Eric W. Schmidt
CONTACT
Phone: 801.585.5234
Email: ews1@utah.edu
Positions:
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William R. Droschkey Endowed Chair in Pharmacy
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Professor of Medicinal Chemistry L. S. Skaggs Pharmacy Institute
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Adjunct Professor of Biology, College of Science
Education
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NIH Fellowship 1999-2001 Johns Hopkins University
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Ph.D. 1999 Scripps Institution of Oceanography
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B.S. 1994 University of California at San Diego
Research Interests
The mission of our laboratory is to understand the origin of chemical diversity, and to apply that diversity to drug discovery and the synthetic biology of new materials to serve human health.
We are funded by National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Science Foundation, and others.
Current projects include:
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Biosynthesis of natural products in marine animals
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RiPP biosynthesis and synthetic biology
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Discovery of non-opioid drugs to treat pain
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New treatments for infectious diseases
Lab Information
Research Group Members
Zhenjian Lin, PhD
Medicinal Chemistry, University of Utah
1. Natural products and drug discovery
2. Metagenomes and marine symbiosis
Email: z.j.lin@utah.edu
Postdoctoral Scholars
Changshan Niu, PhD
M.S. 2014: Medicinal Chemistry, Peking Union Medicinal College
Ph.D 2017: Medicinal Chemistry, Peking Union Medicinal College
Email: changshan.niu@utah.edu
Noemi Paguigan, PhD
Yixin Fang, PhD
B.S. 2008: Chemistry, Xiamen University
Ph.D. 2015: Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Email: yixin.fang@utah.edu
Bailey Miller, PhD
B.S. 2009: Biopsychology, University of California, Santa Barbara
Ph.D. 2016: Marine (Chemical) Biology, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Email: baileym925@gmail.com
Paul Scesa, PhD
B.S. : Florida Atlantic University 2015
Ph.D. : Florida Atlantic University 2020
Email: pdscesa@outlook.com
Grad Students
Wenjia Gu
B.S. 2014: Chemistry, Zhejiang University
Research interest:
RiPP biosynthesis and synthetic biology
Email: wenjia.gu@utah.edu
Snigdha Sarkar
B.S. 2013: Chemistry, University of Calcutta
M.S. 2015: Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi
Email: snigdha.sarkar@utah.edu
Youjung Sou
B.S.2014: Earth environmental science, Korea University
M.S.2016: Earth environmental science, Seoul National University
Email: yjsung826@gmail.com
Ying Cong
B.S. 2017: Pharmacy, Tianjin University
Email: ying.cong@utah.edu
Aarthi Venugopalan
B.Tech. 2010: Pharmaceutical Technology, Anna University, Chennai
M.S. 2015: Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai
Research interest: Non-ribosomal peptide biosynthesis
Email: aarthi.venugopalan@utah.edu
Rotation Students
Albebson Lim
Albeb is a current visiting scholar of the U from the University of the Philippines Diliman. He works under the Philippine Mollusk Symbiont – International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (PMS-ICBG). His current research interest is marine natural product chemistry of mollusk associated bacteria and bioassay development for infectious diseases, and neuroactive compounds using zebrafish models. He works with Drs. Eric Schmidt and Margo Haygood for chemistry and symbiosis work, Dr. Louis Barrows for the development of bioassays for screening compounds with anti-HIV, tuberculosis, and tularemia activities, and with Dr. Randall Peterson for screening neuroactive and anti-pain compounds using zebrafish embryos’ behavior as model. In his free time, he usually plays video games or fiddle with his guitar.
- B.S. 2014: Biology, University of the Philippines Los Banos
- MS Marine Science Graduate student, University of the Philippines Diliman
- Email: albebsonlim@gmail.com
- ResearchGate
Visiting Scholars
Feng Li
B.S. 2014: Medicinal Chemistry, Ocean University of China
M.S. 2017: Medicinal Chemistry, Ocean University of China
PhD Graduate student, Prof. Huashi Guan's lab
Ocean University of China
Email: u6023628@utah.edu
Lab Pets
Opportunities
Prospective graduate students can join the group via the Biological Chemistry or Molecular Biology Programs.
Prospective postdoctoral fellows should send a CV and statement of interest to Dr. Schmidt.
Undergraduate researchers: please email Dr. Schmidt.