Max Majireck

Max Majireck is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Director of Biochemistry/Molecular Biology at Hamilton College. He holds a PhD from Penn State University and completed postdoctoral research at Harvard University and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. His research focuses on designing small molecules for studying disease biology, particularly cancer and neurological disorders, while integrating innovative teaching methods such as a course emphasizing organic synthesis in human health.

Education:

• PhD in Organic Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Harvard University/Broad Institute
• B.S., Grove City College

Research Interests: Majireck’s work bridges organic synthesis and biomedical applications, including developing new chemical transformations for drug discovery, exploring nucleophilic aromatic substitutions in heterocyclic compounds, and investigating quorum sensing modulation in bacteria. His lab designs bench-stable reagents like pyridinium ketene hemiaminals to advance synthetic methodologies.

Publications Trends: Recent work emphasizes stable reagent development (e.g., N-quaternized ketene acetals), nucleophilic aromatic substitutions, and structural analysis of bioactive compounds. His articles span organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, and computational modeling.

Awards & Grants:

• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Postdoctoral Fellowship (2013)
• Class of 1963 Excellence in Teaching Award (2015)
• Levitt Center Research Award (2019)
• NY6 Seed Grant (2017)

Advising & Mentorship: Majireck has advised undergraduate researchers on projects such as phthalan synthesis and bacterial quorum sensing studies. He secured grants like the PUI Summer Research Grant (2021-22) to support collaborative research.

Labs & Teams: Leads a research program focused on small molecule design for neurological and cancer therapies, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches combining organic synthesis with biological applications.