Research Interests

Nucleic acids are the key components of the central dogma of molecular biology and rich in chemical activity. My lab focuses on studying the chemistry of nucleic acids including biochemical reactions and molecular recognition by small molecules to discover novel motifs for development of anti-cancer drugs. We are currently using a combination of techniques including organic synthesis and design, biophysics, medicinal chemistry, assay development, chemical biology, computer modeling, and screening method to evaluate the covalent and non-covalent interactions of small molecules with nucleic acids at the molecular level. A few current examples are listed below.