Synthesis of Biologically Active Cytoprotective and Anticancer Small Molecules

Abstract

Cancer is the most common cause of disease-related fatalities in the United States of America. It is estimated that more then half a million people per year will die from various forms of cancer. One of the defining characteristics of cancer is an uncontrollable growth of cells. Regardless of its type, cancers evade the various mechanisms by which cells die naturally, apoptosis. In these studies my efforts have been focused on identification, design and synthesis of small molecules that effectively induce death in various cancers by activating the apoptotic cascade. Described herein is discovery of anticancer small molecules that selectively induce cell death in white blood cancers and non-toxic to other cell types. This discovery was further elaborated to the design and synthesis of compounds, which potently and effectively kill melanoma cells. Thus, compounds displaying such selectivity have strong potential for identification of cancer-type specific biological pathways, and optimized versions of these small molecules have potential in targeted anti-cancer therapy.