Discipline: Chemistry and Chemical Sciences
Subcategory: Chemistry (not Biochemistry)
Romaric Mukuna - Boise State University
Co-Author(s): John Thurston and Ken Cornell, Boise State University, ID
The overall focus of the research in Dr. Cornell’s lab is the development of new antibiotics to treat infections caused by bacterial and parasite pathogens. The goal of my research was to develop three new antibiotics that work by inhibiting the enzyme MTA/SAH nucleosidase. To develop these inhibitors, my strategy was to make the compounds using single-pot organic synthesis, and to characterize the products by NMR, IR, and UVvis spectroscopies. The results of my studies contributed to the the overall goal of the lab by increasing the number of potential inhibitors that are available to test against MTA/SAH nucleosidases, and providing the initial basis of a structure activity series that will be useful for future drug design. During my 10-week LSAMP summer internship, I made three compounds and thoroughly characterized them. These compounds were all enzyme inhibitors. A characterization of their binding potency and discriminatory activity will be the foundation of my senior thesis research that I will be continuing to perform in the lab for the next two academic years.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): LSAMP, INBRE, IDeA NIH Grant, National Science Foundation, MJ Murdock Charitable Trust, and Idaho Beef Council
Faculty Advisor: Keneth Cornell,