Dr. Julie Pigza

Education:

• Ph.D (2008, Indiana University) – Organic Chemistry
  • Advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Johnston (currently at Vanderbilt University)
  • Thesis title: Progress Toward the Total Synthesis of the Lycopodium Alkaloid (+)-Serratezomine A
• B.S. (2002, Allegheny College) – Chemistry
  • Magna cum laude and Honors distinction; math and psychology double minor

Experience:

• Postdoctoral Research Associate (2008 - 2009)
  • Marine Natural Products Isolation and Organic Synthesis
  • University of California at San Diego (Advisor: Dr. Ted Molinski)

Courses Taught:

• CH-251: Organic Chemistry I Lecture and Lab
• CH-151: General Chemistry I Lecture and Lab
• CH-151 WI: General Chemistry I writing intensive lecture section
• CH-152: General Chemistry II Lab
• CH-128: Introductory Organic Chemistry Lab

Teaching Philosophy:

Throughout my undergraduate, doctorate, and postdoctoral training, I have been fortunate to have professors that were enthusiastic and dedicated to teaching. I have gained insight into successful techniques and practices that motivate students in organic chemistry and NMR spectroscopy. These include increased availability of the professors and contact with the students, being actively involved in thinking and reading about new chemistry and performing laboratory research with students, assigning homework problems that allow students to more easily learn chemistry through practice, encouraging board work by students when solving problems and having them describe their thought process as they think through the assignment, and being motivating and encouraging while teaching chemistry – making it easier to understand for all students. In particular, I am interested in implementing student-led workshops in organic chemistry classes where a weekly problem set is distributed and solved within small groups. This informal setting will lead to increased learning and open discussion among the students and is something that I aspire to in an effort to make organic chemistry a less daunting subject. I also would like to expose the students to the different types of chemistry that are currently being studied in universities and industry such as the synthesis of natural products and medicinal applications. This would involve assigning homework problems that address useful applications in organic chemistry, teaching students how to effectively search the current literature, directing students to appropriate websites, and bringing in seminar speakers who work in the pharmaceutical industry. I am also excited to emphasize analytical techniques used in assigning structure and stereochemistry along with my instruction in organic chemistry. The students would be exposed directly to the instruments in the laboratory sections including the set-up and data analysis. I believe that a more thorough understanding of organic chemistry and the subsequent analytical techniques used to study molecules both in and beyond the classroom setting will help students to better grasp what a career in chemistry would entail and help to increase the number of interested students in chemistry as a future profession.

Research Interests:

• Total synthesis of small, biologically active molecules
• Exploring new reaction methodologies via umpolung bond disconnections
  • Currently underway: Methodology development utilizing oxyallyl silanes as homoenolate equivalents and Synthesis of oxyallyl silane derivatives
• Studying the structure of molecules by 2D NMR and advanced spectroscopy techniques

Honors and Awards:

• Visiting Scholar Appointment through Vanderbilt University due to my continued collaboration with my graduate advisor, Dr. Jeffrey Johnston (2010-current)
• Acknowledged for insightful contributions in a recent publication (Flores, B.; Molinski, T. F. Org. Lett. 2011, 13, 3932-3935)
• Pfizer Diversity in Organic Chemistry Graduate Fellowship (Indiana University), 2005-2006
• Jack K. Crandall Award in Organic Chemistry (Indiana University), 2004
• Eli Lilly Organic Chemistry Fellowship (Indiana University), 2002
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory Summer Internship Award (Allegheny College), 2001
• American Chemical Society Polymer Education Award for Excellence in Organic Chemistry (Allegheny College), 2000

Publications:

1. “Serratezomine A”, Pigza, J. A.; Johnston, J. N. Invited Book Chapter, submitted, 2012.

1. Pigza, J. A.; Han, J.-S.; Chandra, A.; Mutnick, D; Pink, M.; and Johnston, J. N. “Total Synthesis of the Lycopodium Alkaloid Serratezomine A Using Free Radical-Mediated Vinyl Amination to Prepare a β-Stannyl Enamine Linchpin” submitted, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012.

1. Haines, N. R.; VanZanten, A. N.; Cuneo, A. A.; Miller, J. R.; Andrews, W. J.; Carlson, D. A.; Harrington, R. M.; Kiefer, A. M.; Mason, J. D.; Pigza, J. A.; Murphree, S. S. “A Sulfone-Based Strategy for the Preparation of 2,4-Disubstituted Furan Derivatives” J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 8131-8137. 

1. “Benzenemethanamine, α-Phenyl- and Benzenemethanamine, α-Phenyl-Hydrochloride”, Pigza, J. A. Electronic Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis, Crich, D.; Charette, A. B.; Fuchs, P. L.; Molander, G. Eds.; John Wiley & Sons Ltd.: Sussex, 2011. 

1. Pigza, J. A.; Molinski, T. F. “Diastereoselective Allylstannane Additions to (S)-5,6-Dihydro-2H-5-phenyloxazin-2-one. A Concise Synthesis of β-Methylisoleucine.” Org. Lett. 2010, 12, 1256-1259.

1. “Ketene”, Pigza, J. A. First Update, Electronic Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis, Crich, D.; Fuchs, P. L.; Molander, G.; Paquette, L. A. Eds.; John Wiley & Sons Ltd.: Sussex, 2009.

