Dr. Christopher Jeffrey
Professor Christopher Jeffrey was born and raised in the upper Midwest. As the first to go on from his family to college, he graduated from Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin with his B.S. in chemistry in 2002 conducting research in synthetic photochemistry under the direction of Professor Kevin McMahon. After his undergraduate studies, he pursued M.S. and Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Minnesota under the direction of Professor Thomas R. Hoye. His work was focused on expanding the capabilities of new carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions, the discovery of the sea lamprey migratory pheromone, and the synthesis of an important biologically active natural product. After graduating from Minnesota in 2007, Prof. Jeffrey was awarded Princeton University’s Council of Science and Technology Postdoctoral Fellowship, where he worked with Professor Erik J. Sorensen on the total synthesis of cortistatin A, a unique marine natural product with specific anti-cancer properties. In 2010, he joined the Department of Chemistry at the University of Nevada, Reno as an assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2016. His research work has focused on the discovery of new reactivity for the formation of important carbon-nitrogen bonds and understanding the causes and consequences of natural product diversity in collaborative research at the interface between chemistry and ecology. His work has merged numerous fields and collaborators in chemistry and biology, integrated hundreds of citizen scientists through the Earthwatch Foundation, and trained students at all levels of education. His work has resulted in a patent, 20 publications, and numerous invited talks at international conferences and departments as an independent scientist and was recognized by a 2012 CNPq Science Without Borders Award and the 2015 Mousel-Feltner award for excellence in research and/or creative activity. He has mentored 10 PhD students and 17 undergraduate student researchers since 2010 and was awarded a 2013 Senior Scholar Mentor Award.
Education::
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Council on Science and Technology Postdoctoral Fellow (2007-2010), Princeton University (Erik J. Sorensen)
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Ph.D. (2007), University of Minnesota (Thomas R. Hoye)
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B.S. (2002), Carroll College
Current Members
Undergraduate Students
Nayeli Stopani-Humes
Major: General Chemistry, Minor: Anthropology
Expected Graduation: Spring 2024
Jinqi Gao
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Expected Graduation: Spring 2024
Katherine Chacon
Major: Professional Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2024
Dylan Friend
Major: Professional Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2026
Kim Giannantonio
Major: Professional Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2024
Past Members
Christopher Harris, M.S. (2024)
Mary Fennimore, Ph.D. (2021)