Associate Professor, Bioorganic Chemistry
E-mail: fetzkorn@vt.edu
Office: 3105 Hahn Hall
Phone: 540-231-2235
Fax: 540-231-3255
Group Web Pages: http://www.chem.vt.edu/chem-dept/etzkorn/group.htm
Education
B.S. 1981 Southwest Missouri State University
Ph.D. 1991 University of California at Berkeley
Postdoctoral Associate 1991-1993 Harvard Medical School
Research Interests
The three-dimensional structures of proteins have an inherent beauty. We explore
the nature of protein structure by designing and synthesizing conformationally-constrained
mimics of peptides, a process of sculpture on the molecular level. The molecules
we design using computers are small and amenable to short, stereoselective synthesis
using known reactions. We are making histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors,
and Pin1, a peptidyl-prolyl isomerase, inhibitors. We are investigating the
anti-cancer potential of these compounds.
Selected Publications
- Liu, T.; Kapustin, G.; Etzkorn, F. A. Design and synthesis of a potent histone deacetylase inhibitor. J. Med. Chem. 2007, 50, 2003-2006.
- Schroeder, O. E.; Carper, E.; Wind, J. J.; Poutsma, J.; Etzkorn, F.; Poutsma, J. C. Theoretical and experimental investigation of the energetics of cis-trans proline isomerization in peptide models. J. Phys. Chem. A. 2006, 110, 6522-6530.
- Wang, X. J.; Etzkorn, F. A., Peptidyl-Prolyl Isomerase Inhibitors. Biopolymers: Peptide Science 2006, 84, 125-146.
- Wang XJ, Xu B, Mullins AB, Neiler FK, Etzkorn FA: Conformationally Locked
Isostere of PhosphoSer-cis-Pro Inhibits Pin1 23-Fold Better than PhosphoSer-trans-Pro
Isostere. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126,
15533-15542.
- Wang XJ, Hart SA, Xu B, Mason MD, Goodell JR, Etzkorn FA: Serine-cis- and
-trans-Proline Isosteres: Stereoselective Synthesis of (Z)- and (E)-Alkene
Mimics by Still-Wittig and Ireland-Claisen Rearrangements, J. Org. Chem.,
2003, 62, 2343-2349.
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