Skip to Main Content

Student’s research aims to overcome antibiotic resistance

"M

y research keeps me awake at night,” said Trevor Boram. “But in a good way.”

Boram, a Ph.D. candidate in biochemistry, began his collegiate career at Indiana University East. There, a faculty mentor who completed a postdoc at Purdue encouraged Boram to apply to graduate school in West Lafayette.

“My visit to Purdue was an amazing experience,” said Boram. “It felt like everybody here wanted me in their department.”

During faculty presentations to incoming graduate students, Boram was intrigued by the research of Jeremy Lohman, an assistant professor of biochemistry.

“I realized his work was incredibly important. It used medical applications of biochemistry to solve modern-day health crises,” Boram said.

Boram’s rotation in Lohman’s lab solidified his interest. Since fall 2017, Boram has worked in the same research space his Indiana University East mentor previously did.

“With my advisor’s support, I feel motivated to think up my own ideas and work hard in the lab to see if we can make them happen.”

Boram studies how the human body makes fatty acids and their secondary metabolites. These specialized molecules are used to make pharmaceuticals.

“Our lab has taken a new approach to study the specific phenomenon,” said Boram, who uses synthetic organic chemistry to make novel compounds and takes pictures using X-ray crystallography.

The resulting knowledge could lead to new antibiotics that can overcome antibiotic resistance and extend human lifespans.

“Every day my job gives me the opportunity to make new chemicals and learn strategies to apply to a real problem,” said Boram.

At Purdue, Boram has mentored 16 undergraduate students and chaired the 2020 Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Biomolecular Galaxy symposium. After completing his Ph.D. next spring, he plans to work as a chemist in the industry and conduct research in drug discovery.

Featured Stories

Dog outdoors drinking water
Keeping your pets safe during the dog days of summer

As temperatures and humidity rise across the U.S., Candace Croney, director of the Center for...

Read More
Eastern hellbender salamanders feeding on bloodworms in their raceway at the Purdue Hellbender the Hellbender lab.
Metazoa Beer to Benefit Help the Hellbender Lab

Metazoa Brewing Company and the Indiana Lakes Management Society have teamed up to collaborate on...

Read More
Sonling Fei in front of digital trees
Digital forestry can help mitigate and prevent wildfires

The National Interagency Fire Center reports that, as of this writing, 19,444 fires have burned...

Read More
tomas hook next to boat
What you can do this summer to reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species

In 2020, an alligator was captured in a lagoon of Chicago’s Humbolt Park. The reptile out...

Read More
Researcher uses pipette on parsley plant
Researchers examine nanotechnological methods for improving agriculture

Nanoscale particles could potentially help address agricultural and environmental sustainability...

Read More
Fairgoers ride a tractor, sponsored by the Indiana Soybean Alliance, and browse food tents during the 2023 Indiana State Fair. (Purdue Agricultural Communications photo)
Purdue Extension to present engaging art and nature demonstrations at Indiana State Fair

The Indiana State Fair kicks off Aug. 2 and highlights the theme “The Art & Nature of...

Read More
To Top