Making complex natural-product medicines for cancer
Chemical Synthesis of Complex Natural Products for Translational Science
Researchers are designing and building complex natural molecules that could become new cancer treatments for people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University (Charles River Campus) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11376316 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This lab focuses on creating complicated molecules found in nature that can act like drugs, using new chemical methods to make them faster and more efficiently. The chemists work closely with biological and clinical collaborators who test these compounds in the lab and in animal models to find the most promising candidates. The team has produced several bioactive molecules and improved methods that help move the best compounds toward testing in humans. Their work is aimed at producing new drug leads that could later be tested in clinical trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancer—especially those with tumors that are resistant to standard therapies or who are eligible for early-phase trials of new drugs—could be candidates for future studies stemming from this work.
Not a fit: Patients without cancer or those whose disease is well controlled by current treatments are unlikely to see direct benefit from the current laboratory chemistry work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce new cancer drug candidates with novel ways of blocking tumor growth, offering options for patients whose cancers resist current treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Chemistry groups have previously made natural-product-derived compounds that showed promise and some advanced toward clinical testing, but translating lab-made molecules into approved drugs remains challenging.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University (Charles River Campus) — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Porco, John a. — Boston University (Charles River Campus)
- Study coordinator: Porco, John a.
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 below.