Where does medicine come from?  What role does a scientist play in the development of medication?  Using pharmaceuticals ranging from taxol to aspirin the story of drug design and development will be explained from isolation to marketing.  The career options for this type of research will be discussed and what a student needs to do if interested in these types of careers. 

In particular, the role a total synthesis of complex natural products plays in this complex pathway will be illustrated with the research that is currently being conducted by WVSU students.  For example, the first synthesis of spathoside, a biologically active molecule against both Gram-positive and negative bacteria, is currently underway.  This molecule is a perfect example of the direction and need for different antimicrobial agents as well as illustrating the difficulties in providing new drugs that can be used to fight developing superbug strains like Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).