DED UN 18 O 98 F http://www.nesacs.org N Y O T R E I T H C E N O A E S S S L T A E A C R C I N S M S E E H C C TI N O CA April 2009 Vol. LXXXVII, No. 8 N • AMERI Monthly Meeting Esselen Award Meeting at Harvard Awarded to Dr. Chad R. Mirkin, Northwestern University 13th Weinberg Memorial Lecture Dr. Lee J. Helman speaks at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Science Club for Girls By Mindy Levine ACS and NESACS Medicinal Chemistry Groups A History by John L. Neumeyer The Division of Medicinal Chemistry (1909-2009) and The Medicinal Chemistry Group, NESACS (1964-2009) Two significant anniversaries in 2009 maceutical formulations, the division E. Ullget as the Program Chair. Sym- deserve attention, the centennial changed its name in 1920 to The Divi- posia have subsequently been held reg- anniversary of the founding of the sion of Medicinal Products. In 1928 ularly on alternate even-numbered Division of Medicinal Chemistry of there was a final change of name made years, always on a university campus. the American Chemical Society (ACS) to The Division of Medicinal Chem- In 1968, the symposium assumed an and the 45th anniversary of the Medic- istry with the stated goals being international flavor, meeting at Laval inal Chemistry Group of the Northeast- “…stimulation of progress in medici- University, Quebec, Canada, under ern Section of the ACS. nal chemistry research.” The term joint sponsorship with the newly Medicinal Chemistry replaced the less formed Medicinal Chemistry Division The Division of Medicinal Chem- precise one, pharmaceutical chemistry, of the Chemical Society of Canada. A istry since medicinal chemists were prima- second joint symposium with this At a meeting of the Pharmaceutical rily employed in the pharmaceutical group was held at the University of Science Section of theACS held in industry and were recognized by the Toronto in 1982, at which time Bengt Detroit in October of 1909, a group of scientific community as practitioners L. Samuelsson from the Karolinska 35 chemists petitioned the ACS coun- of a unique type of chemistry, some- Institute in Sweden was awarded the cil to change the section’s status and times related to, but nevertheless sepa- Medicinal Chemistry Award. Later name to The Division of Pharmaceu- rate and distinct from organic that year, Professor Samuelsson was tical Chemistry. The new division chemistry, biochemistry, and pharma- awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. was chaired by Alviso Burdett Stevens ceutical chemistry (pharmacy). Since its earliest existence, the division of the University of Michigan and The first National Medicinal recognized that an English language Benjamin L. Murray of Merck & Co., Chemistry Symposium (sponsored by journal dedicated exclusively to medic- who served as Secretary. As the inter- the Division) was held in 1948 at the inal chemistry research would be most ests of its membership gradually University of Michigan with F.F. desirable. It was not until 1959 that changed from drug analysis and phar- Bliche as the General Chair and Glenn continued on page 8 2 The Nucleus April 2009 The Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Inc. Contents Office: Marilou Cashman, 23 Cottage St., Natick, MA 01360. 1-800-872-2054 The Division of Medicinal Chemistry (1909-2009) and (Voice or FAX) or 508-653-6329. e-mail: mcash0953(at)aol.com The Medicinal Chemistry Group, NESACS (1964-2009) 2 Any Section business may be conducted ________ via the business office above. By John L. Neumeyer NESACS Homepage: http://www.NESACS.org Science Club for Girls 4 David Cunningham, Webmaster ___________________________________ ACS Hotline, Washington, D.C.: By Mindy Levine 1-800-227-5558 Officers 2009 Monthly Meeting 5 Chair: _______________________________________ Dr. E. Joseph Billo Esselen Award Meeting at the Harvard Faculty Club 13 Shattuck Street Awarded to Dr. Chad A. Mirkin, Northwestern University Natick, MA 01760 508-653-3074, joseph.billo(at)verizon.net The 13th Annual Weinberg Memorial Lecture 6 Chair-Elect: ________________ John McKew Dr. Lee J. Helman, National Cancer Institute to speak at Dana-Farber Cancer Wyeth Research Institute. Title: “Targeting the IGF signal in sarcomas: past, present 200 Cambridge Park Drive Cambridge, MA 02140 and future” Immediate Past Chair: YCC Announcements 7 Marietta Schwartz ____________________________________ Chemistry Department, UMass-Boston Northeast Student Career Fair and Research Conference; Boston, MA 02125 617-287-6146; marietta.schwartz(at)umb.edu Attention all Northeastern Section Beer Brewers! Secretary: Course Announcement 9 Michael Singer __________________________________ Sigma-Aldrich Two Hands-On Short Courses for Advanced Microsoft Excel Users 3 Strathmore Rd., Natick, MA 01360 508-651-8151X291; msinger(at)sial.com Taught by Dr. E. Joseph Billo at the Courtyard-Marriott, Natick, MA Treasurer: Advances in Chemical Sciences Symposium 13 James Piper ________________ 19 Mill Rd., Harvard, MA 