Leah

Leah Bontreger (she/her) Leah.bontreger@duke.edu

Previous educational background: B.A. Chemistry; Hanover College

Research Project: My project seeks to understand effects of copper-catalyzed oxidations to biologically relevant peptides. Using Histatin peptides as models, I characterize the structural ramifications and probe the mechanism of oxidation which has yielded insights towards individual amino acid reactivity. To accomplish this I use a variety of analytical instrumentation, organic chemistry techniques, and a healthy dose of creative problem solving.

Personal Bio: After a long day of spectral analysis, I enjoy cuddling with my dog Toby and watching competition reality shows. Outside of “cozy mode,” I enjoy cooking new meals, traveling, and thrift shopping.