Chemistry and Biochemistry 2018
Area of Doctoral Study: Chemistry
Undergraduate Institute: University of Maryland, Baltimore, County
Research Advisor: Katherine Seley-Radtke
Description of Research
There exists an abundance of FDA approved nucleoside drugs that effectively target various diseases however they are increasingly plagued with the rapid loss of efficacy due to the pathogens’ ability to adapt and mutate. Thus, the use FDA approved combination therapies, termed highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAARTs), are now the preferred mode of treatment of many diseases, since the rate of resistance has decreased significantly in the presence of multiple drugs. Unfortunately despite efforts to the contrary, resistance has not been completely halted. Consequently, the development of novel drugs that work through alternative modes of action are needed. The objective of my project is to synthesize a series of expanded and flexible nucleoside analogues with modified sugars that have shown therapeutic activity against various pathogens and evaluate their potential as chemotherapeutics.