01451 978-456-3155, piper28(at)attglobal.net Program Announcement, April 10, 2009. To be held in conjunction Auditor: with the Robert B. Woodward Symposium at the Royal Sonesta, Cambridge, MA Anthony Rosner Cover: Archivist: The 2009 Gustavus Esselen Prize Winner, Dr. Chad A. Mirkin of North- Myron S. Simon western University (Photo courtesy of Dr. Mirkin) 20 Somerset Rd. Newton, MA 02465; 617-332-5273 Deadlines: Romysimon(at)mindspring.com Summer 2009 Issue: June 16, 2009 Trustees: September 2009 Issue: July 14, 2009 Joseph A. Lima, Esther A. H. Hopkins, Michael E. Strem Councilors Alternate Councilors Term Ends 12/31/2009 Catherine Costello Julia H.Miwa Patricia Mabrouk Alfred Viola Michaeline F. Chen Jerry P. Jasinski Dorothy J. Phillips Eva B. Chenail Amy Tapper Marietta Schwartz The Nucleus is published monthly, except June and August, by the Northeastern Section of the American Term Ends 12/31/2010 Chemical Society, Inc. Forms close for advertising on the 1st of the month of the preceding issue. Text Thomas R. Gilbert Timothy B. Frigo must be received by the editor six weeks before the date of issue. Pamela Nagafuji Mark Froimowitz Robert Lichter David Cunningham Editor: Michael P. Filosa, Ph.D., ZINK Imaging, Inc., 16 Crosby Drive, Building 4G, Michael Singer Mukund Chorghade Bedford, MA 01730 Email: Michael.filosa(at)zink.com; Tel: 508-843-9070 Term Ends 12/31/2011 Associate Editors: Myron S. Simon, 20 Somerset Rd., W. Newton, MA 02465, Tel: 617-332-5273 Doris I. Lewis C. Jaworek-Lopes Sheila E Rodman, Konarka Technologies, Inc., 116 John St. Suite 12, Lowell, Mary Burgess Patrick M. Gordon MA 01852 email:srodman(at)konarka.com tel 978-569-1414 Morton Z. Hoffman Lawrence Scott Assistant Editors: Stefan G. Koenig, Mindy Levine Michael P. Filosa Donald Rickter Kathi Brown Liming Shao Board of Publications: David Cunningham (Chair), Mary Mahaney, Vivian K. Walworth Business Manager: Karen Piper, 19 Mill Rd., Harvard, MA 01451, Tel: 978-456-8622 All Chairs of standing Advertising Manager: Vincent J. Gale, P.O. Box 1150, Marshfield, MA 02050, Committees, the editor Tel: 781-837-0424 of THE NUCLEUS, and Contributing Editors: Morton Hoffman, Feature Editor; Dennis Sardella, Book Reviews the Trustees of Section Calendar Coordinator: Sheila Rodman, email: srodman(at)konarka.com Funds are members of the Board of Directors. Any Photographers: Morton Z. Hoffman and James Phillips Councilor of the American Chemical Society Proofreaders: Donald O. Rickter, Vivian K. Walworth, Mindy Levine residing within the section area is an ex officio Webmaster: David Cunningham, webmaster(at)nesacs.org member of the Board of Directors. Copyright 2008, Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Inc. The Nucleus April 2009 3 Science Club for Girls Corporate Patrons ($2000+) Abbott Bioresearch By Mindy Levine Genzyme Lyophilization Service of New England It is 2:30 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon the ocean?” The group leader, a college Merck at the Cambridgeport Elementary student volunteer, patiently fielded National ACS School in Cambridge, Mass., and the their questions. “Oil comes out of Novartis final bell has rung. Students exit from rocks at the very bottom of the ocean,” Pfizer all doors, heading to after-school pro- she replied. She reminded them that, Schering Corporation grams and activities. For a group of “science is about asking questions you Sepracor elementary school girls, their school don’t know the answer to.” Serono Reproductive Institute day will not end until 3:45 pm, after Vertex Pharmaceuticals they have met in their weekly Science History of the Organization Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Club for Girls. Science Club for Girls was started in Patrons ($1000-$1999) This particular Thursday is the 1994 by a group of parents who Aptuit first day of Science Club for Girls at formed a Gender Issues in Education Astra-Zeneca R&D Boston the Cambridgeport School, and the stu- Committee at the King Open School in Broad Institute dents have many questions. “Can we Cambridge to address discrepancies in Creagen Biosciences make ice cream like we did last time?” the science education of girls and boys Estate of Wallace Gleekman one fourth grader requested. A kinder- in elementary school. Fifteen years Irix Pharmaceuticals garten student asked, “Why is Science later, the program provides free after- Millennium Pharmaceuticals Club for Girls only for girls? Why is school and weekend science clubs for PCI Synthesis there no Science Club for Boys?” 400 girls in grades K-12. Connie Shasun USA Another student replied, “We love to Chow, who has been the executive Sirtris Pharmaceuticals learn so that girls can be smarter than director of Science Club for Girls for Strem Chemicals boys.” the past two and half years, has over- ZINK Imaging In the fifth and sixth grade room, seen a substantial expansion of the pro- Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. the girls were learning about the ocean.