Chemistry & Biochemistry Dept. Guest Lecture

Prof. Charles Jakobsche, Ph.D., Clark University, will give a guest lecture, titled “From Organic Synthesis to Chemical Biology”. He will meet with interested students immediately after the Q&A session until 2:00PM in MBH 216.

In the Jakobsche group, we have a wide range of interest that span the interface of organic chemistry, chemical biology, and medicine. Based on the ideas of “function-oriented” organic synthesis, we identify or design molecules that we expect to have interesting functional properties, use synthetic organic chemistry to make these molecules, and then use a variety of techniques to assess their functional properties. These data enable us to develop hypotheses about new targets that have improved or unique properties. We also use the syntheses of these targets as opportunities to study interesting reactivities and develop useful synthetic methodologies where they are needed. Some of our targets are derived from natural products, whereas others are created through rational design. Some of our targets have potential medical properties, such as functioning as antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria or functioning to inhibit enzymes related to cancer metastasis. Other targets function as tools to study biology or manipulate biological structures, and still other targets have unique molecular structures and chemical reactivities that may enable them to function as useful reagents for organic synthesis.