Recognizes Research Achievements and Service
鈥淐hemistry empowers people,鈥 said Scott Gilbertson, M.D. Anderson Professor of Chemistry in the 葫芦影业鈥檚 College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. 鈥淥ne of the problems that medical research has is they lack the ability to make unique molecules.鈥
Gilbertson was selected as a member of the 2017 class of Fellows for the American
Chemical Society (ACS). The ACS Fellows Program recognizes and honors members for
their outstanding achievements as well as their service to the Society.
Gilbertson鈥檚 selection as a Fellow comes after an involvement in ACS that dates back to his days as a graduate student. Over the years, he has attended dozens of ACS meetings, given countless talks, and served on the Division for Organic Chemistry Executive Committee.
鈥淚 am a synthetic chemist,鈥 Gilbertson said. 鈥淭he principal tool for my research is the ability to make new molecules, whether it鈥檚 developing new catalysts or looking at biological probes.鈥
Gilbertson鈥檚 research group has numerous collaborations with researchers at the Texas
Medical Center as well as University of Texas Southwestern and University of Texas
Medical Branch. Projects include developing molecules that can be screened for potential
medical uses, as well as developing peptide catalysts for better reaction selectivity.
His group also has a long-running collaboration with addiction researchers at the Center for Addiction Research at UTMB.
鈥淲e are looking at behaviors that lead to relapse,鈥 Gilbertson said. 鈥淭he two principal behaviors are impulsivity, which is taking action without regard for consequence, and reactivity to cues, such as when addicts return to their old environment. These are behaviors that drugs can have an impact on.鈥
His research for this particular collaboration focuses on developing small molecules to interrogate and interrupt the serotonergic system, which is involved in addictive behaviors.
鈥淥ur ability to synthesize molecules creates bridges to the medical center,鈥 Gilbertson said. 鈥淭his is one of the areas in which UH can have a big impact.鈥
The citation for Gilbertson鈥檚 selection noted his 鈥済roundbreaking development of parallel methods for catalyst preparation for the synthesis of transition metal phosphine complexes with stable secondary structure,鈥 his 鈥渄evelopment of pharmacotherapeutics for cocaine addiction,鈥 and his 鈥渋mpact on synthesis/medicine.鈥
For the 2017 class of Fellows, 65 members were selected, with the announcement appearing in the June 19 issue of Chemical & Engineering News. Fellows will be honored at the fall ACS National Meeting in Washington, D.C.
- Rachel Fairbank, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics