Lesley Putman

Dr. Lesley Putman is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Northern Michigan University (NMU). Her research focuses on plant secondary metabolites, particularly flavanoids and proanthocyanidins, investigating their biosynthetic pathways and industrial/medicinal applications. She utilizes black locust trees as a primary model organism to study polymerization enzymes, plant protection mechanisms, and potential phytoremediation capabilities.

• Primary Affiliation: NMU Chemistry Department
• Research Focus: Flavanoid biosynthesis, black locust biochemistry
• Key Techniques: Enzyme characterization, counter-current chromatography

Her recent work examines black locust's potential for environmental remediation by studying contaminant tolerance mechanisms. While her publications span three decades, the most recent (2016) explores green chemistry solutions for bisphenol A disposal using plant-based systems.

Dr. Putman maintains active research on black locust's dual value as a nitrogen-fixing species for marginal lands and a source of bioactive compounds. This includes studying decay-resistant wood chemistry and industrial applications of plant polymers.

Current laboratory projects focus on:

• Enzymatic polymerization of flavanoids
• Biocidal activity of bark constituents
• Protein analysis in nitrogen-fixing tissues
• Phytoremediation potential of black locust