The focus of this research is the preparation of beta-lactams which will have the potential to act as serine protease inhibitors. The synthetic schemes will accommodate an incremental exploration of binding interactions between the inhibitors and the enzyme. The program stresses the involvement of undergraduate students. With this Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) award, the Synthetic Organic Program is supporting the research of Dr. William P. Malachowski of the Department of Life Sciences at the University of New England. Dr. Malachowski will focus his work on developing syntheses of beta-lactams which will be capable of trapping the nucleophilic hydroxyl group of serine proteases. The compounds have potential use for the pharmaceutical industry. The project offers a rich training ground for undergraduate participants.
