Scripps Research Research Articles

In Vitro Analysis of Camellia sinensis Leaf Extract Against Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) poses a significant global health challenge, with its prevalence steadily increasing. Natural compounds derived from plants have garnered attention for their potential therapeutic effects in managing this metabolic disorder. Camellia sinensis, commonly known as tea, is rich in bioactive compounds exhibiting various pharmacological properties. This study investigates the potential anti-diabetic activity of C. sinensis leaf extract through in vitro analysis. Camella sinensisleaf extract was prepared by grinding the plant's leaf into a powder, mixing it with distilled water, and heating. The antidiabetic activity was assessed through α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase inhibitory assays, employing varying concentrations of the plant extract. Molecular docking analysis utilized Autodock 1.5.6 software (The Scripps Research Institute, California, US)to predict ligand-receptor interactions, guiding subsequent experimental validation. Camella sinensisleaf extract exhibited high phenolic content, suggesting potential in managing hyperglycemia. Tannins may aid glucose absorption and inhibit adipogenesis, making them promising for non-insulin-dependent DM (NIDDM). Terpenoids, with antioxidant activity, inhibit advanced glycation. Saponins and steroids were absent. Molecular docking revealed residues like IR, IRS1, and AS160 with significant impact on α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase, comparable to metformin. The findings of this study highlight the promising potential of C. sinensis leaf extract in managing hyperglycemia associated with DM. The high phenolic content aids in glucose regulation. Specifically, the presence of tannins suggests a potential role in modulating glucose absorption and inhibiting adipogenesis, which could be particularly beneficial for individuals with NIDDM.These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the potential therapeutic efficacy of C. sinensis leaf extract against DM, paving the way for further research and development of novel therapeutic interventions in diabetes management.

Computational Studies and Synthesis of New Heterocyclics as CNS Agents.

This research work aimed to design and synthesize some new molecules of phenothiazine. The work's emphasis was on forming new phenothiazines in two series, 1-(10H-phenothiazin- 10-yl)-2-((4-(1-(phenylimino)ethyl)phenyl)amino)ethan-1-one derivatives (4a-4j) and 1-(4-((2-oxo-2- (10H-phenothiazin-10-yl)ethyl)amino)phenyl)-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-one derivatives (P1-P5). Chloroacetylation of phenothiazine was done to afford 2-chloro-1-(10H-phenothiazin-10- yl)ethan-1-one, which was further reacted with 4-amino acetophenone to produce 2-((4- acetylphenyl)amino)-1-(10H-phenothiazin-10-yl)ethan-1-one. Then, it was treated with substituted anilines and substituted benzaldehydes to produce the final derivatives 4a-4j and P1-P5, respectively. All 15 derivatives (4a-4j and P1-P5) were characterized by evaluating their Rf value, melting point, solubility, IR spectroscopy, and 1HNMR spectroscopy. Molecular docking was performed by using AutoDock Vina v.1.2.0 (The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA) docking software, and the anxiolytic activity of the derivatives was assessed by using the elevated plus maze model. The designed scheme was executed in the departmental laboratory. The chemical structure of the compounds was confirmed on the basis of TLC, IR, and 1HNMR analyses. The docking study revealed a good docking score of the compounds. The Log P value of the compounds indicated their good penetration into CNS. The compounds were also screened for anxiolytic activity. Among them, compounds 4f, 4h, and P3 showed maximum activity as anti-anxiolytic agents.

Novel Compounds Design of Acertannin, Hamamelitannin, and Petunidin-3-Glucoside Typical Compounds of African Leaves (Vernonia amygdalina Del) as Antibacterial Based on QSAR and Molecular Docking

