My primary training is in medicinal and organic chemistry with main focus on drug design and development. I have over 15 years of experience in organic synthesis and drug design. I have strong interest in the design and synthesis of different classes of compounds including retinoids, rexinoids, heterocyclic compounds and natural products. For the past 10 years, I have been involved in the design and development of novel rexinoids, retinoids, and their mechanistic studies. In the design of the new ligands, we employ different tools including macromolecular crystallography, Isothermal calorimetry (ITC), and Hydrogen-Deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDMS). These studies have resulted in the understanding of the key interactions between ligand, protein, and coactivator peptides.
My lab is instrumental in the development of some of the highly potent rexinoids, which target the retinoid X receptors (RXRs) selectively. Many of the rexinoids that I have developed were studied extensively for their anti-cancer activity in in-vivo animal models. These rexinoids act as chemopreventive agents and are highly effective in prevention of breast cancer. These agents are also orally bioavailable with attractive side effect profile and will prevent both ER-positive AND more aggressive ER-negative breast cancers. These rexinoids target initial phases of carcinogenesis and prevent progression of the premalignant cells to invasive disease, thereby reducing the risk of cancer. One of the rexinoid (UAB30) is currently undergoing phase I clinical evaluation. In addition some of the rexinoids that are developed in my lab are also effective in prevention and treatment of skin cancer and neuroblastoma. I have also designed and synthesized potential new drugs to treat viral infections such as influenza, anti-cancer agents that target DNA (alkylating agents) and nuclear receptors. Recently I have expanded my research interests into finding cure for the metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cancers that are fueled by obesity.
