Celebrating progress and potential with UNCW’s Chemistry Milestone event

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A keynote event, Chemistry Milestones: Celebrating UNCW’s Progress and Potential, took place at UNCW Tuesday to celebrate the launch of the new Ph.D. program in pharmaceutical chemistry and highlight student research. 

After the keynote lecture more than 50 students ranging from undergrad to graduate level presented their research.  

A junior majoring in biology, Karlee Koheth worked with other students, her professor, and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom for the project.  

They used peptides in their research which are useful in many drugs and everyday life. 

“Our main goal here is native chemical ligation. in simple terms we are taking one peptide and another peptide, and they are gonna be linked together to by two specific pieces, so we don’t have a bunch of other side products and reactions going on. We are just getting the product that we need.” 

Koheth adds she has enjoyed the ongoing research and that they were tasked with making one peptide and the University of Oxford will use to connect with their peptide.