Ellis Research Group
Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Science at the Interface of Organic Synthesis, Medicinal Chemistry, and Chemical Biology
Research in the Ellis Group currently focuses on investigating natural products with novel or unknown mechanisms of action. As part of these projects we use organic synthesis to prepare natural products and analogs by both semi-synthesis from naturally obtained material and by total synthesis. We then use these molecules as chemical probes to examine the biological activity, identify the molecular target, and elucidate the mechanism of action of the natural product. Once the molecular target and mechanism are known, we evaluate the SAR, prepare more potent analogs, develop new assays, screen chemical libraries for other scaffolds that interact with the new molecular target, and begin to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
Principal Investigator: Keith C. Ellis, Ph.D.
This site is under construction.
Please check back -- we will be adding content in the future.
Contact Us: Keith C. Ellis
Our current efforts are focused on the medicinal chemistry and chemical biology of simocyclinone D8, a type-II topoisomerase inhibitor with a new mechanism of action. Type-II topoisomerase drug targets include DNA gyrase (anti-biotics) and human topoII (anti-cancer agents).