When Dennis Hall began his work on boronic acids 15 years ago, he says, he never dreamed that curiosity-based investigation of these compounds would lead to a drug with the potential to be effective in the fight against cancer.
"When I started here in 1997, interest in these compounds was just starting to develop," said Hall, an organoboron chemist in the University of Alberta's famed chemistry department. "Today, almost my entire program centres on this one way or another.
Hall, recently named one of seven 2013-14 Killam Professorship recipients, has made fundamental discoveries that have completely changed how researchers in academia and industry think about and use boronic compounds, including how they can be used as catalysts for chemical reactions, as part of new strategies for green chemistry, and in the creation of new compounds that are currently in preclinical development for treating cancer.
"This is always a good lesson-you take a risk in your research or are interested in the small things that may not enter into the general public, but it can lead to what we have right now."
Hall's research isn't the only facet of his academic life that is renowned. Fellow chemist Todd Lowary-a teaching and research standout in his own right, having received the Killam Professorship last year-describes Hall's commitment to mentoring as "total."
"It is not an exaggeration to say Hall's research accomplishments have been matched by his contributions to education and training students at both the graduate and undergraduate level," said Lowary.
Hall says his role in the undergraduate classroom is simple-advocate for organic chemistry.
"I'm not trying to make all my students like it, but the one thing I try hard at, and succeed at to a certain extent, is to convey the importance of that science and how it has contributed in many ways to our standard of living-plastics, polymers, insecticides, pharmaceutical drugs. We live 25 years longer than our great grandparents and it is in large part because of organic chemistry.
"I don't necessarily need everyone to love organic chemistry, but at least they won't go home thinking it's useless."
Along the way to bringing an appreciation of organic chemistry to students, Hall won the Faculty of Science Teaching Award in 2007 and a Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in 2009. In 2008, Hall was named Distinguished University Professor, which is given out in much the same manner as the Killam Professorship, to those who have shown excellence in the areas of teaching, research and service.
Perhaps a victim of his own success, Hall has seen limited duty in the organic chemistry lecture halls in the last few years. In 2008, he received the E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship, a prestigious research award that relieves professors of their teaching duties for two years. The fellowship and a steady line of graduate assignments have kept him out of the undergraduate classroom, but he keeps his hand in it.
Hall and organic chemistry lab director Hayley Wan are in the midst of developing a virtual lab to be implemented in the coming year to help demystify the organic chemistry lab and, ultimately, make organic chemistry "less scary and more fun."
Hall is also a responsible departmental citizen who stays in touch with the chemistry community at large. He has held roles such as organic chemistry course co-ordinator and chair of the graduate admissions committee, and is the current chair of the organic chemistry division. He also has an exemplary record of service to the Canadian organic chemistry and international organoboron chemistry communities, including a stint in 2009-10 as chair of the Canadian Society for Chemistry's organic division.
"You have to be a team player when you are on faculty," he said. "I believe faculty are primarily motivated by research but being perfectionists, if they are given a job, they will try to do their best. No matter what job I'm given, I always try to do my best."
He adds it would be tough not to be a contributing member of his department in light of the overwhelming support he has felt from his colleagues and department administration through good times and bad.
"I have always liked the quality of my colleagues, and it's great to work with people who are world leaders in their field," said Hall. "Chemistry at the U of A is a great department that has always attracted great people."