Creating new medicines from complex natural products
Official title: Expanding Access to Molecular Complexity through Natural Product Synthesis
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11146579 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on creating new medicines by transforming simple ingredients into more complex ones, with the hope of finding better treatments for diseases like cancer and infections that affect people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $328,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM155273-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11146579 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients suffering from conditions that could be treated with new anti-cancer or antiparasitic agents.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions that do not respond to molecularly targeted therapies or those not affected by cancer or parasitic diseases may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing new methods to synthesize complex natural products that can lead to effective medicines. By using innovative strategies, the team aims to create compounds that are not only potent but also selective in their action against diseases. The approach involves transforming readily available aromatic compounds and simple precursors into more complex structures, which can then be tested for their medicinal properties. Patients may benefit from the resulting new treatments for conditions such as cancer and parasitic infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of new, effective treatments for various diseases, including cancer and parasitic infections.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in developing new medicines from complex natural products, indicating that this approach has potential.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Myles Warwick — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Smith, Myles Warwick
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.