Nancy I. Totah

Nancy I. Totah is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Syracuse University, part of the College of Arts & Sciences. She is affiliated with Biochemistry and Biotechnology programs. Her research focuses on organic synthesis, including developing new methods and strategies for the asymmetric synthesis of biologically active natural products.

Education:

• Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, Yale University, 1990
• B.S., Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, 1984

Research Interests: Totah's lab explores the synthesis of complex natural products such as phomactin A (a PAF antagonist with therapeutic potential for inflammatory diseases), spirastrellolide A (a potent antimitotic anticancer agent), and neoliacinic acid (a cytotoxic sesquiterpene). Her work emphasizes efficient and aesthetically pleasing synthetic approaches, often leading to new reaction methodologies. Current projects include dihydropyrone dienophiles in Diels-Alder reactions, exocyclic enol ethers in carbon-carbon bond formation, and epoxidation/Grob fragmentation for bridged heterocycles.

Grants and Service: Totah leads the NSF-funded REU Site: Undergraduate Research in Chemistry at Syracuse University (2020-2025) and the Syracuse University GAANN Program in Chemistry. She serves on multiple committees including the Chemistry Department Awards Committee and the College of Arts & Sciences Curriculum Committee. Her service includes roles as a reviewer for agencies like NIH, ACS-PRF, and journals such as Synthesis and Tetrahedron Letters.

Teaching: She teaches courses including CHE 575 Organic Spectroscopy, CHE 275 Organic Chemistry I, and CHE 690 Independent Study. Her teaching emphasizes hands-on research experiences through CHE 450 Introduction to Chemical Research.

Labs/Teams: Her research group actively pursues synthetic challenges in natural product chemistry, fostering collaborations in method development and biological testing.