Sunday, November 28, 2010

Chemistry Department Summer 2010 RSCA

During the summer of 2010, students Eric Serum and Joe Emery, in collaboration with Dr. David Rusterholz and the UWRF Chemistry Department, conducted organic synthesis research in the pursuit of making molecules analogous to the substance called icilin. Icilin is nearly 200 times more potent than menthol in causing a cold sensation on the human tongue or skin. Understanding the cold receptor, and the way in which icilin binds to it, is still in its infancy.The goal of the research was to use the basic tools of medicinal chemistry to synthesize compounds that were designed to mimic the key components of the icilin structure. These compounds are planned to be tested this fall to determine the importance or non-importance of specific functional groups in the ability of icilin to cause a cooling sensation. This research is a continuation of an active program in the Chemistry Department to synthesize and explore a variety of clinically relevant molecules.

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