With this award, the Chemical Synthesis program is funding Professor Gary Sulikowski of the Department of Chemistry at Vanderbilt University to explore the development of synthetic methods to access structural complex and rare marine diterpene natural products. A number of complex marine diterpenes, such as bielschowskysin, display interesting biological activity (tumor cell growth inhibition, antimalarial properties), but are either no longer available from their natural source, or of limited availability. The unique molecular structure of bielschowskysin and related marine diterpenes requires the development of new methods and strategies to assemble its unique architecture.
The broader impacts include co-worker training in a multi-disciplinary environment through the inclusion of biomedical researchers on the project, and continuing to build a program in the biological study of natural products. This work could lead to more efficient methods for the preparation of marine natural products. The chemistry developed during the course of these studies will have a broad impact in areas ranging from the pharmaceutical, chemical, and biotechnology industries to basic biological and chemical research endeavors. In addition, this project will provide excellent training of students, from undergraduate to post-doctoral, including those from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences.