Antibacterial secondary metabolites such as tannins and their derivatives are found in the Vernonia amygdalina Del. Antibiotic resistance can develop due to overuse, reducing the efficacy of drugs to prevent and treat infections. This research aims to use the Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) and the semi-empirical method Austin Model 1 (AM1) to design a modified novel compound from African leaves that has improved antibacterial activity. This research includes a descriptor calculation of QSAR using AM1 MOE on typical compounds from African leaves, and calculation results are chosen based on a multilinear regression statistical analysis. The model equation represents the three primary parameters of QSAR, which are electronic, hydrophobic, and steric parameters, which will be used to measure modified compounds. Molecular docking using Autodock Tools (The Scripps Research Institute, USA), and analysis of results of docking Autodock Tools using Discovery Studio 3.5 Client. The best QSAR model obtained is LogEC50 = (0.829 x LogP) - (1,302 x AM1_HOMO) - (0.339 x AM1_dipole) - (5,128 x mr) + (0.145 x vol) - (11,355). The results showed that EC50 prediction of modified hamamelitannin has the best activity with the lowest ΔGbind -9.0 kcal/mol and inhibition constant of 0.249 μM. In summary, the novel compound's design calculation has better antibacterial activity, as indicated by a lower EC50, than fosfomycin or compounds without modification. The modified hamamelitannin compound was found to have better antibacterial activity (prediction EC50 = 0.1933 μM) than the original (experimental EC50 = 145.50 μM).

An interview with Sandra Schmid – Chief Scientific Officer of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub

ABSTRACT Sandra Schmid is the Chief Scientific Officer of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub in San Francisco, USA. She was previously Professor and Chair of the Cell Biology Department at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and Chair of the Department of Cell Biology at Scripps Research Institute, CA, USA. Sandra's research over the years has focused on the biochemical dissection of the endocytic pathway, in particular the role of dynamin and the mechanisms of clathrin-mediated endocytosis. We chatted to Sandy to find out more about her career, her role as an advocate for women in science, and her recent transition to the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub.

NIAAA/NIDA animal study: Diet drug may help treat AUD

Researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and collaborators from The Scripps Research Institute, have found that semaglutide (brand name for the injection drug is Wegovy) — a gut hormone that promotes a feeling of fullness and thus promotes weight loss — can help reduce alcohol consumption and binge‐like drinking. The research is based on a rodent model. Published in the June 2023 issue of the journal JCI Insight, the study adds to growing preclinical evidence that the glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) system plays a role in alcohol and other substance use disorders, and that GLP‐1 receptor agonists show potential for treating people with alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Cluster Preface: Biomimetic Synthesis

Jun Deng (left) received his B.Sc. from Lanzhou University and his Ph.D. from the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2014) with Professor Ang Li. After a short period of postdoctoral research in the lab of Professor Andrew Myers at Harvard University (2014–2016), he was appointed a Pioneer ‘Hundred Talents Program’ Researcher at Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2017. In December 2020, he moved to Nankai University where he is a professor at the College of Chemistry. He received the Thieme Journals Award (2020). His research focuses on natural product total synthesis and medicinal chemistry. Yefeng Tang (right) earned his B.S. from Lanzhou University (1995–1999) and his M.S. from the Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Science (1999–2002). From 2003 to 2006, he pursued his Ph.D. under the guidance of Professor Zhen Yang and Professor Jiahua Chen at Peking University. Subsequently, he conducted postdoctoral research with Prof. K. C. Nicolaou at The Scripps Research Institute between 2006 and 2009. In 2010, he commenced his independent career at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, where he is now a tenured professor. His primary research interests encompass the total synthesis of natural products, the development of synthetic methodologies, and the discovery of antiviral and anti-aging drugs.

Cultivating creativity and belonging in science

In this Stories piece, Megan Ken, a Fellow at The Scripps Research Institute, discusses the importance of inclusion, mentoring, and creativity to discovery and growth in science.

Looking Back on My Life in Research over more than 40 Years

After graduating with a master's degree from Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University in 1983, I worked in medicinal chemistry for 37 years at a pharmaceutical company and 4 years at a university. On this occasion of my retirement, I would like to summarize the memorable reactions from my life in research over more than 40 years. This includes an overview of my drug discovery research at pharmaceutical companies covering practical and effective synthetic methods of key intermediates for renin inhibitors, 1β-methylcarbapenem, neurokinin receptor antagonists and sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor agonists. I have also described microbial transformation reactions for phosphorylation and glucuronidation, as well as antibacterial cyclic peptide and ogipeptins. During this time, two years of studying at the Scripps Research Institute and three years of working in India were also very valuable experiences. Finally, I have summarized the results of synthetic research on indole and azaindole derivatives conducted at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido over a period of four years.

