
Research Theme - Biochemistry
Investigator: Dr. Malcolm D'Souza, Wesley Chemistry
Research Title: Extent of Nucleophilic Participation in Acyl, Sulfonyl and Sulfamoyl Halides
Abstract: Our major focus is in the field of solution chemical kinetics. These projects remain of basic importance in organic chemistry because they study the bond-making and bond breaking processes of a great many reactions that are building blocks in the synthesis of arthritis, cancer, antiviral, and antifungal drugs. The proposed experiments may lead to better methods for measuring and understanding the effects of the solvent (medium) in which these reactions take place and thereby increasing our understanding of their reaction mechanisms. A second project combines web-accessible FDA drug files along with software from BioRad Laboratories, to teach Wesley science majors information technology tools that are typical in the drug discovery process. Although Wesley College does not offer Chemistry as a major, Wesley undergraduates in our group are afforded an opportunity to publish and present data at scientific conferences through the INBRE grant.
