Portland State Magazine Winter 2007

Chemistry professor Kevin Reynolds and postdoctoral student Shuchi Gupta work in a state-of-the-art microbial chemistry lab created especially for Reynolds and his team of researchers. PORTLAND STATE LURED Kevin Reynolds, 43, away from Virginia Common– wealth University a little over a year ago to be its new Chemistry Department chair. Reynolds, who grew up near Oxford, England, brought a power-packed resume, including multi-million-dollar grants from the National Institutes of Health, an elite research teaITI, and more than 20 years' experience investigating the chemical mysteries of how bacteria make drugs and drug-like compounds-and how that process can be manipulated and enhanced to produce new pharmaceuticals. "At PSU I found a University interested in expanding its science curriculum and opportunities for research," says Reynolds. "I saw faculty members with excit– ing research, as well as the opportunity for interesting partnerships with Oregon Health & Science University. I laid out some changes I thought were necessary and received a commitment of funding and energy." One non-negotiable item on Reynolds' wish list was a state-of-the-arc microbial chemistry lab. The facility, the first of its kind at Portland State, combines three fume-excluding, low-flow chemical hood workstations, clean room-quality air, water and environmental temperature handling, and other workstations for detailed molecular biology. "Typically, universities separate their chemistry and biology labs," says Reynolds. "I wanted to design a lab that serves both. It wasn't cheap [about $500,000], but they did a remarkable job in a very short time. We were able to run experiments within rwo weeks of when we arrived." The lab is providing the impetus for a modernization of Science Building 2 that leads to a new vision for sciences at PSU and creation of a Science and Research Teaching Complex. The new center will further the University's mission to prepare Oregon's science teachers, academic researchers, industry-ready researchers, and a scientifically literate populace. IN THE LA 8, Reynolds and his teaITI work with previously isolated bacteria already known to produce a drug-like compound. They then look at the genome of the organism-its DNA-and identify what part of the genome is responsible for making that compound. "Everything in life is genetically coded," Reynolds explains. "We identify the part of the DNA that makes the drug. We then clone and sequence that piece of DNA, using computer progr=s that predict what that piece of DNA does. We then design experiments to change that DNA." By modifying the bacterium's genetic structure, Reynolds and his group address problems such as stability and toxicity to yield compounds that are then tested for efficacy against cancer, malaria, and other diseases. Reynolds says the work has begun to show encouraging results. "To date, we've been really struggling to try to trick the bacteria into making new compounds," he explains. "Recently, though, we've had tremendous success in gen– erating libraries of new natural products. We've cracked that problem, so now we're testing them to see how useful they may be. We have about 100 new compounds to test for effectiveness." If nothing else, Reynolds loves his work "What excites me is the act of discovery. At the end of a project, we've learned something about nature and that's what I really get a kick out of. We find out how bacteria work, how they build complex compounds, we learn things no one else has ever discovered." ■ PARTNERING TO GET THE WORK DONE The University recently surveyed the state of Science Buildings 1 and 2 and recommended the creation of a new Science and Research Teaching Complex. With research and teaching lab space demand about to exceed supply, PSU has identified the need for $41 million in funding to fully upgrade Science Building 2 infrastructure to improve laboratory functions and create more teaching and research space. The goal is to complete these and other improvements by 2010. These upgrades will allow research– ers like Kevin Reynolds, Chemistry chair, to assist in the future of Oregon's biotech industry. Their work is one reason Gov. Ted Kulongoski is asking the legislature to create a new $7 million Oregon Transitional Research and Drug Discovery Institute. The center would connect the work of Oregon faculty to biotech research , development, and commercialization in the area of infectious diseases. "Basically, the idea is that we would take promising drug candidates through the initial stages of develop– ment and address stability, toxicity and other issues," Reynolds explains. "The compounds would be tested at the new institute, and then PSU chemists and chemists from the other institu– tions would have a back-and-forth, refining the compounds and sending them back for further testing." PSU is also a partner in two other signature research centers the gover– nor is recommending for funding: the existing Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute and a new Bio-Economy and Sustainable Technologies Center. ■ WINTER 2007 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 17