Daniel Mongeluzi

ABOUT THE RESEARCHER

1.  Who are you doing research with this summer and what kind of research project are you doing?

This summer I am working in Dr. Adejare’s lab. I am working on creating new chemical entities that we hope will be good NMDAR (N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor) antagonists. We are using a new synthetic route to create the compounds, then we use column chromatography and form the HCl salt to purify the compounds. To determine if we have the target compounds, we use GC-MS (Gas chromatography – mass spectroscopy) and NMR (Nuclear magnetic resonance). 

2.  What do you find fascinating in the research that you’re doing?

The part of my research that I find fascinating is that some of the compounds I am creating have never been made before. The reactions I am doing are leading to these novel compounds.

3.  What skills are you learning through the USURF experience?

Since I have begun USURF I have learned how to make a calibration curve and how to operate the NMR machine. Also, over these eight weeks I have learned safety skills that included removal of hazardous and radioactive waste. 

4.  What are the challenges you’re encountering in your research?

The biggest challenge I have faced with my research is reproducing my own work. Sometimes when I run my experiment I have small errors that cause me to get low yields. When I go to repeat these, I get very different yields and I have to repeat the experiments over and over until I can reproduce the yields. 

5.  How is your USURF experience impacting the way you view your field?

My USURF experience has allowed me to see how much work goes into designing experiments. Between applying for grants, determining what compounds will be best to create, and actually making the compounds, there is little time for any of the work being done to be double checked or to design experiments for others. 

6. Tell us something interesting about yourself.

When I’m not doing research I spend most of my time playing Magic the Gathering. This is a hobby that a few people in my lab happened to have, and allows me to hang out with my labmates outside of the lab.