From Nature to Drug Discovery: Carlson Lab Natural Product Library
Faculty Mentor Name
Skylar Carlson
Research or Creativity Area
Natural Sciences
Abstract
Natural product libraries contain small molecules with potential anticancer, antifungal, antioxidant, antibacterial, and other biological activities. The study and collection of these compounds from natural sources, known as pharmacognosy, plays a critical role in modern drug discovery, particularly as antibiotic resistance and complex diseases continue to evolve. Natural products derived from organisms such as actinomycetes, fungi, cyanobacteria, and algae, represent a rich source of chemically diverse and biologically active compounds. In the Carlson Lab, we have developed and maintained a comprehensive natural product library composed of extracts and fractions from freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments. These organisms are isolated from environmental samples and preserved through cryogenic storage using cryoprotectants to enable future regrowth and genomic identification. In parallel, chemical extracts undergo organism-specific processing methods, including solvent extraction, partitioning, lyophilization, and fractionation. The resulting secondary metabolites are dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at a standard concentration and organized into deep-well, 96-well plate formats for high-throughput screening. This system enables rapid and efficient identification of bioactive “hits” within our library. When activity is detected, samples can be readily accessed from stored plates, while corresponding cryo stocks allow for regrowth, further isolation, and downstream characterization. By integrating diverse biological resources, standardized processing methods, and scalable library organization, this work supports efficient screening and facilitates the discovery of naturally sourced therapeutics with potential clinical applications.
From Nature to Drug Discovery: Carlson Lab Natural Product Library
Natural product libraries contain small molecules with potential anticancer, antifungal, antioxidant, antibacterial, and other biological activities. The study and collection of these compounds from natural sources, known as pharmacognosy, plays a critical role in modern drug discovery, particularly as antibiotic resistance and complex diseases continue to evolve. Natural products derived from organisms such as actinomycetes, fungi, cyanobacteria, and algae, represent a rich source of chemically diverse and biologically active compounds. In the Carlson Lab, we have developed and maintained a comprehensive natural product library composed of extracts and fractions from freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments. These organisms are isolated from environmental samples and preserved through cryogenic storage using cryoprotectants to enable future regrowth and genomic identification. In parallel, chemical extracts undergo organism-specific processing methods, including solvent extraction, partitioning, lyophilization, and fractionation. The resulting secondary metabolites are dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at a standard concentration and organized into deep-well, 96-well plate formats for high-throughput screening. This system enables rapid and efficient identification of bioactive “hits” within our library. When activity is detected, samples can be readily accessed from stored plates, while corresponding cryo stocks allow for regrowth, further isolation, and downstream characterization. By integrating diverse biological resources, standardized processing methods, and scalable library organization, this work supports efficient screening and facilitates the discovery of naturally sourced therapeutics with potential clinical applications.
