Reversal speeds creation of important molecule Rice's K.C. Nicolaou lab makes synthesis of halichondrin B more efficient Jenna Kripal/Nicolaou Research Group Rice University synthetic chemists have simplified the process to make halichondrin B, top, the parent compound of the successful cancer drug eribulin, bottom. Their reverse synthesis reduced the number of steps required to make the natural product. Zoom in ").addClass("image-details"); var $imageCaption = $("").addClass("image-caption").text(caption); $imageDetails.append($imageCaption); element = $(" ").append('×').append($imageHolder).append($imageDetails)[0]; img.draggable = false; if (title) { element.title = title; } if (altText) { element.alt = altText; } $(img).on("load error", callbackWrapper); img.src = url;