Faculty Portrait

Contact Information

Name: Claudia G. Lucero, PhD

Title: Professor of Chemistry

Office Location: TSC 2017

Email: cglucero@csus.edu

Office Phone: 916.278.6006

Mailing Address: 6000 J street

Office Hours: MW 12 -1 pm; Th 11 am - 12 pm

Biography

Dr. Claudia G. Lucero is originally from Los Angeles, California. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 1994 with a B.S. in Chemistry, pursued a PhD at UC Irvine (with Prof. Keith Woerpel) and completed her post-doctoral work at Boston College (with Prof. Marc Snapper). She began her independent career in 2008 at CSU Sacramento.

 CV: ClaudiaLucero(CV).pdf

Teaching Spring 2024:

Chem 124 (Organic Chemistry Lecture II)

Chem 25 (Organic Chemistry Lab)

Chem 128 (Advanced Organic Chemistry Lecture)

 

Research Projects/Publications

Our goal is to execute the first total synthesis of lorneic acids in as few as three steps. 
Preliminary results have shown that two of the previously synthesized lorneic acids A and B possess phosphodiesterase inhibitory activity. Phosphodiesterase inhibition is of major interest in the pharmaceutical industry. Phosphodiesterase enzymes cleave the phosphodiester bonds in secondary intramolecular messengers like cyclic-AMP and cyclic-GMP, which are involved in many biological processes that include glycogenolysis, cellular apoptosis. These secondary messengers are also involved in smooth muscle tissue relaxation, and blood vessel vasodilation. This provides a motivating force to synthesize the new eight lorneic acids as they may also possess similar biological activity. The potential inhibitory activities of the lorneic acids on phosphodiesterase can prevent degradation of secondary messengers and provide physiological processes to continue efficiently.

 

 Publications:

“The First Total Synthesis of Lorneic Acid J and An Alternative Synthesis to Lorneic Acid A,” Sarrels, B.*, Morrar, W.*; Lucero, C. G. Results in Chemistry, 2022, DOI: 10.1016/j.recehm.2022.100408.

“Total Synthesis of (-)-Tatarinoid B,” Inozemtseva, O.**; Lucero, C. G. Curr. Org. Synth., 2017, 14, 279-282.

“Syntheses of (-)-Tatarinoid A, (±)-Tatrinoid B, and (-)-Tatarinoid C,” Slutskyy, Y.*; Jewell, W.T.***, Lucero, C. G. Tetrahedron Lett. 2013, 54, 210-212.

Current Group Members

Sarah Kreeger             Maarten Rios
 Maarten Rios
Graduate Students
Daniel Orozco     

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Former Group Members - Current Position

  • Kyle Peterson (2023) UC Davis (Department of Chemistry)                                                       
  • Brandon Sarrels (2022) UC Irvine (Department of Chemistry)
  • Jay Patel (2021)  California Northstate University (Medical School)
  • Wisam Morrar (2021) USC (Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry)
  • Selene Gonzalez (2020) Unknown
  • David Perekopskiy (2019) UC Davis (Ph.D/Medical School)
  • George Eid (2019) UC San Diego (Skaggs School of Pharmacy)
  • Addison Beckemeyer (MS 2018) Novvi, LLC 
  • Olga Inozemtseva (BS 2013) CSU Sacramento(MS 2018)/Part Time Faculty Member at CSU Sacramento since 2018
  • Yuriy Slutskyy (2013) UC Irvine (Department of Chemistry) - Prof. Larry Overman/Merck (Associate Principal Scientist)
 

 

 

