November 2024, Vol. 14(10)

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KACS’ Seventh Speed Networking Night: A Success Story

By Blakely Tresca

Kalamazoo College and the Kalamazoo Section of the ACS jointly hosted the 7th annual Speed Networking Night over Zoom on the evening of Monday, October 7, this year. We had an exceptional turnout, with over forty students and mentors. Virtual networking in Zoom has helped to expand this opportunity for both mentors and students beyond the Kalamazoo area.

The evening kicked off with a presentation by Dr. Zeus De los Santos from the FDA, who shared tips for undergraduate research funding. Scott Bagley and Carl Stachew shared their career experiences at Pfizer and the wide range of opportunities available in the pharmaceutical industry.

Students and mentors were paired up in five breakout rooms for 10-minute discussions. After the event, a list of contacts was circulated for mentors and students to continue their conversations. We are hopeful that the connections that were made will benefit students and mentors alike for many years to come.

Overall, our fourth virtual chemistry speed-networking event was a resounding success, and we look forward to continuing to expand this format further in the future. The number of interested students has grown dramatically over the last few years, and we are looking for more mentors. Anyone interested in becoming involved with Speed Networking in the future please contact blakely.tresca@kzoo.edu. Planning has started for next year’s event on October 6, 2025.

Bell’s Event This Wednesday

Families Explore the Wonders of Chemistry at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum and the Kalamazoo Local Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) hosted the 38th annual celebration of chemistry, “Photography and Imaging: Picture Perfect Chemistry,” on Saturday, October 19, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. This event brought together chemistry enthusiasts and families to explore the wonders of chemistry and gain a deeper appreciation for the science that shapes our world.

Thanks to the dedication of volunteers from Dipharma, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Kalsec, Perrigo, Pfizer, Western Michigan University, and the Kalamazoo Local Section of the ACS, attendees engaged in exciting experiments, witnessed captivating demonstrations, and learned about chemistry in meaningful ways.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the volunteers whose time, knowledge, and enthusiasm made Chemistry Day a success. Your commitment and passion for science are appreciated; this event could not have happened without you.

The topic for National Chemistry Week in 2025 will be Spices, and the theme will be “The Hidden Life of Spices.” Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 18, 2025, for next fall’s celebration of chemistry at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. Together, let’s continue to ignite the spark of scientific curiosity and exploration in our community.

Chemistry Day Comes Full Circle

By Andy Kaczmar

Growing up in Mattawan, MI, my family and I would often attend Chemistry Day at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. I truly enjoyed going to this event as a kid, and I think it’s what sparked my initial interest in chemistry and in science as a whole. Even today, I still remember walking around the museum, watching electricity demonstrations, and participating in a variety of chemistry activities. I remember looking up to the volunteers, thinking that they were the coolest thing ever. Little did I know that I’d be in their shoes over a decade later!

Fast forward to today, and here I am – not only a volunteer at Chemistry Day but also a scientist and president of the WMU Chemistry Club. Now, I get to share my love for chemistry with others while giving back to the community that supported me. It was a fantastic experience to see the same curiosity in the kids that came to the recently-held Chemistry Day at the Museum that I felt back when I was their age. Personally, volunteering for Chemistry Day feels like my way of saying thank you for the life-changing experiences this event provided me all those years ago.

Looking back, it’s amazing to see how those early seeds blossomed, helping me to become the person that I am today. They’re the reason why I’m studying chemistry at WMU (anticipating a Spring 2025 graduation) and why I want to pursue a career in science. They’ve made me a more curious individual, a more engaged student, and a better leader. Overall, my journey from a wide-eyed little kid at Chemistry Day has come full circle. I’m grateful to be part of an event that has played such an important role in my life, and I look forward to seeing the fruit that it bears in the next generation.

[Editor’s note: Thank you, Andy! My request for this story was triggered by a casual chat I had with Andy as he was leaving our October 19, 2024, Chemistry Day at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum where he and his team safely led our young visitors in the preparation of “Slime.”]