Global trends and hotspots in Cyclin-dependent Kinase Subunit 2 research from 1999 to 2022: A bibliometric and visualized analysis.

Cyclin-dependent Kinase Subunit 2 is a protein closely related to the regulation of the cell cycle. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of research articles on this topic. However, there is a lack of comprehensive synthesis and evaluation in the field of CKS2 research. This study aims to summarize and visualize the literature distribution, research hotspots, and development trends of CKS2 based on bibliometric methods. Publications from 1999 to 2022 were extracted from the Web of Science. Citespace was used to analyze the relevant information of each article. A total of 138 publications focused on CKS2 showed a positive growth trend from 1999 to 2022 and were published by 27 countries. The most prolific countries are China and the USA. The most prolific institution is Scripps Research Institute. The most prolific author is Steven I. Reed from Scripps Research Institute. The most cited article is published by Todd R Golub. The most cited author is Hanna-Stina Martinsson-Ahlzen. The journal with the most published articles is International Journal of Oncology. The high frequency keywords suggest that expression and function of CKS2 in cancer are dominated topics. The clusters and burst words suggest that expression and function of CKS2 still active in the future. The results of this bibliometric analysis provide information on the state and trends in CKS2 from 1999 to 2022. It is helpful for scholars to pinpoint hot issues and discover new areas of study.

Phylogenetic, Sequencing, and Mutation Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (BA.1) and Its Subvariants (BA.1.1, BA.2) During the Fifth Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

Introduction In December 2019, a global outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 occurred in Wuhan, China, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the virus has spread to all countries, necessitating a worldwide initiative to create effective treatments and vaccines. Methods The RNA of samples QIAamp Viral RNA Mini Kit (Qiagen, MD).SARS-CoV-2 RNA was reverse transcribed with SuperScript IV VILO (ThermoFisher Scientific, Waltham, MA). The virus cDNA was amplified in two multiplexed PCR reactions using Q5 DNA High-fidelity Polymerase (New England Biolabs, Ipswich, MA). The genome was entirely sequenced from 40 samples at the Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in California, USA. The samples were sequenced using a NovaSeq 6000 SP Reagent Kit v1.5 (Illumina, USA). The TSRI then entered these sequences into the GISAID database. The virus sequence was matched to the SARS-COV-2 virus identified in Wuhan, China (accession number: NC 045512.2) using Illumina sequencing technology (Illumina, CA), finding 95 different changes. The NextClade (clades.nextstrain.org) and Mega 11 (https://www.megasoftware.net) software tools were used to analyze SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence alignment and mutation studies. Results Following a sequencing analysis, it was determined that the spike glycoprotein (S) included a total of 38 mutations. Thirty of these mutations were found in the ORF1a gene. Additionally, 11 mutations were found in the ORF1b gene, with the remaining mutations found in the nucleocapsid (N), membrane protein (M), open reading frames 6 (ORF6), open reading frames 9 (ORF9), and envelope (E) genes. The phylogenetic analysis and transmission studies indicated that the isolates discovered in Iraq had separate infection origins and were closely linked to those discovered in other nations and states. Conclusion According to the findings of this study, a new vaccine can be developed based on identifying new Omicron variant mutations and subvariants such as BA.2, which were identified for the first time in Iraq.

A Paradigm Shift in Catalysis: Electro- and Photomediated Nickel-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions.

