Expanding the small molecule toolbox with fluorinated building blocks
Official title: Expanding the small molecule toolbox through novel applications of fluorinated alkenes
Funded at University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr · NIH-11361602 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant aims to develop new fluorinated small molecules that can be used as tools to study biology and support drug discovery, potentially benefiting patients through better research tools and therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $231,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM150768-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11361602 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not a patient-facing trial; this is a chemistry-focused grant that may indirectly benefit patients through better research tools and therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefit is not the primary aim; this is foundational chemistry research.
What this research studies
The Roy Lab is developing novel fluorinated small molecules as versatile tool compounds to advance life sciences research. They explore how fluorinated alkenes behave in chemical reactions to create new scaffolds that could become useful in biology and medicine. The work includes making cycloaddition products and investigating polarity inversion to improve regioselectivity in fluorinated heterocycles. These efforts use fluorine-retentive processes to generate aromatic motifs with potential applications in agriscience, pharmaceutical chemistry, and as research tools. If successful, the methods could broaden access to valuable compounds for studying biological processes and developing therapeutics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, researchers could have new, highly selective tool compounds and synthetic methods that accelerate drug discovery and understanding of biological systems.
How similar studies have gone: Previous fluorinated-alkene chemistry has shown promise in building diverse, high-value fluorinated motifs, suggesting potential for impactful tool compounds.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roy, Sudeshna — University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: Roy, Sudeshna
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
EP2 blockers to protect the brain after a stroke
Aims to test brain-permeable EP2 antagonists to reduce damage after ischemic stroke and improve recovery.
-
HIV drugs may also stop a dangerous fungus from growing
A cancer/antifungal researcher is exploring whether HIV medicines can help treat cryptococcal infections in people with HIV/AIDS.
-
Profiling immune cells to find early inflammation clues in kids with obesity and insulin resistance
This project looks at how immune cells in children with obesity may show early inflammatory changes linked to insulin resistance.
-
Targeted inhibitors to block a key enzyme and fight metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
A new drug candidate aimed at a specific enzyme in cancer cells is being developed to stop the spread of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.
-
New fungal partner targets to curb Aspergillus infection in vulnerable patients
A NIH-funded project is exploring how the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus grows and causes serious infections in people with weakened immune systems, with the aim of finding new ways to stop it.
-
Epigenetic control of aging heart function
A scientist at a university is studying how aging changes heart function and whether a specific gene, KDM6A, influences this process to uncover ways to prevent or treat aging-related heart problems.
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.