1. Pigza, J. A.; Quach, T.; Molinski, T. F. “Oxazoline-Oxazinone Oxidative Rearrangement. Divergent Syntheses of (2S,3S)-4,4,4-Trifluorovaline and (2S,4S)-5,5,5-Trifluoroleucine.” J. Org. Chem. 2009, 74, 5510-5515.

1. Chandra, A.; Pigza, J. A.; Han, J.-S.; Mutnick, D.; Johnston, J. N. “Total Synthesis of the Lycopodium Alkaloid (+)-Serratezomine A.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 3470-3471.

1. Shafer, C. M.; Pigza, J. A.; Molinski, T. F. “Allyl Silane Additions to Highly Electrophilic 5,6-Dihydro-2H-1,4-oxazinones.”  Lett. Org. Chem. 2009, 6, 224-228.

1. “1-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidinone”, Pigza, J. A. First Update, Electronic Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis, Crich, D.; Fuchs, P. L.; Molander, G.; Paquette, L. A. Eds.; John Wiley & Sons Ltd.: Sussex, 2008.

1. N-Iodosuccinimide”, Pigza, J. A. Second Update, Electronic Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis, Crich, D.; Fuchs, P. L.; Molander, G.; Paquette, L. A. Eds.; John Wiley & Sons Ltd.: Sussex, 2007.

Presentations:

1. Julie A. Pigza, “Methodology Development using Oxyallyl Silanes as Homoenolate Equivalents”, seminar, Long Island Section of the ACS Meeting, March 8, 2012, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

1. Julie A. Pigza, “Methodology Development using Oxyallyl Silanes as Homoenolate Equivalents”, seminar, Chemistry Department Seminar Series, February 24, 2012, QCC, Bayside, NY

1. Julie A. Pigza, Jeffrey N. Johnston “Development of Oxyallyl Silanes as Homoenolate Equivalents in the Oxidative Addition to Vinylogous Amides”, poster presentation, ACS Younger Chemists Committee Research Symposium, March 19, 2011, Cooper Union, New York, NY

1. Julie A. Pigza, “Lessons Learned During the Total Synthesis of (+)-Serratezomine A”, seminar, Chemistry Departmental Meeting, December 8, 2010, Queensborough Community College, Bayside, NY

1. Julie A. Pigza, Jeongseok Han, Daniel Mutnick, “Progress Toward the Total Synthesis of (+)-Serratezomine A”, presented at the following conferences:
   • Poster, 10^th International Conference on the Chemistry of Antibiotics and Other Bioactive Compounds, August 12-15, 2007, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
   • Seminar, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology Retreat, August 9, 2007, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
   • Seminar, Pfizer Award Symposium in recognition of the graduate fellowship from the previous year, October 12-13, 2006, Pfizer, Groton, CT
   • Poster, Gordon Research Conference on Natural Products, July 23-28, 2006, Tilton School, Tilton, NH
   • Poster, Pfizer Award Symposium as a graduate fellowship recipient, September 29-30, 2005, Pfizer, Groton, CT
   • Poster, Eli Lilly Grantee Symposium as a graduate fellowship recipient, March 1-2, 2004, Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, IN

1. Julie A. Pigza, “Structural Misassignments and Ambiguities in Natural Product Elucidation: A Focus on NMR as the Main Tool for Revision”, seminar, Chemistry Departmental Meeting, January 11, 2007, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

Student Presentations:

1. Donald Mitchell

   Synthesis of Oxyallyl Silanes and their Application as Homoenolate Equivalents

   • 43^rd Annual ACS Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting (poster, Jun 2, 2012)
   • 60^th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium (seminar, May 5, 2012)
   • 8^th Annual QCC Honors Conference (seminar, May 4, 2012)

   Use of Oxyallyl Silanes as Homoenolate Equivalents in the Oxidative Addition to Phenols

   • LS-AMP office at City College (seminar, Mar 7, 2012)

1. Fatima Moslimani

   Synthesis of Oxyallyl Silane Derivatives and Addition to Electrophiles

   • presented at the Chemistry Department Research Meeting (seminar, Dec 22, 2011)

   Synthesis of Protected Oxyallyl Silane Derivatives for Use as Homoenolate Equivalents

   • 42^nd Annual ACS Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting (poster, May 21, 2011)
   • 59^th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium (seminar, May 7, 2011)
   • 7^th Annual QCC Honors Conference (seminar, May 6, 2011)

1. Stephanie Salarbux

   Development of Oxyallyl Silanes as Homoenolate Equivalents in the Oxidative Addition to Substituted Phenols

   • 42^nd Annual ACS Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting (poster, May 21, 2011)
   • 59^th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium (seminar, May 7, 2011)
   • 7^th Annual QCC Honors Conference (seminar, May 6, 2011)

Grants:

1. PSC-CUNY Traditional B Award (#64642-00 42) entitled “Oxyallyl Silanes as Homoenolate Equivalents: Synthesis and Addition to Electrophiles”, $50,000, Jan 2012 – Aug 2014.
2. American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS-PRF, #51776-UNI) entitled “Development of Oxyallyl Silanes as Homoenolate Equivalents in the Oxidative Addition to Vinylogous Amides”, $5057, Jul 2011 – Dec 2012.

Professional Memberships:

• American Chemical Society, Phi Beta Kappa (Eta Chapter, PA), The National Scholars Honor Society, Pi Mu Epsilon (Math honorary)