Research Projects
Cryptosporidiosis
Cryptosporidiosis is a major health issue in the developing world for which there is only one approved drug, nitazoxanide. However, nitazoxanide is not effective in young children or immunocompromised patients. We are collaborating with the Huston and Griggs labs to identify new drugs to treat this disease.
Collaborators: Dave Griggs (SLU) and Chris Huston (Univ. of Vermont)
Current funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Cryptosporidiosis is a major health issue in the developing world for which there is only one approved drug, nitazoxanide. However, nitazoxanide is not effective in young children or immunocompromised patients. We are collaborating with the Huston and Griggs labs to identify new drugs to treat this disease.
Collaborators: Dave Griggs (SLU) and Chris Huston (Univ. of Vermont)
Current funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Malaria
We have been systematically optimizing phenotypic antimalarial screening hits as potential new drugs. We have shown some of these compounds to inhibit aspartic proteases (plasmepsins II, IV and X). Our most promising compounds are active in mouse models of malaria. We are also working on inhibitors of the MEP pathway.
Collaborators: Micky Tortorella and Xiaoping Chen (Guangzhou Institutes for Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Science), Dan Goldberg and Audrey Odom (Washington University), Cindy Dowd (George Washington University)
Current Funding: NIH R01AI123433
We have been systematically optimizing phenotypic antimalarial screening hits as potential new drugs. We have shown some of these compounds to inhibit aspartic proteases (plasmepsins II, IV and X). Our most promising compounds are active in mouse models of malaria. We are also working on inhibitors of the MEP pathway.
Collaborators: Micky Tortorella and Xiaoping Chen (Guangzhou Institutes for Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Science), Dan Goldberg and Audrey Odom (Washington University), Cindy Dowd (George Washington University)
Current Funding: NIH R01AI123433
Tuberculosis
We have identified a novel class of compounds that potently and selectively kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). These compounds appear to be working through a novel mechanism of action which suggests they have the potential for treating drug resistant Mtb. We are also working on target-based drug discovery project seeking to develop inhibitors of the hydrolase domain of RelMtb.
Collaborators: Christina Stallings (Washington University), Dave Griggs (SLU), Scott Wildman (Univ. of Wisconsin)
Current Funding: NIH R33AI111696
We have identified a novel class of compounds that potently and selectively kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). These compounds appear to be working through a novel mechanism of action which suggests they have the potential for treating drug resistant Mtb. We are also working on target-based drug discovery project seeking to develop inhibitors of the hydrolase domain of RelMtb.
Collaborators: Christina Stallings (Washington University), Dave Griggs (SLU), Scott Wildman (Univ. of Wisconsin)
Current Funding: NIH R33AI111696
Cryptococcal Meningitis
Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungus that kills over half a million people every year, primarily those infected with HIV in Africa. We are working to develop inexpensive and more effective drugs that can be utilized in resource poor regions of the world.
Collaborators: Damian Krysan (Univ. of Iowa) and Maureen Donlin (SLU)
Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungus that kills over half a million people every year, primarily those infected with HIV in Africa. We are working to develop inexpensive and more effective drugs that can be utilized in resource poor regions of the world.
Collaborators: Damian Krysan (Univ. of Iowa) and Maureen Donlin (SLU)
Hepatitis B Virus
We are optimizing multiple classes of inhibitors of hepatitis B virus (HBV) that target RNAseH.
Collaborators: John Tavis (SLU), Ryan Murelli (City Univ. of New York), Grigoris Zoidis (Univ. of Athens)
Current & completed funding: NIH R21AI124672, R01AI12266
We are optimizing multiple classes of inhibitors of hepatitis B virus (HBV) that target RNAseH.
Collaborators: John Tavis (SLU), Ryan Murelli (City Univ. of New York), Grigoris Zoidis (Univ. of Athens)
Current & completed funding: NIH R21AI124672, R01AI12266
Herpes Simplex Virus
We are optimizing multiple classes of potential drugs for herpes simplex virus (HSV).
Collaborators: Lynda Morrison (SLU)
Current funding: NIH R21 AI135311
We are optimizing multiple classes of potential drugs for herpes simplex virus (HSV).
Collaborators: Lynda Morrison (SLU)
Current funding: NIH R21 AI135311
FSHD Muscular Dystrophy
We are conducting a major research project to discover and develop a drug therapy to prevent the loss of muscle in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) patients. The muscle loss experienced by FSHD patients is thought to be due to sporadic expression of the developmental DUX4 gene which is normally silenced. We are optimizing compounds that repress the expression of DUX4 and its downstream targets as a potential treatment for FSHD.
Collaborators: Fran Sverdrup (SLU)
Current funding: Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals
We are conducting a major research project to discover and develop a drug therapy to prevent the loss of muscle in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) patients. The muscle loss experienced by FSHD patients is thought to be due to sporadic expression of the developmental DUX4 gene which is normally silenced. We are optimizing compounds that repress the expression of DUX4 and its downstream targets as a potential treatment for FSHD.
Collaborators: Fran Sverdrup (SLU)
Current funding: Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals
Infant Short Gut Syndrome
We are developing a modified version human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) to treat patients with short gut syndrome. This modified hEGF is designed to have a longer duration of action in the body for a more controlled and cost-efficient therapy than native hEGF.
Collaborators: Brad Warner (St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Washington University), Dave Griggs and Dave Wood (SLU)
Completed funding: NIH CTSA Grant UL1 TR000448 (Pilot award)
We are developing a modified version human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) to treat patients with short gut syndrome. This modified hEGF is designed to have a longer duration of action in the body for a more controlled and cost-efficient therapy than native hEGF.
Collaborators: Brad Warner (St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Washington University), Dave Griggs and Dave Wood (SLU)
Completed funding: NIH CTSA Grant UL1 TR000448 (Pilot award)
Mobilization Agents for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is used to facilitate repopulation of healthy bone marrow and immune system cells after high-dose chemotherapy treatment for cancers such as Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and leukemia. We are working to develop novel VLA4 antagonists as part of a superior stem cell mobilization regimen for use in HSCT.
Collaborators: John DiPersio and Mike Rettig (Washington University)
Current funding: Siteman Cancer Center Investment Program Pre-R01 Award
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is used to facilitate repopulation of healthy bone marrow and immune system cells after high-dose chemotherapy treatment for cancers such as Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and leukemia. We are working to develop novel VLA4 antagonists as part of a superior stem cell mobilization regimen for use in HSCT.
Collaborators: John DiPersio and Mike Rettig (Washington University)
Current funding: Siteman Cancer Center Investment Program Pre-R01 Award
