Professor Allen was raised outside of Detroit, MI and attended Oberlin College. There,
he majored in Chemistry and Philosophy. His interest in organic chemistry motivated
his graduate studies at the University of Michigan where he specialized in methodological
and mechanistic studies of photoredox or transition-metal catalyzed reactions. To
apply his skills in organic chemistry to biological systems and expand his research
interests, he performed post-doctoral research at Case-Western Reserve University
studying the chemical biology of the de novo sphingolipid pathway and E3 ubiquitin
ligases.
Application of visible light photochemistry to synthetic methodologies for complex
molecule synthesis. Design of Cr(III) photoredox catalysts. Design of small-molecule
inhibitors or chemical probes. GC based metabolomic profiling.
Organic chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, general chemistry, philosophy
of science, history of science, the relationship between faith and reason.
