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September 11, 2026
All-Division Colloquium
C. Richard Hutchinson Annual Lecture
- Eric Schmidt, PhD
- University of Utah
Origin of Tailoring Diversity in Animal Bioactive Compounds
Abstract: Animals hold a wealth of bioactive molecules for application in human health, and underlying enzymes for synthetic biology. The key challenge is to understand how animals make these molecules: how evolution, ecology, and physiology drive the formation of chemical diversity, and how we can tap this diversity for important applications. Only by unraveling the unique biosynthetic tapestries of animal metabolism will we be able to truly realize the chemical potential of the millions of animal species on Earth.
About the Speaker:
Eric Schmidt is Distinguished Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, the William R. Droschkey Endowed Chair in Pharmacy, and adjunct professor in Chemistry and Biological Sciences at the University of Utah. He earned a B.S. in Chemistry from UC San Diego and a Ph.D. from Scripps Institution of Oceanography under D. John Faulkner, followed by postdoctoral training with Craig Townsend at The Johns Hopkins University. His honors include the Matt Suffness Young Investigator Award (ASP), the Paul R. Dawson Award (AACP), and election as a Fellow of the AAAS.
Host: Tin Bugni
The C. Richard Hutchinson Lecture is intended to celebrate and recognize careers dedicated to contemporary research and major advances in natural product discovery and development. Read more about Dr. C. Richard Hutchinson and view speakers from previous years.