News: CBE

Synthetic biology to discover kratom natural product biosynthetic pathways for biased analgesic development

Prof. Sijin Li's Project Summary Opioid alternative analgesics that would kill pain potently without the respiratory side effect will be of specific importance in addressing the opioid crisis. The medicinal herb kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) produces natural products (mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine) that selectively activate analgesia only, which are promising “biased” opioid alternatives. Elucidating the kratom biosynthetic pathway composed of enzymes catalyzing sequential reactions toward the syntheses of mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, or other kratom products is important to the... Read more

Fengqi You Honored with Dorothy and Fred Chau Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research Project Supervision

Professor Fengqi You has been awarded the 2024 Dorothy and Fred Chau Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research Project Supervision by the School of Applied and Engineering Physics at Cornell University. This prestigious recognition celebrates Professor You's exceptional dedication and outstanding contributions to mentoring AEP undergraduate students in research. Renowned for his research excellence and commitment to fostering a collaborative and inclusive research environment, Professor You has consistently demonstrated a profound impact on students' academic and professional growth. His... Read more