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Faculty
Core Faculty
| Name / Title / Lab | Contact Info | Research Interests | |
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Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School and Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy ACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/615-1168 |
The Balunas Research Group focuses on interaction-driven molecule discovery from host-microbe symbioses, seeking a fundamental understanding of how the metabolome mediates host-microbiota interactions. We aim to discover novel bioactive metabolites involved in chemical communication between eukaryotic hosts, their bacterial associates, and pathogenic organisms. Given that these host-microbe symbioses have naturally evolved to select for biologically active bacteria, they provide a source of specialized metabolites likely to have potent medicinal activity and thus be poised for future preclinical drug development. |
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Director of Education and Collegiate Lecturer in Medicinal Chemistry |
Phone: 734/647-9459 |
The focus of my research group is on pharmaceutical education and curricular development. Our research explores the use of novel pedagogical approaches, web-based tools, remedial programs, integration of courses and best models for student assessment. We examine the effect of these components on the learning of our diverse student body, their performance as they progress through our curriculum and how they best fit in curricular design. |
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Timothy Cernak, PhD Lab |
Phone: 734/647-6793
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The Cernak Lab applies chemical synthesis and data science tactics towards important societal problems. We apply our resources towards the creation of medicines – for cancer, infection, and pain – agrochemicals, natural products, music, perfumes, and robotic protocols. Students in the group navigate challenges in organic chemical synthesis, data science, machine learning, automation, computation, drug discovery, and environmental preservation. |
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Robert Cichewicz, PhD Lab (pending) |
Phone: 734/647-8427
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The focus of Prof. Cichewicz’ research is the discovery of new therapeutic compounds from fungal sources. His research encompasses multiple therapeutic areas, including antimalarials, breast cancer oncolytics, anaerobic protozoal pathogens, and tuberculosis. |
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Martin Clasby, PhD |
Phone: 734/647-1949 |
In the VMCC we design and synthesize drug-like molecules and diagnostic probes for use in biomedical research. Our graduate students and staff collaborate with other biomedical researchers in translating novel therapeutic hypotheses into proof-of-concept in animal models of disease regardless of therapeutic area. We have established many productive collaborations with labs within the University and at external institutions. |
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Laura Clifford, PhD Lab (pending) |
Phone: 734/647-8421
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Dr. Clifford's focus is on developing the undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences courses and providing instruction to PharmD students struggling with Chemistry and Math skills. She is also working with our Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on Chemistry and science instruction for our summer pipeline programs which include the Pharmacy Community College Connect (PC3) program and new tribal high school program. |
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Professor and Interim Chair of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy |
Phone: 734/764-2202 |
Antibiotic discovery: Structure-based approach to discover improved RNA polymerase inhibitors for Tuberculosis, targeting Shigella virulence pathways, and targeting the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. |
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Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Director, Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy |
Phone: 734/763-2654 |
The Garner Laboratory uses chemical biology, medicinal chemistry and molecular and cellular biology approaches to investigate the high-risk/high-reward areas of targeting microRNAs, RNA-protein and protein-protein interactions for probe and drug discovery. These efforts are part of our larger interest in studying mechanisms of translational control, which are dysregulated in many human diseases, yet remain underexplored for therapeutic development. |
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Michelle Hastings, PhD Professor of Pharmacology, Medical School; Pfizer Upjohn Research Professor of Pharmacology; Director, mRNA Therapeutics, Center for RNA Biomedicine and Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy |
Phone: 734/936-3050 |
Dr. Hastings' research focuses on understanding genetic basis of disease and discovering new therapeutics that modulate the process of pre-mRNA splicing to alter gene expression. |
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Roland Kersten, PhD ACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/647-1840 |
