Andrew Carr

Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

B.A., Illinois Wesleyan University 1992

Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh 1998

Postdoctoral Associate, Yale University 1998-2000

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Background and Teaching:

Professor Carr joined the Austin College faculty the fall of 2000. His Ph.D. work was in the synthesis and characterization of small organic molecules which have importance in Medicinal Chemistry and Materials Science, while his postdoctoral work at Yale included the synthesis of natural products, antibiotics and the exploration of the reactive properties of Vicinal Tricarbonyls. His primary teaching responsibilities include Introductory Chemistry (Chem 15 and 16), and Organic Chemistry (Chem 35, 36), Advanced Organic chemistry (Chem 72) and in Jan-term he will be teaching a medicinal chemistry course.

Dr. Carr comes from a distinct acedemic heritage. Dr. Carr's Ph.D. Mentor, Andrew D. Hamilton , recieved his degree from Cambridge with Sir Allan Batersby. After earning his doctorate, Hamilton spent several years working with the Noble Prize winning Jean-Marie Lehn in France. After his time in France, Hamilton joined the faculty at Princeton then moved to the University of Pittsburgh. After serving as the chairman of the department of chemistry he moved to Yale University, where he is now chairman of the chemistry department.

The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Faculty Start-up Grant was awarded to Dr. Andrew Carr in acknowledgment of his potential for significant scientific accomplishments with undergraduate collaboration and his commitment to the advancement of undergraduate research as a vital part of undergraduate chemical education. Andrew is among a select group of scientists to receive this award, only 9 grants were awarded out of 72 applicants from around the country. The $20,000 grant is to be used to jump start Dr. Carr's research here at Austin College by allowing him to purchase new equipment and to support student researchers over the summer.

Andrew's research interests are in the fields of materials science and medicinal chemistry. As diverse as these fields may appear they are not that distinct from one another. Both fields have the common thread of structure and its correlation to function. In the case of material science he is examining how small discrete building blocks (molecules) can self-assemble to create new macromolecular networks which affect a solvents properties. This technology will have direct impact in the field of enhanced oil recovery. His research in medicinal chemistry utilizes amino acids in small ring systems to stabilize biologically active conformations (B-Sheets) which are a common structure associated with a variety of diseases including Cancer, Alzheimer's, and AIDS. Both aspects of Andrew's research require the synthesis and the characterization of small organic molecules.

 
Sharma, T. A.; Carr A. J.; Davis, R. S.; Reynolds I. J.; Hamilton A. D.; "Aromatic Analogs of Arcaine
Inhibit MK-801 Binding to the NMDA Receptor" Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett . 1998, 8, 3459-3464.

Carr, A. J.; Melendaz, R. E.; Hamilton, A. D. "The design of organic gelators: Solution and solid state
properties of a family of bis-ureas" Tet. Lett. 1998, 39, 7447-7450.

Shi, C.; Zhang Z.; Kilie, S.; Xu, J.; Enick, R. M.; Beckman, E. J.; Carr, A. J.; Melendaz, R. E.;
Hamilton, A. D. "The Gelation of CO2: A Sustainable Route to the Creation of Microcellular Materials"
Science, 1999, 286, 1540-1543

Linton B. R.; Carr A. J.; Orner, B. P.; Hamilton , A. D.; "A Versatile One-Pot Synthesis of 1,3-Substituted
Guanidines from Carbamoyl-isothiocyanates" J. Org. Chem. 2000, 65, 1566-1568

Zafar, A.; Geib, S. J.; Hamuro, Y.; Carr, A. J. Hamilton, A. D. "Hydrogen Bonding Control of Molecular
Self-assembly: Aggregation Behavior of Acylaminopyridine-carboxylic Acid Derivatives in Solution
and the Solid Sate" Tetrahedron, 2000, 56, 8419-8427

Wasserman, H. H.; Xia M.; Carr, A. J.; Han, W. T.; Siegel, M. G.; "Generation of Penems, Carbapenems, and Aza Analogs of Cephems by the Addition of Electrophilic Building Blocks to Azetinones" Tetrahedron , 2000, 56(31), 5621-5629

Melendaz, R. E.; Carr, A. J-.; Linton B. R.; Hamilton, A. D. "Controlling Hydrogen Bonding: From Self-
Assembling Aggregates to Organogelation" Springer-Verlag: Struct. Bonding (Berlin), 2000, vol 96 (Molecular Self-Assembly Organic Versus Inorganic Approaches), pp. 31-61,

Sharma, T. A.; Carr A. J.; Davis, R. S.; Reynolds I. J.; Hamilton A. D. "Characterization of the effects
of novel arcaine analog, N,N'-Bis(propyl)guanidinium on the NMDA Receptor" manuscript submitted to Neuropharmology.
 

Dr. Carr is happily married to Dr. Jane Johnson-Carr. They are pleased to anounce the arrrival of their baby daughter.

New born Sarah Elizabeth Carr (May 8th, 2002). Photos
 
 

Interests

Chess, Volleyball,

 Contact Information:

Austin College
900 N. Grand Ave., Ste 61652
Sherman, TX 75090-4400
Voice: (903)813-2362
Fax: (903)813-2420
E-mail: acarr@austincollege.edu