In order for the body to function properly, information from DNA must be translated correctly into proteins. One group of enzymes critical to this process is the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS). These enzymes attach an amino acid to its cognate tRNA, which delivers them to make proteins. Although this process is critical to the survival of […]

Maternal complications such as miscarriage or fetal loss are important reproductive issues that can affect up to 30% of pregnant women worldwide. While these complications are worldwide health problems, their mechanisms are not yet clear. Using a well-established mouse model of fetal loss, our goal is to detect localization patterns of important genes that may […]

The indole subunit is a near-ubiquitous component of biologically active natural has become an important building block or intermediate in the synthesis of many pharmaceutical agents. Such as indole-3-carbinol, found in cruciferous vegetables has been shown to inhibit carcinogenesis. In this project I will focus on studying of action mechanism (cell apoptosis, angiogenesis inhibition and […]

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer affecting women, with 1 in 9 Canadian females expected to develop the disease in their lifetime. About 90% of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers express androgen receptor (AR). Recent results in our laboratory demonstrated that the inactivation of 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the most potent androgen, contributes to estrogen-dependent breast […]

Biobased products, mostly derived from plant biomass, have the potential to improve the sustainability of Canada’s natural resources and environmental quality while competing economically. Plant biomass, composed primarily of cell walls and modification of cell wall properties has the potential to improve biomass conversion to biobased products such as biofuels. Progress towards achieving this goal […]

Benzo- fused seven membered ring ethers, or benzooxepanes, are widely encountered structures within natural products such as the heliannuols. We intend to target the synthesis of this ring system by of employing derivatives of butyne-1,4-diol-Co2(CO)6 complexes, by way of tandem Nicholas reactions with para- substituted phenols, thereby constructing the seven- membered ring system. Variation between […]

The fundamental mechanisms of aging are conserved from yeast to humans. We use the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system with which to study the molecular mechanisms of aging. Our high-throughput chemical genetic screen of extensive compound libraries has identified lithocholic acid (LCA), a bile acid, as a potent anti-aging and anti-cancer compound (Aging […]

Our focus in this computational proposal is on weak bonding interactions (WBIs) in the organization of molecular assemblies, here in particular oligonucleotides. With regards to WBIs, the hydrogen bond is certainly the most recognized, but C-H…O, C-H…pi, pi…pi and others must not be ignored if organization and stability are to be understood. WBIs are thus […]

Organometallic reactions are important in organic synthesis and are versatile in creating new C-C bonds. In the past decade, late-transition-metal catalysis has gained increasing attention culminating in the 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry award for three seminal palladium catalyzed reactions. However, the commodity metal nickel is more economical and desirable than the other d10 elements, […]

Pacidamycins are group of peptide antibiotics which act against the Pseudomonas human pathogens by inhibiting cell wall biosynthesis. Pacidamycins are produced in Streptomyces coeruleorubidus by proteins of a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) gene cluster. NRPS are a class of modular proteins that synthesize small peptide products with a wide variety of chemical and biological properties. […]

The molecular mechanisms that explain how the host triggers a first antiviral response against virus infection has been the focus of numerous studies over the past decades. This first line of response involves key signaling cascades that permit the expression of antiviral and proinflammatory genes. Recently we have demonstrated that the production of reactive oxygen […]

Bacteria within biofilms can withstand the host immune responses, and they are significantly more tolerant to antibiotics and disinfectants. Our laboratory found that some coagulase-negative staphyloccal (CNS) isolates can efficiently block biofilm formation by other CNS species or Staphylococcus aureus. Hypothesis: Some CNS isolates produce antibiofilm molecules that can lead to the development of new […]