Education
B.Sc. and M.Sc. Marshall University
Ph.D. Duke University
Teaching efforts encompass CHE 201-202 (General Chemistry I-II), CHE 331-332 (Organic Chemistry I-II), CHE 393-493 (Independent Study), and CHE 470 [Advanced Topics – most recently Medicinal Chemistry (spring, 2006; spring, 2009; spring, 2012; spring, 2014; fall 2017) and Heterocyclic Chemistry (spring, 2007; spring 2010). Outside of the classroom, Dr. Hunt enjoys spending time with his family, all types of music, traveling, golf, and college basketball- especially the Blue Devils.
Experience
I received both the B.Sc. in chemistry (1973) and the M.Sc. [organic chemistry] (1975) from Marshall University, followed by the Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Duke University in 1979 under the direction of Professors William E. Parham and Charles K. Bradsher. My dissertation work was directed toward the synthesis of carbocyclic and heterocyclic ring systems via annulation of thermolabile aryllithium intermediates generated at low temperature. Prior to joining TCNJ, my industrial experience includes stints at Union Carbide’s Agricultural Research Division as a Senior Chemist in the Exploratory Process Research group, Becton Dickinson Research Center as a Senior Scientist in the Immunodiagnostics group, PPG Industries’ Biochemical Division as a Senior Research Chemist focusing on novel herbicide design, Salsbury Laboratories as Technical Manager of Custom Synthesis R&D, American Cyanamid Agricultural Research Center as a Senior Group Leader for both the Insect Control Discovery Chemistry and Route Scouting groups, DSM/Catalytica Pharmaceuticals as a Senior Group Leader of pharmaceutical process R&D, and Albany Molecular Research (AMRI) as an Assistant Director of Chemistry, then Director of GMP Chemistry Services. While in industry, I also held concurrent adjunct/visiting faculty positions at Marshall University, The College of New Jersey, Stevens Institute of Technology, and East Carolina University. I have served as a reviewer for Tetrahedron, Organic Process Research and Development, Organic Preparations and Procedures International, Drug Discovery Today, European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Pesticide Science, The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, and I currently serve on the Board of Editors for the International Journal of Organic Chemistry. I have served as a consultant for The Royal Botanical Gardens (Kew) in the United Kingdom and FMC Corporation’s Agricultural Products Group, Discovery Chemistry Section. I am experienced with intellectual property issues, having designed patent strategies and successfully defending over one hundred US patent applications. I am an inventor or co-inventor on more than 170 US and international patents. During my industrial career, I have either led or served on project teams responsible for the discovery and/or development of 15 compounds of commercial interest, three of which are now products. Other compounds from these efforts are currently in development.
Research
While my research interests are wide-ranging, they are primarily focused on the development of novel synthetic methodology for the construction of heterocyclic ring systems of biological interest. His research interests also consist of organic synthesis, heterocyclic chemistry, organolithium/metalation chemistry, and drug discovery/development.