RESEARCH

My research interests primarily involve the synthesis of chemical tools to influence biological activity (especially within the brain!). Below, you can read about projects from labs I’ve worked with or am currently working with.

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Lapinsky Group, Duquesne University:
Small Molecule Probes

Fully functionalized small molecule probes (FFSMPs) are capable of binding to and capturing target proteins (i.e., those of interest in the context of drug development) for the sake of drug target discovery or to better understand the binding site of drugs/ potential drugs. FFSMPs contain a “protein binding motif” (pictured in green) which mimics the interaction of a potential drug with its target, a “protein reactive group” (pictured in red) to capture target proteins, and a “click handle” (pictured in blue) which reacts with another molecule such as a fluorophore for visualization purposes. The chemical promiscuity of these compounds allows them to interact with a wide range of drug targets. FFSMPs can aid in the treatment of a large variety of diseases, from bacterial infections to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

My work with the Lapinsky group involved the synthesis of several novel FFSMPs as a proof-of-concept for the creation of a future probe library to target proteins such as secerin-3, which is thought to play a role in the perception of pain.

Trauner Group, New York University:
Photopharmacology

Photoswitches are compounds whose conformation (i.e., the shape it adopts) changes when exposed to certain wavelengths of light, as pictured above, essentially “switching” its activity on and off and allowing for manipulation of biological pathways through exposure to light. Photoswitches have a wide range of applications, including the potential to restore vision to the blind. They also allow for control over when a compound can bind to its target site and how long it remains active, thus ensuring that said compound will bind only with proteins of interest and reducing potential side effects of future drugs.

My work with the Trauner group involved preparation of cells for the pharmacological testing of a photoswitchable version of the anti-epileptic drug retigabine to study its activity with greater temporal precision.