From Nature to Flask

Course Description

Summary

Plants and macrofungi remain rich sources of natural products that exhibit a wide range of biological activities. In this course, students are introduced to phenols, flavonoids, terpenes, alkaloids, glycosides, and other classes of natural products. The course includes discussion, analysis of primary literature, and hands-on work involving extraction, isolation, characterization, and antioxidant screening.

This course is well suited for those interested in building analytical skills applicable across different areas of science, as well as those curious about natural products through the lens of chemistry. Because results are communicated through presentations, the course also invites exploration of creative approaches to sharing scientific information.