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| Probing
the Secrets of a Molecule |
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September 20, 2005 :: No. 25 No matter how small they may be, there are secrets to discover in molecules. Peter de Lijser, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Cal State Fullerton, is particularly interested in the makeup and reactions of one specific set of molecules found in certain pesticides. “Because the pesticides are used on fruits and vegetables, everyone comes into contact with them,” noted de Lijser. “These molecules change when they are in our body. Our defense system — enzymes located primarily in our livers — will try to detoxify these molecules so that they become nonactive. But in order to detoxify them, the enzymes often generate radical intermediates, which may escape and do damage to cells and tissue. “It is important to understand how the structure and the reactivity of these molecules are related. If we understand the chemistry of the molecules and the radicals in the laboratory, then we can explore how they react with enzymes,” said de Lijser, whose study into their generation, structure and reactivity is funded by a $50,000 American Chemical Society grant. “We’re laying the foundation now, looking for one molecule with unique reactivity, then we will go up to the next level and explore the enzymatic reaction of that molecule,” added the researcher. “By changing the structure of the molecule, we could find a way to change its reactivity. Of course we’re not sure what would happen — it could be better; it could be worse.” De Lijser, who joined the Cal State Fullerton faculty in 1999, expects the project to continue for three years. This summer, Cassandra Burk, a student from St. John’s University in New York, joined de Lijser and several CSUF students in the research study. Continuing to assist him this fall are: Garden Grove resident Jennie Kittipha, a senior biochemistry major in the university’s Research Experience for Undergraduates Program; Fullerton resident Nawaporn Sanguantrakun, a graduate student majoring in chemistry; plus Minority Student Development Program participants Jordan Hunter of Diamond Bar and Franklin Vinson of Pomona, both senior biochemistry majors, and Paola Mora of Buena Park, a senior majoring in biological science. Joining the research team this fall is Placentia resident Phuong Kelly Ai, a sophomore biochemistry major. De Lijser lives in Orange and earned his Ph.D. at Canada’s Dalhousie University.
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