Ana Colon

Ana is a first-year PhD student whose research focuses on the chemical ecology of marine natural products. Her work is focused on understanding the underlying reason for the production of polyketides in select marine organisms. Prior to beginning her graduate studies she did undergraduate research in Dr. Parkinson’s lab investigating how microbial communities can be used to assess the health of coral reefs. She also worked in Dr. Slavov’s lab simulating photoswitchable small molecules for drug discovery. In her current role she aims to combine these skills in biology and computational chemistry to marine natural products. Outside of the laboratory, Ana enjoys drumming, snorkeling, going on side quests, and being a mother to Pepe (iykyk).

Harriet Thompson

"I’m a fourth year PhD student with an undergraduate background in biological target validation of small molecule inhibitors and synthesis of library compounds for the disruption of ß-catenin:BCL-9 protein-protein interactions; and a graduate background in development of a novel class of bioisosteres for phosphotyrosine and novel warheads for lysine-targeted covalent inhibition. My current research focuses on elucidating the cellular targets of Crassin acetate (which is expected to have a covalent mechanism of action - my favorite!) and subsequently derivatizing it to lend better selectivity for targets involved in oncogenic pathways. Outside of the lab, I enjoy playing bass, playing with my cats and freshwater fish, and having ominous feelings that my night queue NMR sample could be degrading in its tube (it’s not)."

Highlights from the 2026 Marine Natural Products GRC & GRS

The 2026 Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Marine Natural Products and the accompanying Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) brought together scientists working at the intersection of chemistry, biology, and biotechnology to share new ideas and discoveries.

At this year’s meeting, R. Sanjeevan presented a poster titled “Biosynthesis of Soft Coral Terpenes and Engineering Yeast for Enhanced Production.” The project focuses on understanding how soft corals produce complex terpenes and how those pathways can be transferred into yeast to improve production.

Sanjeevan was also invited to give a talk at the GRS, where he highlighted some of our group’s latest work in natural products research, including new insights into terpene biosynthesis and strategies for making these compounds more accessible.

Overall, the meeting was a great opportunity to share our work, get feedback, and connect with others in the field.