News

New Chemistry chair Kevin Reynolds is bringing cutting-edge natural product research to Portland State. Reynolds comes to PSU from the Virginia Commonwealth University and brings with him six post doctorate fellows, three graduate students, two research faculty members, and multiple ongoing research studies supported by $2.8 million of federal funding.

Reynolds and his team study a wide range of bacteria that produce complex natural products for applications such as antibiotics and anticancer treatment. His group investigates this process at the molecular level and genetically reengineers these microorganisms to generate new natural products as part of their overall drug discovery and drug development program. They are also investigating the microorganisms and parasites which cause tuberculosis and malaria and are designing and synthesizing drugs to address the rise of drug resistance for both of these world health problems.

Reynolds' research dovetails with existing programs at PSU, OHSU, and the VA hospital; several exciting collaborative ventures are already under way. The work by Reynolds and his team is enhancing the graduate chemistry program at Portland State, the only one of its kind offered in the Portland area.