Mark Peczuh

Department Head

Professor

Education

• NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, Princeton University 1999-2001
• Ph.D., Yale University 1999
• M.S., University of Pittsburgh 1997

Research Interests

Our group designs and synthesizes new natural product-like small molecules that are used to investigate biological processes. We are especially interested in characterizing protein small molecule interactions. One active project in the group include the synthesis, conformational analysis, and protein binding activity of seven membered ring sugars called septanoses. Another project is aimed at uncovering the rules by which macrocyclic molecules use point chirality and multi-atom planar arrays to establish their unique shapes. The molecules are also potential antibacterials. Keywords: synthesis and conformational analysis of septanose mono- and oligosaccharides; modulation of protein-carbohydrate interactions; enzymatic glycosylations; design and synthesis protein secondary structure mimics; macrocycle synthesis.