Need your caffiene fix? Check out the Portland Coffee Crawl. Living, pgs 8-9
The
Who’s got jokes? Living pg 7
BEACON
Vol. 114, Issue 4
Thursday September 20, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
www.upbeacon.net
‘Too much curiosity’ is a good thing
Angela Hoffman, a chemistry professor and Benedictine Sister, researches a cure for cancer Philip Ellefson Staff Writer ellefson14@up.edu Sister Angela Hoffman has been researching the same chemical – Taxol, an anti-cancer drug – for over 20 years. But to her, it’s still as exciting as it was in 1990. “It’s like a treasure hunt, and you just want to keep looking and looking and looking, and you keep asking questions,” Hoffman said. Hoffman, a chemistry professor, was awarded a fellowship last month by the American Chemical Society (ACS) for her work with the society and her contributions to scientific research. During her 23 years at UP, Hoffman has advised the ACS student group at UP, held demonstrations at OMSI and helped sponsor National
Chemistry Week. Hoffman’s research on Taxol is focused primarily on how it is created by plants like the yew tree and the hazelnut tree, as well as some fungi. This research has led Hoffman to file four patents, which cover different methods of extracting Taxol from various plants.
“God puts stuff out there in the environment. I’m just out there trying to figure out what’s going on. I’m the treasure person, and the treasure’s already out there.”
Angela Hoffman Chemistry professor
She was originally drawn to this area of research in 1990,
Stephanie Matusiefsky | THE BEACON
Angela Hoffman was given a fellowship award by the American Chemical Society last month for her contribtions to scientific research. Hoffman’s research focuses on Taxol, an anticancer drug, and she has filed four patents about different ways to extract the drug from plants. when a senior chemistry major wanted to do a project on trees. He got the idea of researching the yew tree from an Oregonian article, and Hoffman helped him with his project. Since then, Hoffman has continued to work with students – over 150 of them, by her estimate. She sees her student collaborators as important
contributors of her research. “You don’t do these kinds of projects on your own. You do them as a collaboration,” Hoffman said. “So people who think scientists work alone in the lab by themselves are totally wrong. You can’t do it.” Bill Miechelson, a senior biology major, took his first college class – an 8:10 a.m.
general chemistry class – from Hoffman. “She’s really invested not only in my learning, but also in all the classes she teaches,” Miechelson said. See Chemistry, page 3
Bollywood brings energy to Fall Cultural Festival Annual multicultural night at Espresso UP on Wednesday, Sept. 19 featured a Bollywood dance show in front of St. Mary’s Student Center. Students danced along with the performers and enjoyed free Indian food.
Jackie Jeffers | THE BEACON
Jackie Jeffers | THE BEACON