Kalindi Morgan

Kalindi Morgan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), where she leads an active research group focused on natural product chemistry. Her work bridges organic chemistry, microbiology, and genomics to discover bioactive small molecules from northern boreal ecosystems, particularly from insect-associated bacteria.

Research Interests: Dr. Morgan's research centers on the isolation, structure elucidation, and synthesis of natural products, especially those from underexplored ecological niches. Her group utilizes genome mining, NMR spectroscopy (including ¹H/¹⁵N HSQC-TOCSY), mass spectrometry, and bioassay-guided fractionation to identify novel compounds. A key focus is on hybrid polyketide-nonribosomal peptide (PK-NRP) natural products containing nonproteinogenic amino acids, such as piperazic acid. Her lab also explores sustainable synthesis methods, including flow chemistry and biocatalysis, aiming to develop semisynthetic analogs with enhanced bioactivity for applications in sustainable agrochemicals and drug discovery.

Recent Publications Trends: Her recent publications reflect a strong emphasis on integrating genomic data with advanced NMR techniques to accelerate natural product discovery. This includes identifying dynamic structures and nonribosomal peptides through innovative nitrogen-tagged screening. Her work often involves collaborative efforts with experts in spectroscopy and marine microbiology, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of modern natural products research.

• Scientific Contributions:
• Developing novel NMR-genome mining methodologies for natural product discovery
• Elucidating complex molecular architectures with multiple stereocenters
• Advancing sustainable synthesis via flow chemistry and biocatalysis
• Training next-generation chemists in interdisciplinary research

Advising and Grants: Dr. Morgan is actively supervising MSc Chemistry students and postdoctoral fellows, particularly those with independent funding. She welcomes co-supervised projects in Biochemistry/Chemistry involving biocatalyst development and immobilization. She strongly supports undergraduate research through UNBC’s URE program, Chem 499, and Chem 430 courses, emphasizing the importance of organic and analytical chemistry foundations. While specific grants are not listed, her active publication record and lab operations suggest sustained external funding and research support.

Labs and Teams: The Morgan Group at UNBC operates at the intersection of synthetic organic chemistry, chemical ecology, and bioinformatics. The team includes graduate students and postdoctoral researchers working on microbial metabolite discovery, structure determination, and synthetic optimization. Collaborations extend to spectroscopists and microbiologists, both within UNBC and externally, enabling a multidisciplinary approach to natural product research. The lab emphasizes innovation in methodology and sustainability in chemical synthesis.