Paul Hergenrother

Paul J. Hergenrother was born in 1972 and raised in Akron, Ohio. He attended the University of Notre Dame, where he received his B.S. in Chemistry in 1994. From there Paul moved to the University of Texas at Austin, to conduct graduate research under the direction of Professor Stephen F. Martin. While in the Martin laboratory Paul elucidated the catalytic mechanism of phospholipase C, and completed the total synthesis of erythromycin B. He graduated with his PhD in Chemistry in 1999, and moved on as an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellow to Harvard University, where he worked in the laboratory of Professor Stuart L. Schreiber in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. While at Harvard Paul was involved in the development of small molecule microarrays as a platform for high-throughput compound screening. He established his own laboratory in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2001. During his assistant professor years Paul was the recipient of an NSF-CAREER Award, a Research Corporation Research Innovation Award, a Beckman Young Investigator Award, an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship, the GlaxoSmithKline Chemistry Scholar Award, the ACS David Robertson Award for Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry, the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, and he was named by Technology Review magazine as one of the top innovators under the age of 35. He was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2006, and since then has been the recipient of the ACS Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry. The Hergenrother laboratory seeks to use small molecules to identify and validate novel targets for the treatment of intractable diseases, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and multi-drug resistant bacteria. Through their work on novel antibacterials, the Hergenrother laboratory also became interested in developing a general strategy for targeting RNA with small molecules.

» Publications

» Faculty Page on the Department of Chemistry Website

Dr. Rob Huigens Ph.D. in Chemistry from North Carolina State University Post Doctoral Associate August 2009-present 259 Roger Adams Lab rwhuigen@illinois.edu			Dr. Seok-Ho Kim Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the College of Pharmacy at Seoul National University Post Doctoral Associate November 2008-present 255 Roger Adams Lab ksh3410@gmail.com
Dr. Danny Hsu Ph.D. in Chemistry from Virginia Tech Post Doctoral Associate September 2007-present 252 Roger Adams Lab dannyhsu@illinois.edu			Dr. Kathy Partlow Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology from Washington University, St. Louis Post Doctoral Associate November 2007-present 253 Roger Adams Lab kcpartlo@illinois.edu

*Visiting Scholars*
Carlotta Granchi Graduate Student in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Pisa in Pisa, Italy 255 Roger Adams Lab granchi@farm.unipi.it
*Class of 2008*
Claire Knezevic B.A. in Chemistry from Scripps College Graduate Student in Organic Chemistry 258 Roger Adams Lab knezevi1@illinois.edu			Karen Morrison B.S. in Chemistry from Harvey Mudd College Graduate Student in Organic Chemistry 254 Roger Adams Lab morrsn1@illinois.edu
Aaron Knowlton B.S. in Biochemistry from Brigham Young University Graduate Student in Biochemistry 259 Roger Adams Lab akknowlton@gmail.com
*Class of 2007*
Julia Williams B.S in Microbiology and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry from the University of Idaho Graduate Student in Microbiology 249 Roger Adams Lab jwilli74@illinois.edu
*Class of 2006*
Joe Bair B.S. in Chemistry and M.S. in Inorganic Chemistry from Brigham Young University Graduate Student in Organic Chemistry 257 Roger Adams Lab jbair2@illinois.edu			Tim Flood B.A. in Chemistry from Cornell University Graduate Student in Organic Chemistry 258 Roger Adams Lab tflood2@illinois.edu
Quinn Peterson B.S. in Biochemistry from Brigham Young University Graduate Student in Biochemistry Institute for Genomic Biology quinn.peterson@gmail.com
*Class of 2005*
Kristin Finch B.S. in Chemistry from Hampton University Graduate Student in Chemical Biology 254 Roger Adams Lab kefinch2@illinois.edu			Rahul Palchaudhuri B.A. in Chemistry from Grinnell College Graduate Student in Organic Chemistry 251 Roger Adams Lab rpalcha2@illinois.edu
Diana West B.S. in Chemistry from The College of William and Mary Graduate Student in Organic Chemistry 253 Roger Adams Lab dwest2@illinois.edu
*Class of 2004*
Mirth Hoyt B.S. in Chemistry from the College of William and Mary Graduate Student in Organic Chemistry 257 Roger Adams Lab mhoyt2@illinois.edu			James Heeres B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Maryland Graduate Student in Biochemistry 256 Roger Adams Lab jheeres2@illinois.edu
Nora Wang B.S. in Math and Chemistry from the University at Alabama at Birmingham Graduate Student in Organic Chemistry 251 Roger Adams Lab nrwang2@illinois.edu			Elizabeth Moritz B.S. in Microbial Biotechnology from Rutgers University Graduate Student in Microbiology 249 Roger Adams Lab emoritz2@illinois.edu

