PDF download - Alumni Online - Mount Allison University

Recommendations

Info

Mount Allison’s unique diplomas created by hand Dr. Steve Westcott by Melissa Lombard Having the right elements 00 10 / Summer Fall 2011 2011 / RECORD / RECORD ReseaRch and cReative activity Biochemistry and chemistry professor Dr. Steve Westcott (left) at work in the lab with students Eric Bowes (’13) and Alyssa Patterson (’13).
y Laura Dillman Ripley With Simpsons characters painted on the walls and Iron Maiden playing in the background, biochemistry and chemistry professor Dr. Steve Westcott’s lab is not your typical chemistry set up. The Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Boron Pharmaceutical Chemistry has been making headlines for his work, which could see huge implications in the health and environmental chemical sectors. And he is doing this all with Mount Allison undergraduate students at his side, through his popular research group, The Wild Toads. “Working with students is the best part of my job,” says Westcott, who on top of his research commitments as a CRC also teaches a full course load. “Being able to involve them in these research projects is wonderful as it enhances their undergraduate education by helping to establish a safe, fun, and productive lab where they can experience chemical research firsthand.” And these experiences are paying off. During his 15 years at Mount Allison, close to 100 students have co-authored a research at everyday elements... that could one day lead to natural anti-cancer treatments and/or environmentally-friendly pesticides, ‘‘Looking are both pretty exciting possibilities paper with Westcott before graduation and many have gone on to master’s and PhD programs around the world. One of Westcott’s current projects, which recently captured national media attention, looks at the benefits of capsaicin, the active ingredient in hot peppers. This compound has been found to be an anti-cancer, antibacterial, and anti-fungal agent all in one. “We know capsaicin is good stuff. When you look at societies that use hot peppers frequently, their rates of certain health conditions, such as heart disease, are much lower than those where they are not as prevalent. We want to take a closer look at capsaicin, what makes it active, and see if we can create the derivative of this that could, one day, be made into a drug.” Capsaicin is found mainly in hot pepper seeds and the coating surrounding them. Westcott and his team, including several Mount Allison students as well as researchers from l’Université Laval and the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, are working to separate the different compounds in the peppers to get a better idea of their chemical composition. ’’ The active ingredient in garlic is sulfur based. Westcott has also received funding to embark on new research looking at the health and environmental benefits of the elements boron (found in Borax) and sulfur, that many of us are familiar with for its smell. “Boron is an anti-cancer and anti-fungal agent and sulfur has a lot of bioactivities. We are working to make derivatives of these elements and see if we can combine the two to get something even better.” The idea of combining boron and sulfur derivatives is a novel one in the chemical world. not a lot of research has been completed in the area, making Westcott a pioneer in the field. Westcott, with the Wild Toads team, is enthusiastic about the new project. “Looking at everyday elements, like boron and sulfur, that could one day lead to natural anti-cancer treatments and/or environmentally-friendly pesticides, are both pretty exciting possibilities.” / 11
Page 1 and 2: FaLL 2011 / MOUnt aLLisOn Universit
Page 3 and 4: COntents FaLL 2011 Mount Allison gr
Page 5 and 6: This year I had the great fortune t
Page 7 and 8: Golf Tournament / 5
Page 9 and 10: Year of science and discovery kicks
Page 11: student sPOtLiGht “ You can find
Page 15 and 16: main featuRe THE TRUE AnD SPLEnDID
Page 17 and 18: Wallace and Margaret McCain at the
Page 19 and 20: If the first, most important lesson
Page 21 and 22: featuRe stORy by Melissa Lombard Ea
Page 23 and 24: featuRe stORy by Sue Seaborn When R
Page 25 and 26: y Laura Dillman Ripley The kitchen
Page 27 and 28: an important community project and
Page 29 and 30: Mount Allison is serious about its
Page 31 and 32: BLeacheR featuRe by Sue Seaborn Tea
Page 33 and 34: cLass nOtes 1930s Three Mount Allis
Page 35 and 36: to do her first Ironman (in a few y
Page 37 and 38: Mount Allison took to the stage at
Page 40: “My group rates saved me a lot of

PDF download - Alumni Online - Mount Allison University

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?