Biological Chemistry Seminar

Date:
-
Location:
CP-114A/B
Speaker(s) / Presenter(s):
Catherine Denning

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Catherine Denning will be presenting a seminar titled Novel Ru compounds: A different approach to chemotherapy. 

Abstract: Cancer is currently the second largest cause of death in the United States.1 This fact in combination with the prediction that the number of cancer cases will almost double by 20302, means that there needs to be more research in cancer treatment, prevention, and possible cures. Most chemotherapeutic treatments are extremely toxic, leading to damage of malignant cells and healthy cells causing deleterious side effects.3 More research is needed to find treatments that decrease these side effects. One growing area is to use light activated compounds that can be selectively activated in the body and cause much less harm to healthy tissues than traditional chemotherapeutics. Members of my lab focus on using ruthenium (Ru) based, light activated compounds to damage cancerous cells only when irradiated with light. These novel compounds incorporate structural strain so that when irradiated with light, will expel a ligand, creating a chemically active Ru able to “attack” specific moieties within the cell.4 One of our group’s projects is to create compounds which are red-shifted, meaning they are able to be activated at longer wavelengths of light; therefore, penetrate tissue further and are safer to the patient.5 This research adds an exciting dynamic to the cancer research field that may one day lead to better treatments with lower side effects, and more specific targeting. 

 
1. Leading causes of death. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  <http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm&gt;
2. Brawley, O.W. (2011) Avoidable cancer deaths globally, CA: A cancer journal for clinicians, 61, 67-68.
3. Glazer, E.C. (2013) Light-activated metal complexes that covalently modify DNE, Israel Journal of Chemistry, 53, 391-400.
4. Howerton, B.S., Heidary, D.K., Glazer, E.C. (2012) Strained ruthenium complexes are potent light-activated anticancer agents, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 134, 8324-8327.
5. Wachter, E., Heidary, D.K., Howerton, B.S., Parkin, S., Glazer, E.C. (2012) Light-activated ruthenium complexes photobind DNA and are cytotoxic in the photodynamic therapy window, Chemical Communications, 48,9649-9651.
 

Course Instructor: Dr. Yinan Wei