Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Office: Pacific Hall 5222A
Phone: 858-534-4467
Email: tch@ucsd.edu
Web: tch.ucsd.edu 
Group: View group members

1996-1998

EMBO Long-Term Fellow

1996

Otto-Hahn Medal of the Max-Planck Society, Germany

We are exploring the molecular recognition of ribonucleic acid (RNA) by small molecules. RNA molecules participate as key players in many biological processes and adopt complex architectures that are required for function. The development of ligands that bind specifically to RNA targets opens exciting new ways to expand greatly the existing repertoire of protein-directed therapeutics. We focus on four areas of research and apply diverse techniques, including molecular biology, biochemistry, X-ray crystallography as well as synthetic organic chemistry.Validation and Screening of New RNA Targets:We use molecular biological and biochemical methods to explore new RNA targets in two therapeutic areas: hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) and cancer. Screening assays are being developed that report on functional consequences of ligand binding to an RNA target in addition to returning binding affinity.Structure Determination of RNA Targets and Ligand Complexes:We use X-ray crystallography to investigate the three-dimensional architecture of RNA targets and their complexes with small molecules of both natural and synthetic origin.Design and Synthesis of New Ligands for RNA Targets:Structure-guided design is combined with ligand-based approaches to develop focused small molecule libraries for screening against RNA targets. We develop syntheses for new RNA-friendly molecules of natural product-like complexity.

Bioorganic
Macromolecular Structure
Synthesis