The Kersten lab aims to discover new plant-based chemicals to cure human diseases by combination of ancient wisdom about medicinal plants and modern knowledge of plant biochemistry. We use plant genomics, mass spectrometry and synthetic biology to unlock new medicinal chemistry from plants. |
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Nouri Neamati, PhD ACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/647-2732 |
Areas of primary interest to the Neamati laboratory include 1) synthetic medicinal chemistry, machine learning, structure- and ligand-based drug design, 2) cellular and molecular pharmacology, and 3) preclinical drug development. Specifically, we are interested in performing in-depth lead-optimization and pre-clinical pharmacology of a series of promising small-molecule compounds that we have recently discovered for the treatment of various cancers. |
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Assistant Professor of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, Medical School and Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy |
Phone: 415/818-3308 |
Dr. O'Meara's research interests are in computational pharmacology including virtual screening and statistical analysis of high-content and screens. |
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Jason Rech, PhD
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Phone: 734/763-1894 |
In the VMCC we design and synthesize drug-like molecules and diagnostic probes for use in biomedicinal research. Our graduate students and staff collaborate with other biomedical researchers in translating novel therapeutic hypotheses into proof-of-concept in animal models of disease regardless of therapeutic area. We have established many productive collaborations with labs within the University and at external institutions. |
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F. F. Blicke Collegiate Professor of Pharmacy; |
Phone: 734/764-3530 |
The Scott lab studies structure/function of human cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in 1) drug metabolism and procarcinogen activation and 2) generation of important endogenous steroids, fatty acids, and eicosanoids. Understanding the former P450 enzymes is important in predicting drug dosing and adverse effects, while the latter are drug targets in many diseases. Biochemical, biophysical, and structural biology approaches are employed. |
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Professor of Radiology and Professor of Pharmacology, Medical School; and Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy |
Phone: 734/615-1756 |
Non-invasive in vivo imaging of biochemical processes in neurological and oncological disease states using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging, design and synthesis of novel small molecules that can be radiolabeled with fluorine-18 or carbon-11 to generate radiopharmaceuticals for positron emission tomography imaging; Solid-phase organic synthesis. |
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Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, Medical School, and Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy |
Phone: 734/764-1550 |
The Sexton lab performs drug discovery and development for the interrelated set of disorders involving diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome and associated complications. We use a combination of phenotypic and molecular target driven drug discovery approaches coupled with in vivo models of diabetes and obesity. Our main technology focus is high content screening, cell painting and drug repurposing to enable rapid benchside-to-bedside translation for unmet medical needs. |
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Hans W. Vahlteich Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy; Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School; Professor of Chemistry, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; Research Professor, Life Sciences Institute; Co-Director, Pharmacological Sciences Training Program (PSTP) |
Phone: 734/615-9907 |
Sherman pursues research on natural product drug discovery. His laboratory has developed a unique library of compounds and extracts that are being screened against numerous disease targets relating to cancer, microbial pathogens, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and human parasites. Sherman’s research includes genomic analysis of diverse microorganisms that generate natural products in an effort to understand their assembly, structural diversification and modes of self-resistance. |
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Terra Sztain-Pedone, PhD ACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/764-7312 |
Dr. Sztain’s research focus involves using artificial intelligence to predict the effects of mutations on protein structure and function, exemplified by recent work on SARS-Cov2. |
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Research Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Director of Michigan Drug Discovery (MDD) |
Phone: 734/763-5747 |
We use organic synthesis and computational chemistry to identify novel ligands for challenging protein and RNA targets. A primary focus of our work is a class of metabolic enzymes implicated in cancer and autoimmune disease. |
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Edward F. Domino Research Professor; Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy; Professor and Associate Chair for Research, Department of Pharmacology, Medical School Lab |
Phone: 734/647-7479 |
