Chemical Biology and Organic Synthesis
We develop chemistry to understand biology.
Synthesis and methodology
Our expertise is built on a sound foundation of synthetic organic chemistry. We achieve the most challenging syntheses, for example the complex natural product, Nakadomarin A. We develop groundbreaking synthetic methods. In some, we combine many synthetic steps into a single concise procedure. In others, absolute stereocontrol and catalysis are used, e.g. to make carbohydrate-like polymers.
Structural design
We carefully design synthetic targets for biological functions. Stapled peptides mimic protein-protein interactions. Computational methods explore the ways in which amino acids interact, so that function can be designed into synthetic peptides. Molecular probes based on precise mechanisms allow us to identify short-lived reactive species in living organisms.
Biomedical science
With our collaborators, we address the most difficult problems in biomedicine:
- cardiovascular disease
- dementia
- heart attack
- stroke
- cancer
- inflammation
- transplant
Our compounds include diagnostics such as novel PET and SPECT tracers for imaging neurological diseases. We also uncover the mechanisms of disease and develop therapeutics.
Naturally we have a wide network of collaborators including biochemists, molecular biologists, medics, and evolutionary biologists.
Our interests
- Prof. Stephen Clark - Total synthesis of complex natural products
- Dr David France - Drug conjugates, anti-parasitics, anti-bacterials
- Prof. Richard Hartley - Molecular probes, prodrugs, ROS sensors, targeting, cardiovascular, inflammation, malaria
- Dr Andrew Jamieson - Peptides, peptidomimetics, ion channels, pain regulation, HDAC inhibitors, cancer
- Dr Joëlle Prunet - Stereocontrol, functionalised polymers, metathesis, total synthesis of natural products
- Dr Andrew Sutherland - PET and SPECT tracers, diagnostics, neurological diseases, cancer, fluorophores, one-pot multi-reaction catalytic processes
- Dr Drew Thomson - Designer peptides, computer modeling
Full CBPS Staff