Molecular Legos Katie Hilleke ’13 and Bethany Okada ’13, working with chemistry Professor David Vosburg, moved closer to synthe- sizing plant molecules that could lead to the development of new antibiotics and anti-infl ammatory drugs. Hilleke worked towards beilschmiedic acid C, a natural


antibacterial product found in the bark of the Beilschmiedia anacardioides tree in Cameroon. Discovered in 2009, the com- pound proved a more potent antibiotic than ampicillin. Okada pursued endiandramide A, an anti-infl ammatory


compound isolated in 2011 from the roots of the Beilschmie- dia tsangii tree in China, Taiwan and Vietnam. The two plant molecules have similar core structures. So,


Hilleke and Okada used a modular synthetic strategy to pre- pare smaller chemical structures common to the two molecules. “Think of it as molecular Legos. You break down big


molecules into smaller structures, synthesize them, and then use them to build something huge and complex,” said Hilleke. “We’re using the same reactions, which is great because, in the future, we might be able to extend this synthesis to other products.”


Intrinsic Growth Models Elizabeth Sarapata ’13 addressed an ongoing debate in math- ematical biology that has widespread implications for the medical community: how best to model tumor growth over time. Mathematic modelers often choose a favorite method and stick with it for any type of tumor. In a large-scale data analysis, Sarapata applied the fi ve most widely-accepted math- ematical models used to estimate tumor growth dynamics to 10 different types of cancer, using biological data sets—six sets for each type of cancer instead of the usual single set. Guided by math Professor Lisette de Pillis, Sarapata was able to determine which of the tumor growth models provide the best fi t for each tumor type. Her project is the fi rst large-scale, evidence-based comparison of tumor growth model accuracy.


Aerosols In Urban Fog Water Understanding how air pollution particles interact with light is a key problem in addressing climate change. Most aerosols scatter light and refl ect it away from the atmosphere, contribut- ing to a net cooling effect. However, some aerosol components, such as secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles, absorb light and produce a heating effect. Scientists have recently understood that the presence of water in the air—fog and clouds—increases SOA particles. To conduct one of the fi rst studies of SOA concentrations in Los Angeles fog water, Scott Rayermann ’13 used a “cloud collector,” a mobile device that captures fog samples, in several downtown L.A. locations and San Diego. Rayermann and chemistry Professor Lelia Hawkins


Demetri Monovoukas ’15 developed a wound-measurement device.


measured and analyzed carbon levels and SOA concentration and absorption levels over several months, contributing to a better understanding of the light-absorbing characteristics of SOA particles.


Renewable Energy In Haiti The Claremont Environmental Design Group (CEDG) is creating a sustainable and carbon-neutral community within the city of Hinche in the Central Plateau of Haiti. One goal of the project is to determine the viability of Haiti becoming energy independent in the next 20 years. Using GIS, geographic analysis software, the team was able to locate and map optimal locations for various renewable energies, which included solar panels (which can provide 100 times more electricity than what Haiti is currently using, reported the team) and wind turbines. From this map, the team—guided by Sam Tanenbaum, profes- sor of life sciences and engineering emeritus—made recommen- dations of potential energy sources available to the community of Hinche as well as the rest of Haiti. “This work will give that much more depth to the research


that we’ve already done in our offi ce,” said Lee Krusa, land- scape designer at CEDG.


SUMMER 2013 Har vey Mudd College 17


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