Jason ChrumaJason J. Chruma

Research Description

My research group is interested in the interplay between the development of new synthetic methods and the modulation of biomolecular interactions.  Biologically active natural products both motivate the invention of new and more efficient means for the construction of structurally complex molecular architectures and provide critical structure-activity information on important biological targets.  Alternatively, the discovery of new biomolecular interactions with import to human health inspire the synthesis of unique small molecule scaffolds designed to either inhibit or stimulate the associated biological response.  Research efforts in the Chruma group focus on the discovery of efficient C–C bond-forming transformations for the rapid construction of biologically active natural products as well as designed small molecule peptidomimetic scaffolds that explore untapped regions of chemical space.  We are particularly interested in the discovery of small molecule modulators of protein-protein interactions and cell-signaling events involved in cellular differentiation and epithelial cancer cell metastasis.

Representative Publications

C–C Bond-Forming Reactions via Pd-Mediated Decarboxylative a-Imino Anion Generation. Yeagley, A. A.; Chruma, J. J.  Org. Lett. 2007, 9: 2879-2882.  [LINK]

Hydrophobic and Electronic Factors in the Design of Dialkylglycine Decaroxylase Mimics. Chruma, J. J.; Liu, L.; Zhou, W.; Breslow, R.  Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2005, 13: 5873-5883.  [LINK]

Transamination Reactions with Multiple Turnovers Catalyzed by Hydrophobic Pyridoxamine Cofactors in the Presence of Polyethyleneimine Polymers. Liu, L.; Zhou, W.; Chruma, J.; Breslow, R.  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126: 8136-8137.  [LINK]

Small-Molecule Inhibitors of HIV-1 Entry Block Receptor-Induced Conformational Changes in the Viral Envelope Glycoproteins. Si, Z.; Madani, N.; Cox, J. M.; Chruma, J. J.; Klein, J. C.; Schön, A.; Phan, N.; Wang, L.; Biorn, A. C.; Cocklin, S.; Chaiken, I.; Freire, E.; Smith, A. B., III; Sodroski, J. G.  Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA. 2004, 101: 5036-5041.  [LINK]

Localized Changes in the gp120 Envelope Glycoprotein Confer Resistance to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Entry Inhibitors BMS-806 and #155. Madani, N.; Perdigoto, A. L.; Srinivasan, K.; Cox, J. M.; Chruma, J. J.; LaLonde, J.; Head, M.; Smith, A. B., III; Sodroski., J. G.  J. Virol. 2004, 78: 3742-3752.  [LINK]

Complestatin Synthetic Studies: the Effect of the Amino Acid Configuration on Peptide Backbone Conformation in the Common Western BCD Macrocycle. Smith, A. B. III; Chruma, J. J.; Han, Q.; Barbosa, J.  Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2004. 14: 1697-1702.  [LINK]

Glycoside Inhibitors: Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure Aza-Sugars from Schiff Base Amino Esters via Tandem Reduction-Alkenylation and Osmylation.  Polt, R.; Sames, D.; Chruma, J.  J. Org. Chem. 1999, 60: 6147-6158.  [LINK]