Research in the Traynor laboratory is centered on drugs that act at opioid receptors to give analgesia, but have on-target side-effects including life-threatening respiratory depression and addiction. We use biochemical, pharmacological and computational methods to understand how opioid receptors work and to design novel ligands that target these receptors, and associated proteins, to develop medications for pain and substance abuse. |
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Director, UM-Natural Products Discovery Core; Associate Research Scientist, Life Sciences Institute; Research Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy LabACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/647-8988 |
Tripathi's core laboratory works towards unraveling the microbial chemical diversity identified through HTS and connecting the producing biosynthetic gene clusters to the novel/unknown chemical entities by utilizing state-of-the-art technologies in Natural Products Discovery Core. Furthermore, the rapid genomic and metabolomics profiling allows users to identify high-value molecules, as well as, novel enzymes as probes, drug leads, and tools. |
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Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor of Internal Medicine, Medical School, and Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy |
Phone: 734/615-3969 |
Dr. Wang’s areas of interest include on structure-based design and synthesis of molecular target-specific novel small molecule drugs for treatment of cancer and neurological diseases. Development and application of new computational and informatics methods, and tools for drug design and discovery. |
Affiliated Faculty in the Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry
| Name / Title / Lab | Contact Info | Research Interests | |
| Charles Brooks III, PhD Cyrus Levinthal Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry and Biophysics; Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor of Chemistry; Director of Biophysics and Faculty Associate in the Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry Lab ACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/647-6682 Office: 2006 Chem |
Protein simulations, and structure-based drug discovery |
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Tomek Cierpicki, PhD ACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/615-9324 Office: |
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Jolanta Grembecka, PhD
Richard and Susan Rogel Professor of Cancer Therapeutics and Professor of Pathology, Medical School and Faculty Associate in the Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry LabACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/615-3860 |
Inhibition of protein-protein interactions, Cancer biology, New epigenetic drug targets, Design and synthesis of new inhibitors targeting proteins involved in cancer development |
| John Montgomery, PhD Arthur F. Thurnau Margaret and Herman Sokol Professor in Medicinal Chemistry and Synthetic Chemistry, and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Chemistry, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; and Faculty Associate in the Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry Lab ACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/764 4424 |
Organic chemistry, Organometallic chemistry, Complex molecule synthesis |
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Pavel Nagorny, PhD Professor of Chemistry, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and Faculty Associate in the Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry Lab |
Phone: 734/615-2833 |
Total synthesis, Cardiotonic steroids, Carbohydrate chemistry, Organocatalysis |
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Alison Narayan, PhD |
Phone: 734/615-6873 |
We harness the powerful reactivity and selectivity of chemistry that exists in nature — and develop new tools and approaches for creating biologically interesting and beneficial molecules. |
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Zaneta Nikolovska-Coleska, MS, PhD Professor of Pathology, Program Associate, Molecular and Cellular Pathology Graduate Program, and Associate Director Academic Programs, Medical School; and Faculty Associate in the Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry Lab ACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/615-9202 |
Discovery, design and development of small molecules as new molecularly targeted therapies for cancer. |
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Anna Schwendeman, PhD ACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/763-4056 |
High density lipoproteins (HDL), atherosclerosis, HDL interactions with cellular proteins, Nanomedicine, Peptide-phospholipid interactions, Lipid nano-rafts for membrane protein structure elucidation, Design of lipoprotein mimetic peptides. |
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Janet Smith, PhD Rita Willis Professor of the Life Sciences, Martha L Ludwig Distinguished University Professor of Biological Chemistry, Professor of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, Research Professor, Life Sciences Institute, Associate Director, Department of Life Sciences Institute and Professor of Biophysics, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; and Faculty Associate in the Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry Lab ACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/615-9564 |
Molecular mechanisms of proteins, X-ray crystallography. |
