The Chemistry Department at the University of California, Berkeley, is ranked first in the country. Some of the most exciting work is being done at the interface of organic synthesis and biological chemistry, where the potential impact on biomedical research is the greatest. This field provides the foundation for medicinal chemistry and drug discovery; however, both the scope of the research and the numbers of graduate students and post-docs who can be trained properly in this are limited by obsolete research facilities. The University's objective is to provide modern facilities that will enable the biomedical group to pioneer new synthetic, including combinatorial techniques for developing libraries of therapeutically important compounds, an the chemistry required to evaluate computational strategies for their design. By providing adequate fume hoods in well- configured space, renovated laboratories will facilitate student training in biomedical research and increase efficiency, productivity, and safety. Specifically, the University seeks $1 million from the NCRR/NIH, which, combined with $1.5 million in matching funds from the University, will permit the renovation of 5,257 assignable square feet (asf) of laboratory space in Latimer Hall, which was built nearly 25 years ago. These renovations are a top priority for the campus. They are part of a larger project, funded with private and public monies, to upgrade research facilities for chemistry and engineering with medical applications. A grant from NCRR/NIH at this time would permit significant economies by allowing the renovation of the laboratories described in this proposal to be carried out in conjunction with the large project.