Patrick Woida Undergraduate in MCB and Chemistry at the University of Illinois June 2009-present 258 Roger Adams Lab			Mary Jane Newell Undergraduate in MCB at the University of Illinois May 2009-present 249 Roger Adams Lab
Azra Bhimani Undergraduate in MCB at the University of Illinois May 2009-present 249 Roger Adams Lab			Jason Olejniczak Undergraduate in Chemistry at the University of Illinois January 2009-present 259 Roger Adams Lab
Rob DiFazio Undergraduate in MCB and Chemistry at the University of Illinois January 2009-present 249 Roger Adams Lab			Dewey Kim Undergraduate in Chemical Engineering at the University of Illinois December 2008-present 253 Roger Adams Lab
Tran "Laurie" Nguyen Undergraduate in MCB at the University of Illinois August 2008-present 255 Roger Adams Lab			Megan Cismesia Undergraduate in Chemistry at the University of Illinois August 2008-present 253 Roger Adams Lab
Brandon Logeman Undergraduate in Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois May 2008-present Institute for Genomic Biology			Chris Novotny Undergraduate in Biochemistry at the University of Illinois November 2007-present 252 Roger Adams Lab

Former Graduate Students

*Class of 2006*
Manuel Rodriguez B.A in Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras M.S. in Chemical Biology from UIUC, Nov 2008 Current Position: Industrial Process Chemist, Champaign, IL
*Class of 2003*
Dr. Christina Thompson B.S. in Chemistry from Texas A&M University Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from UIUC, Nov 2008 Current Position: Medicinal Chemist at Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL			Dr. Amanda Nottbohm B.S. in Chemistry from Albion College Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from UIUC, July 2008 Current Position: Assistant Editor for Angewandte Chemie and ChemBioChem
Dr. Robin Dothager B.A. in Chemistry from Southern Illinois University Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UIUC, Aug 2008 Current Position: Postdoctoral associate in David Piwnica-Worms' Lab at Washington University, St. Louis, MO			Dr. Ben Leslie B.A. in Chemistry from Colgate University Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from UIUC, Jan 2009 Current Position: Postdoctoral associate in Taekjip Ha's Lab at UIUC, Champaign, IL
Dr. Todd Meyer B. S. in Chemistry from Haverford College Ph.D in Organic Chemistry from UIUC, Aug 2009 Current Position: Postdoctoral associate in Sergey Kozmin's Lab at the University of Chicago
*Class of 2002*
Dr. David Goode B.S. in Chemistry from Mercer University Ph.D. in Chemical Biology from UIUC, Dec 2007 Current Position: Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Mercer University, Macon, GA			Dr. Karson Putt B.S. in Biology from Purdue University Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UIUC, Nov 2006 Current Position: Vistakon Pharmaceuticals, Jacksonville, FL
Dr. Jason Thomas B.S. in Biophysics from Temple University Ph.D. in Biophysics from UIUC, July 2007 Current Position: Postdoctoral associate in Benjamin Cravatt's Lab, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA			Cathy Brummond B.A. in Chemistry from Lake Forest College M.S. in Organic Chemistry from UIUC, Dec 2004 Current Position: Synthetic Chemist at Baxter Healthcare, Round Lake, IL
Johna C.B. DeNap B.S. in Chemistry from Butler University M.S. in Chemical Biology from UIUC, Dec 2004 Current Position: Forensic chemist in medical examiner's office
*Class of 2001*
Eric Olson B.S. in Chemistry from Princeton University M.S. in Chemical Biology from UIUC, Aug 2005 Current Position: Patent examiner in Alexandria, VA			Dr. Dinty J. Musk, Jr. B.A. in Biochemistry from Taylor University Ph.D. in Chemical Biology from UIUC, Dec 2006 Current Position: Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Ohio Dominican University, Columbus, OH
Dr. Vitaliy Nesterenko National Technical University of Ukraine (KPI) Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from UIUC, Nov 2006 Current Position: Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Kiev-Mohila Academy, Kiev, Ukraine

