Arntzen is also involved in anti-cancer drug discovery. He currently holds a major grant from the Foundation for Research to study anti-cancer compounds in desert plants. One plant in this study it the drought-tolerant desert tree Acacia victoriae. The tree produces a compound that appears to selectively kill cancer cells. Learn more about ASU's Plant Biology Department .
Meteorites bring outer space right to our doorstep.
These interplanetary travelers are teaching researchers about other environments in our solar system. ASU geologists study two types of meteorites. The first are primitive meteorites, remnants from the early days before the planets formed. These meteorites provide a record of those ancient times. Primitive meteorites often contain prebiotic molecules, such as amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.