Since 2010, our group has been working hard to complete the first total synthesis of clavatadine A, a chemical that is a natural blood coagulation inhibitor.  Our group completed the total synthesis in November 2013, and then quickly wrote and submitted the paper for publication in December of that year.  Reviewers universally recommended acceptance of the manuscript once key enzyme inhibition data was gathered on our synthesized compound.  Without the ability to do this work at CWU, I reached out to Dr. Ronald J. Quinn of the Eskitis Institute of Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia.  Dr. Quinn first isolated clavatadine A from the ocean sponge Suberea clavata in 2008.  We collaborated with Dr. Quinn and a postdoctoral researcher in his group, Dr. Rebecca N. Pouwer.  In October 2014, the enzyme inhibition data from Dr. Quinn and Dr. Pouwer revealed that the synthetic compound bound to the target coagulation factor with almost exactly the same affinity as the natural compound, which paved the way for the paper to be published, finally.  After almost a year of waiting since we submitted the paper, it appeared online today on the Journal of Natural Products website (see our Publications section).  For a small research group at a regional teaching college, this is a big accomplishment.  I thank my former research students and co-authors Stephanie Conn, Shannon Huffman (nee Vreeland), and Alexandra Wexler, without whom this work would not have been possible. Working with dedicated and talented students and scientists like Stephanie, Shannon, and Alex makes my job worthwhile.  I also thank Dr. Quinn and Dr. Pouwer.  We’ve never met, but I hope to make your acquaintance on my next trip to Australia.  Cheers!  -SC