This award supports collaborative research on the chemistry of natural compounds. It will be conducted by Dr. David Kingston of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University in cooperation with Alphonse Kelecom of the Federal University in Fluminense, Brazil. This work is aimed at the isolation and structure elucidation of novel chemical compounds from Brazilian plants and marine organisms. Both plants and marine organisms have proved important sources of novel antitumor agents, and it is expected that a continued search of Brazilian flora and marine species will yield additional useful compounds. The work in Brazil will be carried out by Dr. Kelecom, who will make both marine and terrestrial collections and perform preliminary bioassys and isolations. The work in the U.S.A. will be carried out by Professor Kingston and his group, and will include the final purification of bioactive constituents and their structure elucidation. The major benefit of this project to Dr. Kelecom is that it gives him access to the necessary equipment and expertise to complete the isolation and structure elucidation. The major benefit to Dr. Kingston is that it gives him access to an enlarged group of plants and marine organisms for the isolation of natural compounds.