ConspectusTransition-metal catalyzed cross-coupling reactions are fundamental reactions in organic chemistry, facilitating strategic bond formations for accessing natural products, organic materials, agrochemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Redox chemistry enables access to elusive cross-coupling mechanisms through single-electron processes as an alternative to classical two-electron strategies predominated by palladium catalysis. The seminal reports of Baran, MacMillan, Doyle, Molander, Weix, Lin, Fu, Reisman, and others in merging redox perturbation (photochemical, electrochemical, and purely chemical) with catalysis are pivotal to the current resurgence and mechanistic understanding of first-row transition metal-based catalysis. The hallmark of this redox platform is the systematic modulation of transition-metal oxidation states by a photoredox catalyst or at a heterogeneous electrode surface. Electrocatalysis and photocatalysis enhance transition metal catalysis' capacity for bond formation through electron- or energy-transfer processes that promote otherwise challenging elementary steps or elusive mechanisms. Cross-coupling conditions promoted by electrocatalysis and photocatalysis are mild, and bond formation proceeds with exceptionally high chemoselectivity and wide functional group tolerance. The interfacing of abundant first-row transition-metal catalysis with electrocatalysis and photocatalysis has brought about a paradigm shift in cross-coupling technology as practitioners are quickly applying these tools in synthesizing fine chemicals and pharmaceutically relevant motifs. In particular, the merger of Ni catalysis with electro- and photochemistry ushered in a new era for carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom cross-couplings with expanded generality compared to their thermally driven counterparts. Over the past decade, we have developed enabling photo- and electrochemical methods throughout our combined research experience in industry (BMS, AstraZeneca) and academia (Professor Baran, Scripps Research) in cross-disciplinary collaborative environments. In this Account, we will outline recent progress from our past and present laboratories in photo- and electrochemically mediated Ni-catalyzed cross-couplings. By highlighting these cross-coupling methodologies, we will also compare mechanistic features of both electro- and photochemical strategies for forging C(sp2)-C(sp3), C(sp3)-C(sp3), C-O, C-N, and C-S bonds. Through these side-by-side comparisons, we hope to demystify the subtle differences between the two complementary tools to enact redox control over transition metal catalysis. Finally, building off the collective experience of ourselves and the rest of the community, we propose a tactical user guide to photo- and electrochemically driven cross-coupling reactions to aid the practitioner in rapidly applying such tools in their synthetic designs.

Garcinoxanthones from Garcinia mangostana L. against SARS-CoV-2 infection and cytokine storm pathway inhibition: A viroinformatics study

Context: Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) is used in traditional medicine as an antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. Aims: To determine the molecular mechanism and potential of garciniaxanthone derivate compounds from G. mangostana as SARS-CoV-2 antiviral and prevent cytokine storm through in silico approach. Methods: Ligand and protein samples were obtained from databases such as PubChem and Protein Databank, then drug-likeness analysis using Lipinski, Ghose, Veber, Egan, and Muege rules on SwissADME server, prediction of antiviral probability through PASSOnline server. Furthermore, molecular docking simulation with PyRx v1.0 software (Scripps Research, USA) with an academic license, identification of interactions and chemical bond positions of ligands on the target by PoseView server, 3D visualization of PyMOLv.2.5.2 software (Schrödinger, Inc., USA) with an academic license, molecular dynamics simulation for molecular stability prediction by CABS-flex v2.0 server, target prediction of antiviral candidate compounds by SwissTargetPrediction server, pathway analysis through STRING v11.5 database, and toxicity by ProTox-II server were used. Results: Garciniaxanthone C from G. mangostana was found to be a drug-like molecule with low toxicity. This can be a candidate for SARS-Cov-2 antiviral through inhibitor activity on two viral enzymes consisting of Mpro and replicase with a binding affinity value that is more negative than other garciniaxanthone derivates and is stable. Garciniaxanthone C is predicted to bind and inhibit pro-inflammatory proteins that trigger cytokine storms, such as NFKB1 and PTGS2. Conclusions: Garciniaxanthone derivative compounds from G. mangostana may be candidates for SARS-CoV-2 antiviral and preventing cytokine storm through garciniaxanthone C activity.

ACS members elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2023

The US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has elected 120 new US-based members and 23 international members “in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.” Election to the NAS is considered one of the highest scientific honors in the US. These additions bring the total number of active US-based NAS members to 2,565 and the total number of international members—nonvoting members with citizenship outside the US—to 526. Of the newly elected NAS members and international members, 16 are also members of the American Chemical Society. The new US members are Helen Berman , Rutgers University; Catherine L. Drennan , Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Miguel A. Garcia-Garibay , University of California, Los Angeles; Jeffrey Hubbell , University of Chicago; Jeffery Kelly , Scripps Research; Jeffrey R. Long , University of California, Berkeley; Nancy Makri , University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign; Teri W. Odom , Northwestern University; Helen Piwnica-Worms

