Skip to Content

Monmouth College

  • Sign in to your Merit page
« Back to Recent News

Simonson a participant in Monmouth College's Kieft Summer Research Program

Monmouth, Ill. (07/30/2021) — Matt Simonson, a senior from Monmouth, was one of 12 Monmouth College students to participate in the school's Kieft Summer Research Program.

An intensive eight-week experience that gives students excellent preparation for graduate or professional school, the program was created after the College received an estate gift of $2.3 million from beloved chemistry professor Richard "Doc" Kieft, who died in 2009.

The title of Simonson's project was "Alternative Mechanism of Acetaminophen Induced Hepatotoxicity."

Monmouth has used Kieft's gift to fund several elements that the late professor believed were essential: attracting strong science students to Monmouth through scholarships; providing them robust research opportunities once they matriculated; and facilitating their travel to regional and national conferences where they could present their research.

"All of this research time is invaluable to a student's education," said Monmouth chemistry Audra Goach. "Doc Kieft knew how important this experience was for our students and we are grateful for him every day."

Acetaminophen (APAP) is a common analgesic and an active ingredient in many painkillers such as Tylenol and Percocet. APAP misuse can lead to Acetaminophen Induced Liver Injury (AILI), which accounts for a striking proportion of acute liver failures in the United States. Better understanding of how APAP toxicity disseminates can provide insight on alternative treatments for APAP overdose. Research in Simonson's group is focused on characterizing the potential mechanism of a one-electron oxidation cascade catalyzed by cytochrome P450s under saturated glutathione conditions with the goal of better understanding the pathophysiology behind AILI.

Media Attachments

Monmouth College

Duane Bonifer 309-457-2321, dbonifer@monmouthcollege.edu

Share this Story

  • Print
  • Email

Recent News

  • Swim Teams Earn CSCAA Scholar All-America Status
  • Women's Tennis Season Starts August 30; Men in September
  • Fighting Scots in Scotland in May: 'Our trip was really successful'
  • Cross Country Seasons Start August 29 in Iowa
  • Volleyball Season Kicks off August 29; Home Opener September 10
  • Men's Soccer Opens Season at Home on August 30
  • Monmouth College's Solontoi involved with astronomy project that 'changes everything'
  • Women's Soccer Starts 2025 Season on Road
  • Football Season Kicks Off Sept. 6 at Wartburg
  • Monmouth College launches bold new academic structure, creating six distinct schools to ready students for success
… View all recent news
Copyright © 2025 Merit Pages, Inc. • All Rights Reserved. • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Opt Out