Research fellowships sponsored by Eli Lilly Research Laboratories, Roche Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, and Glaxo Wellcome Inc. have been awarded to twelve graduate students of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. Each of these four companies plays a leading role in the development of pharmaceuticals designed to help prevent and manage disease. Brief descriptions of the fellowships and the appointed fellows follow:

Eli Lilly Predoctoral Fellowships

Eli Lilly is a global research-based pharmaceutical company that performs research and development targeting central nervous system and related diseases, endocrine diseases, infectious diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. Lilly has provided the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology with $100,000 in annual fellowship support since 1991, providing support for five graduate students each year. The Lilly Fellows for the 1998-1999 academic year are Steven Bruner, Scott Lazerwith, Danielle Lehsten, Jongwon Lim, and Wes Trotter.

Steven Bruner, a fourth-year student working in the laboratory of Gregory Verdine, professor of chemistry, studies enzymes involved in the repair of damaged DNA. His work includes the design and chemical synthesis of specific enzyme inhibitors and the use of these inhibitors for affinity purification, biochemical characterization, and structural analysis of the enzymes. Scott Lazerwith, a fourth- year student working with E.J. Corey, Sheldon Emery Professor of Organic Chemistry, does research in enantioselective synthesis and methodology.

Danielle Lehsten, a second-year student with chemistry professor Eric Jacobsen, performs research in synthetic organic chemistry. She is currently working on the total synthesis of a biologically active compound with anti-tumor activity. Jongwon Lim, a fourth-year student working in the laboratory of Yoshito Kishi, Morris Loeb Research Professor of Chemistry, is concentrating on the total synthesis of the potent anti-viral agent, taxol. Wes Trotter, a fifth-year student working with David Evans, Abbott and James Lawrence Professor of Chemistry, does research in synthetic organic chemistry; his project focuses on the stereoselective total synthesis of the vancomycin family of glycopeptide antibiotics.

Roche Fellowships in Organic Chemistry

The Roche Group is a world leader in the areas of pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, vitamins and fine chemicals, and fragrances and flavors. The Roche Pharmaceuticals Division specializes in the discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of prescription drugs. The Roche program of Graduate Fellowships in Organic Chemistry at Harvard began during the 1997-98 academic year. Like the Lilly program, the Roche Fellowships provide $100,000 annually to support five students. The 1998-99 Roche Fellows are Milan Chytil, Jeffrey Johnson, Mohammad Movassaghi, Derek Tan, and Michael Wu.

Milan Chytil, a fifth-year student in the laboratory of Gregory Verdine, is working on a systematic synthetic approach for converting peptides into cell-permeable ligands. Jeffrey Johnson, a fifth- year student working with David Evans, does research in the area of asymmetric catalysis, employing chiral metal complexes as tools for discovering and developing new and useful reactions. Mohammad Movassaghi, a fourth-year student with Andrew Myers, professor of chemistry and chemical biology, has performed research in the development of new methodologies for deoxygenation and reductive coupling utilizing monoalkyl diazene intermediates. He is currently doing research in natural product synthesis. Derek Tan, a fourth-year student working with Stuart Schreiber, Morris Loeb Professor of Chemistry, does research in the stereoselective synthesis of combinatorial libraries of natural product-like compounds for use in miniaturized cell- based biological assays. Michael Wu, a fifth-year student with Eric Jacobsen, performs research in asymmetric catalysis and natural product synthesis. He also works on applying enantioselective epoxide desymmetrization as a general strategy in target-oriented synthesis and reaction discovery.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Graduate Fellowship in Synthetic Organic Chemistry

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute is a global company that conducts research and development and clinical trials, and seeks regulatory approval on a worldwide basis. Harvard was one of 10 universities chosen recently by Bristol-Myers Squibb to receive fellowship sponsorship for a period of three years. This fellowship provides support for the recipient's stipend and for laboratory equipment and supplies.

Chuo Chen, a second-year graduate student working in the laboratory of Matthew Shair, assistant professor of chemistry and chemical biology, is Harvard's first Bristol-Myers Squibb Graduate Fellow. Chuo Chen is currently working on a total synthesis of the squalene synthase inhibitor CP-263,114. A paper describing the initial details of this work has appeared recently in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Along with several of the fellows from other universities, Chen will be invited by Bristol-Myers Squibb to give a presentation on his work and tour the research facilities at one of their research sites. In conjunction with the Graduate Fellowship, the company is also providing funds to support a Bristol-Myers Squibb Lecturer in Organic Synthesis. The funds will be used for a two-lecture afternoon symposium in which one of the participants will be a Bristol-Myers Squibb scientist. Scott Biller, director of metabolic disease chemistry, will be the lecturer from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Professor Masakatsu Shibasaki, a leader in the field of asymmetric catalysis from The University of Tokyo, will be the first Bristol-Myers Squibb Lecturer in Organic Synthesis. The seminar is scheduled for March 22, 1999, in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.

Glaxo Wellcome Fellowship

Glaxo Wellcome is a global London-based pharmaceutical firm that specializes in respiratory, antiviral (including AIDS/HIV), and central nervous system research. The Glaxo Wellcome Fellowship is a two-year program that provides support for a student performing general organic or bioorganic chemistry research.

Jianghong Rao, a fifth-year graduate student working in the laboratory of George Whitesides, Mallinckrodt Professor of Chemistry, has been named the Glaxo Fellow for 1998-1999. Rao does research in the bio- organic chemistry of biomolecular recognition, especially multivalent binding in solution and to surfaces. He designs and synthesizes oligovalent derivatives of the antibiotic vancomycin. Enclosure: Page 2 of 3 Enclosure: Page 3 of 3 Enclosure: Page 1 of 3