Medicinal Chemistry Collaborative

Drug Discovery

Drug discovery is the process by which new medicines are identified and developed.  Scientists at the Medicinal Chemistry Collaborative work together on drug discovery from multiple angles.  The Cech and Oberlies groups discover biologically active molecules from natural sources, such as plants and fungi.  The Croatt and Petersen groups are experts in synthesizing molecules in a laboratory setting, often using natural products as inspiration or template.  The Reggio and Taylor groups specialize in computational chemistry, using computer models to predict which structural characteristics would make a drug more effective.  These groups exchange data and ideas, working collectively to discover and optimize promising lead compounds with the ultimate goal of developing them into effective therapeutics.