Former Postdocs

Dr. Xianjun Liu Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Fudan University in Shanghai, P.R. China Postdoctoral Research Associate in Organic Chemistry in Hergenrother Lab (Nov 2004-Jan 2007) Current Position: Water Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Springs, MD			Dr. Anil K. Sharma Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from National Chemical Laboratory Pune, India Postdoctoral Organic Chemistry Research Associate in Hergenrother Lab (Sep 2001 - Jan 2005) Current Position: Research Assistant Professor of Chemistry at North Carolina St. University
Dr. Bandaru Sreenivasulu Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from University of Hyderabad, India Postdoctoral Organic Chemistry Research Associate in Hergenrother Lab (May 2004-Oct 2005) Current Position: Sai Advantium Pharma Ltd, Haderabad, India

Former Undergraduate Students

Emily Billings Undergraduate Research Assistant (June 2008-May 2009) B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from UIUC Current Position: Graduate student at the University of Virginia			Mirtha Ariza Undergraduate Research Assistant (Nov 2007-May 2009) B.S. in Chemistry from UIUC
Clint Holaday Undergraduate Research Assistant (Dec 2006-May 2009) B.S. in Biochemistry from UIUC Current Position: Medical Student at St. Louis University			Michael Niziolek Undergraduate Research Assistant (Jan 2008-May 2009) B.S. in Biochemistry from UIUC Current Position: Graduate student at the University of California - San Diego
Kara Ramsey Undergraduate Research Assistant (June 2006-July 2008) B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from UIUC			Katy Stoica Undergraduate Research Assistant (Aug 2004-May 2006) B.S. Chemistry from UIUC Current Position: Teacher at Whitney Young High School in Chicago, IL
Ellen Dwyer Undergraduate Research Assistant (June 2006-May 2008) B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from UIUC Current Position: Graduate student in Medical Genetics at University of Wisconsin, Madison			Brittany Allen Undergraduate Research Assistant (June 2004-May 2006) B.S. in Chemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology from UIUC Current Position: Pharm D program at The University of Illinois at Chicago
Ryan Totten Undergraduate Research Assistant (Jan 2006-May 2008) B.S. in Chemistry from UIUC Current Position: Graduate student in Chemistry at Northwestern University, Chicago, IL			Margaret Wong Undergraduate Research Assistant (May 2003 - April 2005) B.S. in Chemistry from UIUC Current Position: Graduate student in Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin, Madison
Peter Phan Undergraduate Research Assistant (April 2005-Dec 2006) B.S. in Chemistry from UIUC Current Position: Medical student at University of Illinois - Chicago			Grace Chen Undergraduate Research Assistant (Jan 2004 - April 2005) B.S. in Chemistry from UIUC Current Position: Medical student at the University of Illinois - Chicago
Valerie Fako Undergraduate Research Assistant (June 2005-Dec 2006) B.S. in Chemistry from UIUC Current Position: Graduate Student in the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, Madison			Joshua Byers Undergraduate Research Assistant (Fall 2001 - Fall 2003) B.S. in Chemistry from UIUC Current Position: Amgen