FACULTY PROFILE
Morgan S. Ponder
Chair and Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley
B.S., University of Missouri - Columbia
Faculty Research Interests
My research interests lie in the application of computational methods to aid in the design of potential pharmaceuticals. I collaborate with researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who are synthesizing and evaluating rotationally hindered retinoids for possible use in cancer prevention and treatment. I use computational methods to calculate the geometry of the lowest-energy conformations of these compounds and to use these geometries to help predict the effectiveness of the binding of these compounds to the appropriate receptors.
Recent Publications
Ponder, M.S.; Long, J.A.; Williams, L.M.; Hamilton, T.P.; Muccio, D.D. Structural studies on conformationally defined 6-s-trans UAB retinoids. J. Mol. Struct. (THEOCHEM) 2001, 549, 39-45.
Primary Teaching Responsibilities
Foundations of Chemistry (CHEM 205)
Foundations of Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 206)
Physical Chemistry (CHEM 365)
Unified Laboratory I (CHEM 370)
Unified Laboratory II (CHEM 375)
Spectroscopy (CHEM 425)
Senior Seminar (CHEM 460)
CONTACT INFO:
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Samford University
800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL
35229-2236
Office: SCI 337B
Phone: (205) 726-2680
Fax: (205) 726-2479
Email: mcponder@samford.edu
Updated // 8.15.08