Report on our Recent KACS Officer Election

By Jake Kirkendall
KACS Secretary

In October we held our annual KACS elections. Since I took over as Secretary, this is the largest election turnout we have had, with 26% of eligible members voting. The new voting system we adopted last year through ElectionRunner has eased the process of running the annual officer election and also increased election participation. Joe Chemler (Kalsec Inc.) was elected as the 2025 Chair-Elect, Sean Lapekas (Pfizer) as Treasurer, and Brian Eklov (Dipharma) as Alternate Councilor. Thanks to all who voted, and congratulations to our new executive committee members.

Continuing on the KACS executive committee are Nicole Burke, chair; Dibyendu Mondal, past-chair; Jake Kirkendall, secretary; Lydia E. M. Hines, councilor. Many thanks are due to our outgoing executive committee members for their dedicated service to KACS: Ben Maxey (outgoing Past-chair), Doug Williams (outgoing Treasurer), and Tomasz Respondek (outgoing Alternate Councilor).

Another Invitation to Attend GLRM 2025

Here is another invitation to consider attending and possibly participating in the GLRM 2025 (https://greatlakesregion-acs.org/event-welcome/glrm-2025)

Also, if you know of a deserving HS teacher within our Great Lakes Region (see https://kalamazooacs.org/the-great-lakes-region/ for a map of our Region, or contact Lydia E. M. Hines) the information below is given for you to consider a nomination: 

Great Lakes Regional (GLR) Award for Excellence in High School Teaching

This award is offered by the Chemical Education (CHED) division to recognize a High School teacher within the region who excels in the classroom and beyond

The nomination form is available at https://greatlakesregion-acs.org/Event-Awards (note – the nomination form for this award is extensive and we encourage you to begin completing it well in advance of the deadline

Deadline: March 1, 2025

If you have any questions regarding this award, please contact Graeme Wyllie (wyllie@cord.edu), GLR Awards Chair.

Plan Ahead for CCEW, NCW Next Year

At the Denver ACS meeting in August of 2024 the Committee on Community Activities (CCA) announced that the topic for Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW) in 2025 will be Glaciers, with the theme of “Hot Topic, Cool Chemistry,” and that the topic for the National Chemistry Week (NCW) in 2025 (October 19-25) will be Spices, with the theme of “The Hidden Life of Spices.”

Seminar to Discuss Antibiotic Resistance

Below are the title and abstract for the November 11 seminar presentation at 3 p.m., WMU Chemistry Building, Rm 1260, by Dr. Renee Bouley, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University at Marion.

Title: Understanding the Role of L,D-transpeptidases in Antibiotic Resistance

Abstract: L,D-transpeptidases (Ldts) as well as D,D-transpeptidases also known as penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) play an important role in formation of cross linkages in peptidoglycan, which is key to the structural stability of the bacterial cell wall. The functions of these two transpeptidases are similar, although they are structurally distinct and they generate different peptide cross-linkages. Due to these differences, the majority of the β-lactam antibiotics do not effectively inhibit the Ldts. This has led to the hypothesis that they are involved in resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. The role of Ldts in many pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria, such as Enterobacter cloacae, has not been studied. E. cloacae contains six hypothetical Ldt genes that are analogous to the six Ldts that have been characterized in E. coli. This study aims to investigate two of these Ldts found in E. cloacae, termed LdtD and LdtE, which are hypothesized to catalyze 3→3 cross-linkages based on their homology with E. coli proteins.

LdtD and LdtE were cloned and purified as fusions with maltose-binding protein and their activity was determined using a nitrocefin assay. A panel of 14 b-lactams was then assayed to determine which demonstrates activity against LdtD and LdtE. We determined that 3 carbapenems tested and 2 penams inhibited both LdtD and LdtE whereas the cephems and monobactam tested did not show activity. Previous studies have shown that carbapenems often display Ldt inhibition, however penams typically do not show activity. We determined the IC50values for active b-lactams against both LdtD and LdtE and utilized native mass-spectrometry to investigate the enzyme-inhibitor interaction.