A Fight to Save the Good Cells

Bobby Salehani

Bobby Salehani is never more than a couple of thoughts away from the research that has consumed him since he won a 2008-09 Presidential Scholars Award. Working under his faculty mentor, assistant chemistry professor Thomas Minehan (“a humble genius”), Salehani is trying to discover a way to treat cancer “without the side effects of our current treatment methods.”

During chemotherapy and radiotherapy, some healthy cells may be sacrificed in the fight to eliminate the cancerous ones, causing patients “to feel very sick and [unable] to enjoy life while…on the treatment.” What if doctors could selectively attack a cancerous area—even after it has spread—and kill the bad cells without harming the healthy ones?

“Research has shown that synthetic modification of simple sugars, such as glucose, furnishes compounds that can selectively destroy tumor cells by targeting their DNA,” said Salehani.

During his scholarship year, he camped out in the lab, working past 10 p.m. most nights and often on weekends. “I am a dedicated individual who enjoys hard work and [who] has a thirst for knowledge,” said the native New Yorker, whose chemist mother brought him up on a strong diet of science and math.

Even so, Salehani’s beloved lab was the scene of some bleak moments. “Many times I failed miserably,” he recalled. “So many times one step failed, and I’d have to start all over again.”

But he and Minehan now are just “one step away from synthesizing the compound.” When they have succeeded, they plan to publish their work in the Journal of Organic Chemistry or in another reputable scientific publication.

Despite a fulltime job in pharmacy, Salehani still spends hours on research in the lab. At Minehan’s urging, he will begin his pursuit of a doctorate in pharmacology in fall 2010.

“When I was a junior in high school, if someone had said ‘you’re going to get an A in organic chemistry,’ I would have laughed. I never thought I would commit to doing what I had to do. Now I realize that people don’t lack ability, just the ability to sit down and get it done.”