Simpler ways to make complex natural medicine molecules
New Bond Disconnections in the Streamlined Synthesis of Complex Bioactive Molecules
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · NIH-11330254
Trying new chemical shortcuts to make promising natural medicines faster for people with cancer, HIV, and degenerative brain diseases.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BERKELEY, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11330254 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing simpler chemical steps to build complex molecules found in certain medicinal plants (Euphorbiaceae and Thymelaeaceae) that have shown promise against cancer, HIV, and neurodegenerative disorders. They will create new bond-disconnection strategies to make many related complex polycyclic compounds from a single starting material using mild reagents. The project aims to produce enough different compounds and screening fragments to feed drug-discovery efforts and generate new therapeutic leads. The work is laboratory-based at UC Berkeley and will also train graduate students and postdocs while producing materials for future biological testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This grant does not enroll patients now, but people with cancer, HIV, or degenerative neurologic disorders could be future beneficiaries of drugs that emerge from this chemistry.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment or clinical trial participation are unlikely to benefit directly from this laboratory-focused synthesis program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could speed up discovery of new drug leads from natural products and expand future treatment options for cancer, HIV, and neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Some natural products from these plant families have reached human clinical trials, but the specific chemical shortcuts proposed here are new and largely untested as a route to clinical candidates.
Where this research is happening
BERKELEY, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY — BERKELEY, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: MAIMONE, THOMAS JOHN — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
- Study coordinator: MAIMONE, THOMAS JOHN
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.
Conditions: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus, Cancer Treatment, Degenerative Neurologic Disorders