A.L. Hook Professor Jen Dabrowski, an assistant professor of chemistry, presented her research at the 258th National American Chemical Society conference.
A. L. Hook Professor Jen Dabrowski was selected to present her research at the 258th National American Chemical Society conference held in San Diego, California.
Her talk, entitled “Efforts toward complex small molecule scaffolds from bio-renewable resources,” focused on a portion of her research program. Small molecules of high complexity are a critical part of the production of modern medicines and materials. Access to these scaffolds has historically been made possible through the development of catalysts that functionalize petroleum-based hydrocarbons – a finite resource.
Efforts to combine biorenewable resources with catalysis and synthetic methodologies have largely focused on the energy sector. Dabrowski’s research aims to further develop and utilize catalytic methodologies to enable sustainable alternatives for accessing complex small molecules. Conversion of monosaccharides employing tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane as the catalyst were detailed.
These contributions were disclosed during the WCC–Eli Lilly Supporting Women in Chemistry symposium, a session serving to recognize previous winners and celebrate the 30 anniversary of the Women Chemistry Committee/Eli Lilly Travel award. Dabrowski was a 2012 recipient of the award as a graduate student at Boston College.
“Receiving this award was a transformative experience and greatly shaped my professional trajectory,” Dabrowski said. “It was a thrill to be back in San Diego, where I had attended my first national conference seven years prior, and to celebrate the achievements and empowerment of women chemists.”
To-date, Eli Lilly has contributed over $250,000 to fund the first time travel of 700-plus young women scientists to present their scientific research at national conferences.