Special Collection on Boron Chemistry

In this Guest Editorial, Varinder Aggarwal, Zuowei Xie and Hajime Ito introduce the joint EurJOC/AsianJOC special collection on boron chemistry, which features original research and review articles on the synthesis and applications of organoboron compounds from researchers around the world. This EurJOC/AsianJOC joint Special Collection features original research and review articles on the synthesis and applications of organoboron compounds from researchers around the world. From materials chemistry to the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, organoboron compounds continue to play a major role. Although the topic of organoboron chemistry may seem like a fairly mature field, the chemistry of organoboron compounds continues to flourish unabated. Its use in enabling the formation of C−C bonds remains a dominant feature of its chemistry, primarily through Suzuki-Miyaura couplings. But its use in asymmetric synthesis through Matteson-type reactions has also flourished. Much of the utility of organoboron compounds stems from the ability to transform them into a myriad of alternative functional groups, usually with perfect stereospecificity. This occurs because boron is a rather temperamental atom, as although it has 3 bonds to it, it is rather hungry for a 4th, but then when it gets a 4th substituent, one of the groups on boron migrates to a neighboring group which houses a leaving group, returning boron to its trivalent state. The great beauty of boron is that it can orchestrate these movements of groups with high selectivity and perfect precision. With the emergence of new technologies like visible-light photochemistry, and simple-to-set-up electrochemistry new opportunities emerge where these fields are brought to the door of organoboron chemistry and new transformations can be achieved. There is no doubt, that the field of organoboron chemistry will continue to thrive and its use in materials and in synthesis will continue to evolve for the benefit of the whole of society. This collection provides a taster of some of the new directions that the field can move in and the breadth and variety of organoboron research. The opinions expressed in this publication are the view of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of the European Journal of Organic Chemistry, the Publisher, Chemistry Europe, or the affiliated editors. Varinder K. Aggarwal studied chemistry at Cambridge University and received his Ph.D. in 1986 under the guidance of Dr. Stuart Warren. After postdoctoral studies (1986-1988) under Prof. Gilbert Stork, Columbia University, he returned to the UK as a Lecturer at Bath University. In 1991 he moved to Sheffield University, where he was promoted to Professor in in 1997. In 2000 he moved to Bristol University where he holds the Chair in Synthetic Chemistry. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 2012. Zuowei Xie pursued studies in a joint PhD program between Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technische Universität Berlin under co-supervision of Profs. Yao-Zeng Huang, Changtao Qian and H. Schumann, and earned his PhD in 1990. After postdoctoral work (1991-1995) under Prof. C. A. Reed at University of Southern California, he took up an Assistant Professorship at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1995, and then was appointed as a Choh-Ming Li Professor of Chemistry in 2013. He moved to Southern University of Science and Technology in 2022 as a Chair Professor. Prof. Xie has been elected Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences since 2017. Hajime Ito obtained his PhD under the supervision of the late Professor Yoshihiko Ito. He served as an Assistant Professor at Tsukuba University, collaborating with Professor Akira Hosomi, before moving to the Institute for Molecular Science. In 2001, he worked as a research associate in Professor Kim D. Janda's research group at the Scripps Research Institute. The following year, he became an Associate Professor at Hokkaido University, where he worked with Professor Masaya Sawamura. In 2010, he was promoted to full Professor at the same university. In 2018, he was appointed as vice director of WPI-ICReDD at Hokkaido University.

Richard Lerner's Bioinspiration: Biomolecular Visualization and Modeling at Scripps Research

AbstractIn thinking back on Richard Lerner's impact on our lab's trajectory at Scripps Research, we see his fingerprints on all the efforts we have undertaken over the last 40 years. Immunology and virology have been a continuing driving focus in our software development and application within the Molecular Graphics Lab (now the Center for Computational Structural Biology – CCSB), spurred on by the marriage of chemistry with biology that Richard enabled at Scripps. Many of our earliest and continuing computational docking targets have been focused on HIV with collaborations with Chi‐Huey Wong and Barry Sharpless. Along with subsequent computational work with Jeff Kelly, Reza Ghadiri, Udi Keinan and Ben Cravatt we have been able to sustain continuous efforts in developing and applying docking and other computational technologies to structural chemistry problems. In this remembrance, we give our reflections of Richard Lerner's character, vision, and his inspiration in our scientific lives and in the environment that he created at Scripps Research.

