Our research interests span a wide range of problems at the interface of chemistry and biology. Current research interests include understanding the biosynthesis of complex metal cofactors and iron homeostasis, the biological chemistry of the alkali and alkaline earth ions, the design of novel inorganic drug molecules against protein, carbohydrates, DNA and RNA targets. These problems are tackled by use of a variety of techniques that include: fast kinetics, chemical synthesis, methods of structural biology, FRET, NMR, EPR, electrochemistry, calorimetry, protein biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology and also in vivo studies in cell lines and mouse models.

All of the research problems in our laboratory offer outstanding opportunities for interdisciplinary research in fields as diverse as coordination chemistry to cell biology, and methods that extend from physical inorganic to molecular biology. Some areas of current interest are summarized below.

 

Cellular Iron Chemistry

* Structure-function studies of proteins that mediate cellular iron cofactor biosynthesis, many of which exhibit novel structural and cofactor chemistry, and characterization of the reaction intermediates and key electron-transfer steps involved.

* Studies of iron and iron-sulfur cluster trafficking and membrane transport, identifying and elaborating novel ligand environments that stabilize inorganic cofactors during transport and delivery.

* Cellular iron chemistry monitored by use of fluorescent probes.

 

Catalytic Metallodrugs

* Design of metallodrugs against structured RNA target motifs from viral and bacterial pathogens and elaboration of the structural, thermodynamic and kinetic principals underlying recognition and reaction chemistry.

* Design of metallodrugs against protein and enzyme targets related to cardiovascular disease, Alzheimers, HCV and HIV, and cancer. Studies to include elaboration of the structural, thermodynamic and kinetic principals underlying recognition and reaction chemistry.

* Cellular assays of metallodrug activity using fluorescent and colorimetric reporters.

Other areas of interest

New project areas are continually emerging and include studies of calcium-dependent glycoproteins that have been implicated in memory and learning, as well as on-going interests in the biological chemistry of the alkali and alkaline earth metals.