Organic molecules are found as key players in many fields from materials to medicine. Our research focuses on the development of new synthetic methods that facilitate the design and synthesis of bioactive compounds and chemical tools for pharmacological studies.
The access to compounds with unique and diverse structures enables us to explore their potential as novel therapeutic leads, chemical switches and probes. In this regard, organic synthesis forms the foundation of our approach. Heterocyclic compounds represent an important class of compounds that are found in numerous bioactive natural products, drugs, and molecular probes. We have been engaged in the field of heterocycle synthesis by developing new synthetic methods based on alternative energy sources including visible light and electricity. Also, we are actively engaged in developing strategies and methods to generate novel structures and to evaluate their pharmacological intervention including cancer.
Another approach we are undertaking involves rational drug design where the discovery process begins with a hypothesis that the modulation of a target may have therapeutic value. To this end, extensive use of modern discovery tools such as parallel synthesis, computer-aided drug design, x-ray crystallography, and NMR allows us to rapidly identify potential lead compounds and further optimization.