Switching up the Kolbe reaction

Back in 1849, German chemist Hermann Kolbe reported that he could form carbon-carbon bonds by electrolyzing carboxylate salts. On paper, this decarboxylative coupling looks promising, but it typically uses high-density direct current. This current generates strongly oxidizing conditions that destroy most functional groups. “The classical Kolbe is kind of like taking your normal organic molecule and putting it into the electric chair . . . . You literally zap it to smithereens,” says Phil S. Baran, a chemist at Scripps Research in California. Chemists led by Baran and his Scripps colleague Yu Kawamata recently discovered that by tweaking the way they apply current during the Kolbe reaction, they can avoid these highly oxidizing conditions and make the transformation practical for coupling many types of primary carboxylates ( Science 2023, DOI: 10.1126/science.adf4762 ) . Instead of using direct current, which is common in electrochemistry, the chemists use rapid alternating polarity, which

The 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry-sweet!

On 2022 October 5, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced its decision to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2022 to Carolyn R. Bertozzi (Stanford University), Morten Meldal (University of Copenhagen), and K. Barry Sharpless (Scripps Research) “for the development of click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry.” The glycobiology community was exultant! To understand why, one must appreciate how challenges in glycoscience research motivated the development of these transformative chemical tools. Glycoscience has a storied history contributing significant discoveries to hematology, metabolism, microbiology, and other fields of biomedical research throughout much of the 20th century. But when the 1970s and 80s ushered in new molecular biology methods that accelerated studies of nucleic acid and protein function, studies of glycans began to lag behind (National Research Council 2012; Agre et al. 2016). Fortunately, since then, vast improvements have been made in areas such as carbohydrate synthesis and glycan arrays (Rillahan and Paulson 2011; Li and Bennett 2022), availability of glyco-enzymes and small molecule inhibitors (Moremen et al. 2018; Almahayni et al. 2022), mass spectrometry analysis of glycans and glycopeptides (Ruhaak et al. 2018; Suttapitugsakul et al. 2020; Bagdonaite et al. 2022), as well understanding of biological systems (Varki 2017), all of which have facilitated studies of glycan function. Notwithstanding these and other important advances, glycan detection has presented a recurrent challenge. Indeed, much of the modern practice of biological research hinges on the ability to specifically address a biomolecule of interest so that it can be isolated, visualized, or quantified. For nucleic acids, this can often be achieved via hybridization, whereas specific proteins can be detected and tracked using antibodies or protein tagging methods. But genetically encoded tags cannot be used to track glycans, which are not primary gene products. For the glycobiologist, lectins and antibodies have been essential tools but can suffer from limitations relating to specificity and affinity (Cummings et al. 2022).

Activity‐Based Protein Profiling – Celebrating the Groundbreaking Contributions of Benjamin Cravatt

Activity‐Based Protein Profiling – Celebrating the Groundbreaking Contributions of Benjamin Cravatt

Chuan He, Jeffery W. Kelly, and Hiroaki Suga receive 2023 Wolf Prize in Chemistry

The 2023 Wolf Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Chuan He of the University of Chicago, Jeffery W. Kelly of Scripps Research Institute in California, and Hiroaki Suga of the University of Tokyo. The trio received the honor “for pioneering discoveries that illuminate the functions and pathological dysfunctions of RNA and proteins and for creating strategies to harness the capabilities of these biopolymers in new ways to ameliorate human diseases,” according to the prize announcement . The three researchers do not work in the same field but are aware of one another’s work, He says, adding that their collective goal is to understand biology at the molecular level. Since discovering in 2011 that RNA bases are transiently methylated ( Nat. Chem. Biol. , DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.687 ), He has spent much of his time as a group leader studying how chemical modification of RNA can regulate gene expression and its

The activities of the Japan Scripps Society and recent trends in the Scripps Research Institute

The activities of the Japan Scripps Society and recent trends in the Scripps Research Institute