In Dr. David Laws III鈥檚 chemistry lab at 91影视, undergraduate students are growing into scientists by working on research with important applications to the medical field.
Through hands-on involvement in the synthesis of a complex natural compound connected to cancer research, Emily Men茅ndez 鈥�26, Ben Van Doorn 鈥�27, Keimarya Rivera 鈥�26, and CJ Rona 鈥�27 are gaining important insight about the scientific process. They have learned that scientific discovery鈥攂ig or small鈥攊s the result of persistence, careful experimentation, and the temerity to forge ahead through uncharted territory.
Under Dr. Laws鈥檚 mentorship, the students are working toward the complete, artificial synthesis of eucommicin A, a natural product originally found in the leaves of the Du-zhong, a tree native to China. Early scientific studies have shown the compound to have selective activity against cancer stem cells. These cells are believed to play a key role in tumor recurrence and resistance to treatment.
But eucommicin A occurs naturally in only trace amounts, and the process for extracting the compound requires a lot of time and resources.
鈥淭he yield from each of the leaves is just so incredibly small,鈥� Van Doorn explains. 鈥淥n top of that, we need the equivalent of a wheelbarrow full of the extract for any sort of meaningful study.鈥�
To study it seriously and to explore how its structure might be modified to improve activity, scientists must make it in the lab.
That challenge is what makes the work both demanding and meaningful. In Dr. Laws鈥檚 lab, students can鈥檛 rely on prescribed experiments. They are synthesizing complex molecular structures from simple starting materials, adapting published methods, and troubleshooting when reactions don鈥檛 behave as expected. Along the way, they are learning how chemists work in the field.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a trial-and-error kind of experience,鈥� Rona said. 鈥淪ometimes the thing that should have worked doesn鈥檛. But building resilience to that kind of thing has been really helpful to me as a scientist. Those aren鈥檛 failures. It鈥檚 part of the process.鈥�
Each student contributes to a different part of the larger synthesis. Rivera and Rona have worked on forming a key molecular scaffold essential to eucommicin A鈥檚 structure. Men茅ndez and Van Doorn have focused on strategies that allow sensitive parts of the molecule to survive later steps in the synthesis. Across the lab, students rely on advanced techniques like using a Schlenk line, column chromatography, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to analyze results and decide what comes next.
What distinguishes the experience, students say, is the balance between instruction and independence. 鈥淭here was teaching and explicit guidance as I learned new techniques,鈥� Men茅ndez said. 鈥淏ut then I was free to adjust what we鈥檇 tried and improve it. That鈥檚 when it felt like real science.鈥�
That kind of autonomy is rare for undergraduates, and it鈥檚 amplified by 91影视鈥檚 scale. In a small lab environment, students gain hands-on access to instrumentation and responsibility for decisions that might be deferred to graduate students elsewhere. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not waiting your turn,鈥� Van Doorn said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e doing the work.鈥�
The stakes of that work extend beyond the lab. By contributing to research connected to a broader scientific goal, students see how their efforts fit into a larger scientific conversation. They are learning techniques, but also developing judgment, persistence, and confidence.
Those skills are shaping their futures. Men茅ndez will begin a Ph.D. program at the University of Georgia. Rivera plans to pursue doctoral studies in bioanalytical and organic chemistry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, building on additional research experience gained through a competitive summer program. Van Doorn and Rona鈥攕till in their third years at 91影视鈥攁lso plan to pursue doctorates in chemistry. For all of them, the transition feels less like a leap and more like a continuation.
At 91影视, their work in Dr. Laws鈥檚 lab did more than teach them chemistry. It gave them the experience, perspective and confidence to see themselves as scientists who are already contributing to work that matters.
