Robert W. Curley, Jr., PhD
Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
Riffe Building Room 606
496 W. 12th Ave.
Columbus, OH 43210
E-mail: curley.1@osu.edu
Phone: 614-292-7628
Education
- NCI Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1982-1984.
- PhD, West Virginia University, 1982
- BS, University of Connecticut, 1978
Areas of Interest
Retinoid Chemistry and Biochemistry
Our primary research interests lie in the area of the medicinal chemistry and biochemistry of important vitamin A metabolites with potential to function as cancer chemopreventive agents. A secondary interest involves developing strategies for the synthesis of stable isotope-labelled molecules to facilitate NMR structural studies of drug-receptor interactions and of receptor proteins themselves.
The vitamin A metabolite retinoic acid is an essential controller of epithelial tissue differentiation with cancer preventive potential. Its unstable metabolite retinoyl β-glucuronide (1) looks to be more effective/less toxic but is too unstable for use. Therefore, we are developing new synthetic approaches to make stable N- and C-linked analogs (2 and 3) and preliminary results suggest great promise for these compounds.
We are also using molecular modeling and NMR methods to study the conformation of the 13C-labelled retinoid β-ionone (4) when bound to the retinoid-binding protein β-lactoglobulin B. Ultimately, the results may be useful in design of retinoids with greater potential for binding to receptor proteins.
Finally, in efforts to facilitate structural studies of receptor proteins by NMR methods, we engage in syntheses of stereoselective stable-isotope double-labelled amino acids for incorporation into the proteins. We have recently synthesized (R)-2H,15N-glycine hydrochloride and used it for stereospecific assignments of the prochiral glycine methylene protons in a protein.
Courses Taught
Pharmacy 410: Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry (team-taught course, B.S.P.S. students)
Pharmacy 411: Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry (team-taught course, B.S.P.S. students)
Pharmacy 605: An introduction to functional group properties of importance to drugs, heterocycles, acidity and basicity, metabolism, prediction of ionization constants and physicochemical properties of drugs.
Pharmacy 737: The use of NMR in the assay and control methods of drug and drug preparations.
Pharmacy 789: A study and application of selected isolation techniques for the purification of natural products or other organic mixtures.
Pharmacy 836: Selected topics in medicinal chemistry, the subject matter being drawn from the current literature.
[ back to top ]
Professional Experience
1998-present: Adjunct Professor, Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
1997-present: Professor, Division of Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy,
College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
1990-1997: Associate Professor, Division of Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
1984-1990: Assistant Professor, Division of Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
[ back to top ]