Synthesis methods to make chiral bioactive molecules for cancer medicines
Official title: Chemical Synthesis of Chiral bioactive Molecules
Funded at California Institute of Technology · NIH-11331743 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to develop new ways to build complex, chiral molecules that could become cancer-fighting drugs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pasadena, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2016 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $623,614 |
| NIH project number | 2R35GM118191-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11331743 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with cancers where new targeted therapies are being explored and where future medicines might emerge from these chemical advances.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not directly involved in this project or whose cancer types are not connected to the developed drug leads may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on creating programmable chemical methods to make complex, three-dimensional molecules that are more likely to become effective medicines. It emphasizes increasing sp3-rich structures to improve solubility and how well the molecules bind to targets. The work includes making complex natural product-like compounds and developing nickel-catalyzed reactions to form bonds efficiently. By expanding the toolbox for medicinal chemistry, it seeks to enable faster, more versatile lead discovery for cancer-related applications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from new drug candidates with better properties and faster development timelines.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that sp3-rich, complex molecules can improve drug properties and clinical success in some cases, but this area is still under active development.
Where this research is happening
-
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Reisman, Sarah Elizabeth — California Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Reisman, Sarah Elizabeth
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.