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Duxin Sun, PhD Charles R. Walgreen Jr. Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy,and Faculty Associate in the Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry Lab ACCEPTING STUDENTS |
Phone: 734/615-8740 |
Protein-protein interactions, Cancer stem cells, Biopharmaceutics, Pharmacokinetics, and drug metabolism, Nanotheranostics for drug delivery. |
Adjunct Faculty
| Name / Title | Contact Info | Research Interests | |
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| Heather Carlson, PhD Adjunct Professor |
Email: [email protected] | Dr. Heather Carlson is Vice-President for Data Science at Odyssey Therapeutics. Dr. Carlson is a renowned computational medicinal chemist with a track record of excellence and decades of experience as a member of the UM Medicinal Chemistry faculty for 23 years, the last 1.5 years serving a department chair. | |
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Robert Kennedy, PhD Adjunct Associate Professor |
Email: [email protected] | |
| Jeffrey Kittendorf, PhD Adjunct Associate Professor |
Email: [email protected] | Dr. Jeffrey Kittendorf is the co-founder of three biotech companies: Alluvium Biosciences (VP) develops and employs synthetic biology approaches to generate drug leads from natural products, PharmaForensics(Managing Partner) provides technical/experimental litigation support services to intellectual property litigation attorneys in the areas of life sciences, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology, andSteep Hill Michigan (CEO) a licensed medical and adult-use/recreational cannabis safety compliance testing facility. He is the author of numerous research papers and reviews and has 20 years of interdisciplinary research experience in industry and academic laboratories. | |
| Jie (Jack) Li, PhD Adjunct Professor |
Email: [email protected] |
Dr. Jie (Jack) Li has over 25 years of experience in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery in both big pharma and biotechnology companies in the US including Pfizer, BMS, and Revolution Medicines. In addition to 34 research articles and 12 patents, he has published over 30 books on organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and history of drug discovery. He published 10 books with Nobel Laureate E. J. Corey. His book “Name Reactions: A Collection of Detailed Mechanisms and Synthetic Applications”, now in its 6th edition, is popular worldwide, having educated a generation of organic chemists. |
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| Nicholas Meanwell, PhD Adjunct Professor |
Email: [email protected] |
Dr. Nicholas A. Meanwell joined Bristol Myers Squibb in 1982 and retired in 2022 after having led drug discovery programs in the cardiovascular, neurosciences and virology therapeutic areas, work that resulted in the advancement of 33 clinical candidates. Dr. Meanwell has authored/co-authored more than 300 publications, review articles, book chapters and editorials and presented more than 180 invited lectures at National and International meetings, Universities and Schools. He is named as an inventor/co-inventor of 144 issued U.S. Patents. Dr. Meanwell is currently an Associate Editor for the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry with co-responsibility for Perspectives articles. |
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Jessica Reed, PhD |
Email: [email protected] | ||
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Drago Robert Sliskovic, PhD Adjunct Professor |
Email: [email protected] |
Emeritus Faculty
| Name / Title | Contact Info | Research Interests | |
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| Henry Mosberg, PhD Tom D. Rowe Collegiate Professor Emeritus of Pharmacy, and Professor Emeritus of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy |
Email: [email protected] | Research in the Mosberg lab focuses primarily on molecular recognition between small to medium size ligands (usually peptides) and their macromolecular targets (usually membrane-associated, G protein-coupled receptors, GPCRs) and spans structure-based drug design and syntheis, combinatorial synthesis, protein structure modeling, and biochemical characterization. | |
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Hollis Showalter, PhD
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Email: [email protected] |
Natural products modification and heterocyclic chemistry synthesis, Designing in physicochemical properties to high-throughput screen hits that confer “druggability” (e.g., conformity to Lipinski rules, absence of toxicophores), Development of structure-activity relationships (SAR) to derive compounds with optimal pharmacokinetic and metabolic profiles toward the initiation of in vivo studies, Principal therapeutic focus in bacterial diseases and oncology with extensive knowledge of associated targets, e.g., RNA polymerase and protein kinases. |
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| Ronald Woodard, PhD F. F. Blicke Collegiate Professor Emeritus of Pharmacy, Professor Emeritus of Medicinal Chemistry, and Professor Emeritus of Chemistry |
Email: [email protected] |
Biosynthesis and degradation of simple and complex carbohydrates both at the construction level, cellular control and physiological function. Biosynthesis and physiological roles of the lipopolysaccharide portion of pathogenic Gram-negative microorganisms, in particular the 3-deoxy-D-manno-oct-2-ulosonic acid (kdo) biosynthetic/attachment branch. |