Group Photos, Life in the Lab

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Research Space

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Fellowships & Grants 

GRANTS RECEIVED
  • CSUPERB Award $15,000 (2023-2024)-Dr. Lucero
  • Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Award, “Total Synthesis of Lorneic Acid F.” $5,000 (Summer 2023)- Sarah Kreeger
  • Russell-Forkey Research Award $5,000 (Summer 2023)-Rachel Sedillos
  • Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Award, “Total Synthesis of Lorneic Acid F.” $5,000 (Summer 2022)-Kyle Peterson
  • Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Award, “Total Synthesis of Lorneic Acid A.” $5,000 (Summer 2021)-Brandon Sarrels
  • Russell-Forkey Research Award $5,000 (Summer 2020)-Brandon Sarrels
  • Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Award, “Total Synthesis of Lorneic Acid F.” $5,000 (Summer 2020)-Wisam Morrar
  • Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Award, “Total Synthesis of Lorneic Acid F.” $9,500 (Summer 2019)-Selene Gonzalez
  • Research and Creative Activity Mini-Grant Program, $2758.22 (2014-2015)
  • CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (Presidents’ Commision Scholars Grant Program), “Total Synthesis of (-)-Tatarinoid B.” $8,000. (Summer 2012)
  • CSUS Faculty Promotion Development Funds, $500. (2011-2012)
  • University Enterprises, Inc. (UEI) Faculty Grants Program Award, $1000. (2011-2012)
  • National Science Foundation, Major Research Instrumentation (NSF-MRI).  “Acquisition of a 500 MHz NMR Spectrometer for Research at CSU Sacramento.” $655,000 (2009-2012)
  • CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology, “Catalytic Enantioselective 1,4-Additions of Allyl Indium Reagents to a,b-Unsaturated Aldehydes.” $15,000. (2011-2012)
  • University Enterprises, Inc. (UEI) Faculty Grants Program Award, $750. (2008-2009)
 

 

Upcoming Events




Event Presenter Date Location
Northern California Undergrad. ACS Sarah Kreeger April 27 SFSU
CSUPERB Sarah Kreeger January 12-13, 2024 Santa Clara, Ca
Fall Poster Forum Sarah Kreeger November 9, 2023 Sac State
NSM Symposium Sarah Kreeger October 23, 2023 Sac State
ACS Meeting (SF) Rachel Sedillos August 13-17, 2023 San Francisco, CA
CSU Student Research Competition Rachel Sedillos April 23, 2023 San Diego State University
RCA Symposium Rachel Sedillos March 7, 2023 University Union
APS Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics Rachel Sedillos January 20-22, 2023 UC Santa Cruz
CSUPERB Symposium Kyle Peterson January 12-14, 2023 Santa Clara, CA
MAPS (Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students) Dr. Lucero and Kyle November 10, 2022 Sac State
NSM Symposium Kyle Peterson and Rachel Sedillos October 18, 2022 Sac State

 

Group News!

April 2024 - Congratulations to Sarah who will be attending UC Santa Cruz for her Ph.D!

March 2024 - Congratulations to Sarah for receiving the Inorganic Hill Award!

January 2024 - A HUGE welcome to our new undergraduates: Maarten Rios, Jai Dhillon, and Kareem Zaki

December 2023 - Congratulations to Sarah for completing the First Total Synthesis of Lorneic Acid D!

November 2023 - Congratulations to Sarah who has been selected as one of the nine finalists for the 2024 Glenn Nagel Undergraduate Student Research Award.

August 2023 - Congratulations to Sarah for completing the First Total Synthesis of Lorneic Acid C!

May 2023 - Congratulations to Dr. Lucero for her promotion to Full Professor! 

May 2023 - Dr. Lucero receives a CSUPERB Grant.  Congratulations!

April 2023 - Dr. Lucero presents at the D3 (Discovery, Discussion, and Dissemination) Event

April 2023 - Rachel receives the Russell-Forkey Award.  Congratulations!

April 2023 - Sarah receives the SURE Award. Congrats!

April 2023 - Rachel receives 2nd place at the CSU-wide at Student Research Competition at San Diego State University.  Congratulations!

March 2023 - Rachel wins 1st place at the Research and Creative Activity Symposium!  Congratulations!

December 2022 - Kyle Graduates! Heading to UC Davis for a Ph.D.

October 2022 - Michelle Moua (graduate student) joins the group!  Welcome Michelle!

September 2022 - Brandon starts at UC Irvine (Ph.D.)

August 2022 - Jay starts Med School at California Northstate University

June 2022 - Brandon and Sam's Paper has been accepted!

April 2022 - Brandon and Sam Submit their Manuscript on Lorneic Acids A and J!

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April 2022 - Kyle Receives the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Award (2022)! Congrats Kyle!

April 2022 - Brandon is the Department of Chemistry's Nominee for the Dean's Award

March 2022 - Rachel Joins the Group!

 

Links and Resources

https://scifinder.cas.org/

https://ehs.ucop.edu/

https://csus.libguides.com/EndNote

https://www.bruker.com/en/products-and-solutions/mr/nmr-software/topspin.html

https://schlenklinesurvivalguide.com/

https://faculty.chemistry.harvard.edu/myers/pages/chem-115-handouts