Zymes Research Fellow Receives ACS Organic Division Fellowship
Monday, September 24th, 2007The American Chemical Society’s Division of Organic Chemistry has selected Mr. Benjamin R. Taft as recipient of a Graduate Fellowship Award for 2007-2008. Ben is currently a Zymes Fellow in the laboratories of Prof. Bruce Lipshutz at UC Santa Barbara. The fellowship was awarded in large measure on the basis of Ben’s research contributions. He is involved in development of new “green” nanoscale technologies for effecting several organometallic cross-coupling reactions in water alone, using Zymes’ patented non-ionic amphiphile “PTS”. Using this technology, Ben has successfully solubilized a variety of lipophilic molecules in water including drugs and nutrients such as taxol, coenzyme Q10 and omega-3 fatty acids.
Ben received this very prestigious award, given to only 15-20 graduate students each year, based on the nomination of his Ph.D. thesis advisor, two additional letters of recommendation, his curriculum vitae, list of publications and awards, and an essay describing his original research in organic chemistry. Evidence of achieving innovative research is an important factor in the selection process. Ben will receive a $24,000 stipend toward his studies and will travel to the 2007 National Organic Symposium at Duke University in Durham, NC to present a poster detailing his work.
The Division of Organic Chemistry awards the fellowships to outstanding third and fourth year graduate students in organic chemistry. Nominations are received in the spring of each year. Potential candidates should visit the ACS Organic Chemistry Division site at http://organicdivision.org/fellowships.html for more information.
About Zymes:
Zymes LLC is a bioscience company that combines science, technology and nature to create products that improve the quality of life. It is dedicated to contributing to the well-being of individuals by developing high-quality products that provide significant, clinically-proven health and beauty benefits to consumers. Based in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, Zymes holds substantial intellectual property ranging from production of synthetic CoQ10 to pharmaceutical drug delivery systems. For more information see www.zymes.com.
