Announcements
Identifying drugs that can cross the blood brain barrier is a significant challenge for treating diseases of the central nervous system. The Green Group has shown that decorating molecules with an indole group can make their macrocycles permeable to the blood brain barrier - a necessity for drugs targeting Alzheimer's disease. The new molecules activate intracellular mechanisms that protect the cells from the oxidative stress that is known to cause neurodegenerative diseases. The work was completed by four undergraduate students, two graduate students, and one postdoctoral scholar in collaboration with the Akkaraju group. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00530
Predicting the outcomes of organic reactions with multiple transition states, intermediates and products represents a daunting challenge to experimental design and computational modeling. A new functional for DFT calculations advanced by the Truhlar Group, TCU's Janesko Group and Gaussian, Inc. has taken a step forward in meeting these challenges. The work was just reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.3c12713).
Biochemistry undergraduate Tatum Harvey recently returned from the American Chemical Society (ACS) Leadership Institute in Atlanta (Jan 24-26, 2024). Harvey was one of 18 awardees selected from over 250 nominating affiliates. The award recognizes emerging leaders in the ACS student chapter network and helps prepare them for leadership opportunities with volunteer organizations and in their professional careers. TCU's student affiliate, ChemClub, has been recognized on the national stage for more than a decade, a reflection of Dr. Green's commitment to the undergraduate experience.
“This gift serves to express gratitude for the tremendous opportunities and mentorship Dr. Eric Simanek provided throughout my tenure,” says former research student Joey Mellberg (BS Biochemistry, '23) on his family's gift to Simanek Lab.
Mellberg was named an author of a manuscript published in Chemistry-A European Journal, which describes how molecular door hinges can be designed and engineered. The potential effects of this discovery could bring distinct advantages to materials, particularly in terms of antiballistic properties. The energy needed to activate numerous molecular hinges might be adequate to disperse the force of a bullet, preventing it from reaching its intended human target.
Simanek says, “The Mellberg family’s gratitude truly displays how TCU’s teacher-scholar model impacts life beyond the classroom. We are proud of how these research opportunities provide students with the intentional support and guidance they need to create a better future.”
The Simanek Lab is continuing these investigations.
It's a special time for many of our undergraduates who are entertaining invitations from some of the best PhD programs in the country!
One metric for the success of our chemistry program is the quality of the undergraduate education as perceived by external evaluators. Just as in years past, chemistry and biochemistry majors are receiving invitations to pursue PhD degrees in some of the best programs in the country. While the list is growing daily, it currently includes UT Southwestern Medical Center, Texas, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Michigan, Rice and Davis. Many of these undergraduates have published research papers and many more have given presentations or posters at regional and national conferences. Overhead on one visit, "What is in the water in Fort Worth that makes you all so good?"
Robert Hugh Neilson (Bob) passed away on December 17, 2020 after a seven month battle
with glioblastoma.
Bob was born on January 24, 1948 and grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, where he was an active child who loved to play outside and was bored at school. He enjoyed challenging his mom, sister, and teachers, and he frequently recounted the story of his mother affectionately telling him to “go play in traffic”. As Bob grew older, his early boredom with school turned into a career in education and research. He attended Carnegie Mellon University where he majored in chemistry and was a part of the Army ROTC program. At Carnegie Mellon, he developed an appreciation for both main group chemistry and strong undergraduate teaching. Bob then went to Duke University where he earned his Ph.D. in chemistry working on boron-nitrogen compounds.
After Duke, Bob pursued post-doctoral research at the University of Texas at Austin, where he met Patty Wisian. Patty was attracted to Bob because he gave the best group meeting talks and had an amazing stereo system. Patty and Bob moved to Durham, NC where Bob returned to Duke for a temporary faculty position. They were married in the Duke chapel on January 24, 1976 in front a massive crowd of 12 of their closest family members. Bob began a strong research program at Duke, and it was here that his first graduate student initiated the groundbreaking work on silicon-nitrogen-phosphorus compounds.
In 1978, Bob accepted a tenure track position in the Texas Christian University (TCU) Department of Chemistry. His research program in synthetic inorganic chemistry and inorganic polymers thrived with funding from agencies such as the Army Research Office (ARO) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Patty worked in his lab for a few years, and together they developed a novel class of polyphosphazenes that resulted in the first patents filed at TCU. At the same time Bob and Patty started a family; in 1980 they welcomed their first child Andy. After a sabbatical in Boston, the family returned to Fort Worth, and in 1986 they welcomed their second child, Beth.
Over his 42 years at TCU, Bob combined a successful research program with a passion for teaching. He challenged both students and colleagues to truly think and, with unwavering fairness, he held everyone to his high standards. In total, 22 Ph.D. students, 4 M.S. students, 18 postdocs, and countless undergraduates participated in his research program funded by agencies that included the Robert A. Welch Foundation, ONR, ARO, and the National Science Foundation. His research produced over 100 peer-reviewed publications, and he was honored with the TCU Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity in 1995 and the W. T. Doherty Award from American Chemical Society DFW Section in 2003. As his career progressed, his dedication to undergraduate education led to two nominations for the Dean’s teaching award. “Dr. Bob” taught general chemistry for decades to thousands of students, and he provided them all with a stern challenge and many life lessons.
Bob was a man of few words but great impact, and his kindness, intelligence, and sense of humor were recognized by family, friends, and colleagues. As a dual-career family, he worked tirelessly cooking many meals and shuttling kids to school and activities. He enjoyed building and tinkering with computers and traveling with his family. Bob was a life-long fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Duke basketball, and PGA golf. Over the years, he and Patty traveled to Alaska in a Honda Fit, drove through southern Australia, attended the US Open twice, watched Duke Basketball at Cameron Indoor Stadium, went to Super Bowl XLV to see the Steelers, and more recently enjoyed TCU football and basketball games.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Hugh and Evelyn Neilson, and his sister Beverly. He is survived by his wife Patty, children Andrew (Juanita) and Beth (John), and grandchildren McKayla, Evan, and Alice. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date when family, friends, and students can gather safely. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in his memory to The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University or the Dr. Robert Neilson Chemistry Program Fund (then specify this fund) at TCU.