The Thomas L. Lemke Outstanding Poster Presentation Award

Thomas L. Lemke is Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Associate Dean at the College of Pharmacy at the University of Houston. He received his B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin (1962) and went on to complete his Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry under Dr. Edward E. Smissman in 1966. Dr. Lemke went on to work as a Research Scientist for Upjohn from 1966 to 1970 at which time he joined the faculty at the University of Houston as Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, was promoted through the ranks receiving tenure in 1975, then Full Professor in 1984. In 1984 he was honored to spend two years as Visiting Professor at the Institut De Chimie, UniversiteLouis Pasteur, De Strasbourg, in Strasbourg, France where he worked in the Laboratory of Jean-Marie Lehn, who went on to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Dr. Lemke is also a noted author of several well-known books, one being “Review of Organic Functional Groups, Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry,” and he is one of the editors of the textbook “Foye’s Principles of Medicinal Chemistry.”

Most noteworthy of Dr. Lemke’s contributions is the fact that he was one of the founding organizers of our MALTO organization. He, along with Nelson Voldeng, who we also honor every year with the Nelson Voldeng Memorial Lecture, had the vision and, with a lot of hard work, made it happen.

It is therefore very fitting that we, the MALTO community of scholars (faculty and students), show our great appreciation to Dr. Thomas Lemke for a job well done by naming this award in his honor.

Past Recipients of The Thomas L. Lemke Outstanding Student Poster Presentation Award

2003: Srinivasan P. Venkatachalan, “Effect of Urethane on the 5HT3A and 5HT3ABReceptor,” University of Lousiana, Monroe, Advisor: Dr. Marvin K Schulte.

2005: Wayun Sheng, “3D High-resolution NMR Characterizatin of Recombiant CB2 Membrane Protein Fragment,” University of Houston, Advisor: Dr. Xiang-Qun (Sean) Xie.

2006: Lukasz Kutrzeba, “In-vitro Studies on Metabolism of Salvinorin A,” University of Mississippi, Advisor: Dr. Jordan K. Zjawiony.

2007: Prasanna Sivaprakasam, “Computational Insights into PfDHFR-TS: Application of 2D,3D-QSAR and Docking Studies to Cycloguanil Derivatives,” University of Mississippi, Advisor: Dr. Robert J Doerksen.

2008: Sanju Narayanan, “Discovery of Highly Selective s2 Antagonist as Anti-cocaine Agent,” Advisor: Dr. Christopher R. McCurdy.

2009: Lacey D. Gamblin, “Synthesis of Thiourea Analogues as Potential Somatostatin Receptor Subtype 4 Agonists” Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Advisor: Dr. A. Michael Crider.

2010: Swapnil Kulkarni, “Studies Towards Total Synthesis of Pseudolaric Acid B,” University of Mississippi, Advisor: Mitchel A. Avery.

2011: Horrick Sharma, “Synthesis, Docking and Biological Studies of Phenanthrene b-Diketo Acids as Novel HIV-1 Integrase Inhibitors,” University of Tennessee, Advisor: John K. Buolamwini.

2012: Amanda L. Waters, “Isolation and Structure Determination of Antifungal Lactone Lipids and Other Secondary Metabolites From Sooty Mold, Scorias Spongiosa,” University of Mississippi, Advisor: Mark Hamann.

2013: Chalada Suebsuwong, “An Approach to identifying Potent and Selective DXG-OUT RIP1 Kinase Inhibitors,” University of Houston, Advisor: Gregory D. Cuny

2014: Manal A. Nael, “Targeting Protein Kinase RNA-like Endoplasmic Reticulum Kinase to Manage Alzheimer’s Disease,” University of Mississippi, Advisor: Robert J. Doerksen.

2015: Jai Shankar K. Yadlapalli, “Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics, and Therapeutic Implications of Morphine-6-O-Sulfate sodium in Diabetic Neuropathy,” University of
Arkansas, Advisor: Peter A. Crooks.

2016: Abu Bakar Siddique, “Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Based Oleocanthal: A Promising Lead for the Control of C-MET-Dependent Brest Malignancies,” University of Louisiana, Advisor: Khalid El Sayed.

2017: Sri Sujana Immadi, “Application of Hemetsberger-Knittel Reaction in the Synthesis of Indole/Azaindole-2-carboxamides for Development of Allosteric Modulators of Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor, Texas A & M University, Advisor: Dai Lu.

2018: Vikas Mishra, “Selective CB2 Receptors Agonists as Dual Suppressors for Pain and Cancer Growth” Texas A & M University, Advisor: Dai Lu.

2019: Achyut Dahal, “Characterization of HER-2-Targeted Modified Peptidomimetic” University of Louisiana, Advisor: Seetharama Jois.

2022: Imdadul Khan, “ Discovery of 5α-pregnan-2β,3α-diol-20-one as a NeuroHIVProtective Agent”, Advisor: Hoang Le.

2023: Baharul Islam, “Discovery of a one-pot method to synthesis α,α-difluoro-β-amino ketones from α-amidosulfones and dilfuoroenolates, University of Mississippi”, Advisor: David A. Colby.

2024: Mostafa Ali Eldeen, “Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Glycosylated And Sulfated N-Terminal Pepetides of CCR5”, University of Mississippi, Advisor: Joshwa Zhu.