From penicillin to aspirin, some of the best known and life changing medications are natural products. To progress science and humanity we need diligent scientists on the front lines helping bring reason and understanding to the natural world. Natural product synthesis is not only a cornerstone of drug development, but it has also changed humanity for the better by allowing science to isolate and/or enhance the potency of certain drugs. On the show this week we have someone who does just that, Evie Starchman.

Evie is a 5th year Chemistry PhD student in Dr. Chris Beaudry’s lab. Her current research focuses on Asterelin A which is known to have some anti-fungal properties. By creating and better understanding the fine details of this molecule Evie hopes to further deepen the understanding of molecules like it. Evie is from Snohomish, Washington where growing up she loved figure skating and (to this day) reading any book she could get her hands on. When she isn’t in the lab you can find her doing anything from white-water rafting, browsing packs at her local card shop, or training for her next marathon.

Tune into KBVR 88.7 FM at 7 pm PST on April 27th to hear Evie talk about what drives her to keep going in this chaotic world and if we’re lucky, hear about her latest Pokémon card finds.

Written by E Hernandez