Rebecca Evans, a senior chemistry major, has had a paper based on her research published in the peer-reviewed journal Computational and Theoretical Chemistry. Her manuscript, “Evaluation of Hybrid and Pure DFT Methods for the Binding of Novel Ligands in the Tyrosine Hydroxylase Enzyme,” describes her ongoing work in evaluating quantum chemical methods for studying drug design that could help improve treatment for Parkinson’s disease. She works in the lab of Prof. Mauricio Cafiero, and this year, she is building on this work through her honors research.
Evans recently presented her research at the Canadian Symposium on Theoretical and Computational Chemistry in Windsor, Ontario. She also has presented it at the World Association of Theoretical and Computational Chemists in Munich, Germany, and at the American Chemical Society National Conference in New Orleans, LA. Evans is in the process of applying for graduate school in chemistry.