Rebecca Abergel Explained

Rebecca Abergel
Doctoral Advisor:Ken Raymond
Field:Coordination Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry
Work Institution:University of California, Berkeley

Rebecca Abergel is a professor of nuclear engineering and of chemistry at University of California, Berkeley.[1] [2] Abergel is also a senior faculty scientist in the chemical sciences division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where she directs the Glenn T. Seaborg Center and leads the Heavy Element Chemistry research group.[3] She is the recipient of several awards for her research in nuclear and inorganic chemistry.

Her research interests include ligand design and use of spectroscopic characterization methods to study the biological coordination chemistry and toxicity mechanisms of f-elements and inorganic isotopes, especially as applied to decontamination strategies, waste management, remediation, separation, and radiopharmaceutical development.[4]

Abergel is known for leading the development of new drug products for the treatment of populations contaminated with heavy metals and radionuclides.[5] Clinical development and commercialization of these products are now spearheaded by HOPO Therapeutics, which she co-founded.[6]

Early life and education

Abergel was born in Caracas, Venezuela and grew up in Paris, France. She attended the École Normale Supérieure of Paris for her undergraduate degree, where she studied chemistry. While an undergraduate, she received a scholarship to work in the laboratory of Prof. John Arnold at the University of California, Berkeley.[7] She remained at UC Berkeley to conduct her graduate studies, under the supervision of Prof. Ken Raymond. Her doctoral work focused on the synthesis and characterization of siderophore analogs to probe microbial iron transport systems and to develop new iron chelating agents.[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] After earning her PhD in inorganic chemistry, Abergel pursued postdoctoral research in the UC Berkeley Department of Chemistry and the group of Prof. Roland Strong at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. There she investigated the bacteriostatic function of the innate immune protein siderocalin in binding siderophores from pathogenic microorganisms such as Bacillus anthracis, for the development of new antibiotics.[13] [14] [15]

Independent career

Abergel began her independent career at Berkeley Lab in 2009. She joined the Nuclear Engineering Department of UC Berkeley in 2018[16] and became the Heavy Element Chemistry Group Leader and Glenn T. Seaborg Center Director at Berkeley Lab that same year. In 2023, she joined the UC Berkeley Chemistry Department and became Associate Dean of the College of Engineering.[17] [18]

Honors

Notes and References

  1. Web site: People . 2021-05-18 . abergel.lbl.gov.
  2. Web site: Rebecca Abergel - Chemical Sciences Division Chemical Sciences Division . 2021-05-18 . commons.lbl.gov.
  3. Web site: The Glenn T. Seaborg Center . 2024-04-02 . gtsc.lbl.gov.
  4. Web site: BioActinide Chemistry Group @ Berkeley . 2024-04-02 . abergel.lbl.gov.
  5. Web site: 2024-04-02 . This pill could protect us from radiation after a nuclear meltdown . 2024-04-02 . Premium . en.
  6. An Open-Label, First-In-Human Study of Single Oral Doses of HOPO 14-1 Evaluating Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Excretion in Healthy Participants . SRI International . 2023-05-22 . clinicaltrials.gov . NCT05628961.
  7. Web site: Women @ The Lab - Rebecca Abergel, Ph.D.. 2021-05-18. sites.google.com. en-US.
  8. Abergel. Rebecca J.. Raymond. Kenneth N.. 2006-05-01. Synthesis and Thermodynamic Evaluation of Mixed Hexadentate Linear Iron Chelators Containing Hydroxypyridinone and Terephthalamide Units1. Inorganic Chemistry. 45. 9. 3622–3631. 10.1021/ic052111a. 0020-1669. 3685440. 16634594.
  9. Abergel. Rebecca J.. Warner. Jeffrey A.. Shuh. David K.. Raymond. Kenneth N.. 2006-07-01. Enterobactin Protonation and Iron Release: Structural Characterization of the Salicylate Coordination Shift in Ferric Enterobactin1. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 128. 27. 8920–8931. 10.1021/ja062046j. 0002-7863. 3188320. 16819888.
  10. Abergel. Rebecca J.. Raymond. Kenneth N.. 2008-02-01. Terephthalamide-containing ligands: fast removal of iron from transferrin. Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry. en. 13. 2. 229–240. 10.1007/s00775-007-0314-y. 17990009. 20706644. 1432-1327.
  11. Abergel. Rebecca J.. Zawadzka. Anna M.. Raymond. Kenneth N.. 2008-02-01. Petrobactin-Mediated Iron Transport in Pathogenic Bacteria: Coordination Chemistry of an Unusual 3,4-Catecholate/Citrate Siderophore. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 130. 7. 2124–2125. 10.1021/ja077202g. 18220393. 0002-7863.
  12. Abergel. Rebecca J.. Zawadzka. Anna M.. Hoette. Trisha M.. Raymond. Kenneth N.. 2009-09-09. Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Trilactone Siderophores: Where Chiral Recognition Occurs in Enterobactin and Bacillibactin Iron Transport. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 131. 35. 12682–12692. 10.1021/ja903051q. 0002-7863. 2782669. 19673474.
  13. Abergel. Rebecca J.. Moore. Evan G.. Strong. Roland K.. Raymond. Kenneth N.. 2006-08-01. Microbial Evasion of the Immune System: Structural Modifications of Enterobactin Impair Siderocalin Recognition. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 128. 34. 10998–10999. 10.1021/ja062476+. 0002-7863. 3188317. 16925397.
  14. Abergel. Rebecca J.. Wilson. Melissa K.. Arceneaux. Jean E. L.. Hoette. Trisha M.. Strong. Roland K.. Byers. B. Rowe. Raymond. Kenneth N.. 2006-12-05. Anthrax pathogen evades the mammalian immune system through stealth siderophore production. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. en. 103. 49. 18499–18503. 10.1073/pnas.0607055103. 0027-8424. 17132740. 1693691. 2006PNAS..10318499A. free.
  15. Abergel. Rebecca J.. Clifton. Matthew C.. Pizarro. Juan C.. Warner. Jeffrey A.. Shuh. David K.. Strong. Roland K.. Raymond. Kenneth N.. 2008-08-27. The Siderocalin/Enterobactin Interaction: A Link between Mammalian Immunity and Bacterial Iron Transport1. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 130. 34. 11524–11534. 10.1021/ja803524w. 0002-7863. 3188318. 18680288.
  16. Web site: Chemistry alum Rebecca Abergel joins nuclear engineering faculty College of Chemistry . 2024-04-02 . chemistry.berkeley.edu.
  17. Web site: Rebecca Abergel College of Chemistry . 2024-04-02 . chemistry.berkeley.edu.
  18. Web site: Leadership team . 2024-04-02 . Berkeley Engineering . en-US.
  19. Web site: Executive Committee - Radiation Research Society (RADRES) . 2024-04-02 . www.radres.org.
  20. Web site: 2022 Laureates . 2024-04-02 . recognition.lbl.gov.
  21. Web site: Endowed Lectureships College of Chemistry . 2024-04-02 . chemistry.berkeley.edu.
  22. Web site: Rebecca Abergel . 2024-04-02 . Bakar Fellows Program . en-US.
  23. Web site: Department of Energy announces Secretary's Honor Award Recipients . 2024-04-02 . Energy.gov . en.
  24. Web site: Department of Energy announces Secretary's Honor Award Recipients . 2024-04-02 . Energy.gov . en.
  25. Web site: Hellman – Advancing The Careers of Junior Faculty . 2024-04-02 . en-US.
  26. Web site: 2019-12-03 . 46 UC researchers named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science . 2024-04-02 . University of California . en.

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