Zhen Huang's Laboratory
Prof. Zhen Huang (University Distinguished Professor Award)
Chinese-American Chemistry & Chemical Biology Professors Association (CAPA)
Research Interests:
The research interests of my laboratory are at the interface of organic chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology. Since nucleic Acids play the most important roles in living organisms, to discover how nucleic acids behave in vitro and in vivo is essential to understand their biochemical and biological properties and to design and develop drugs and therapeutics for fighting cancers, viruses, and other diseases. Students who join in my laboratory will receive opportunities to learn Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Therapeutics Design and Drug Discovery, Biochemistry, Bio-analytical Chemistry, Structural Chemistry, and techniques in Physical Chemistry, Molecular Biology and Structural Biology.
Position Open for Graduate Students & Post-doctors with Organic Synthesis and/or Crystallographic Background
Research Project I:
Chemical and Enzymatic Synthesis of Anti-HIV/Virus/Anti-cancer Drugs and Selenium-Derivatized Nucleic Acids (SeNA) for X-ray Crystallography. The Se-derivatization dramatically facilitates both Crystallization & Phasing.
Figure 1. Synthesis of 2-Se-T phosphoramidite (6) and Se-DNA (7). Journal of American Chemical Society, 2010, 132, 2120–2121.
Figure 2. The global and local structures of the 4-Se-T DNA [(5’-G-dUSe-G-SeT-ACAC-3’)2]. (A) The duplex structure of the modified DNA (2NSK, in cyan) is superimposed over the native (1DNS, in pink). (B) The comparison of the modified (in green) and native (in cyan) local T4 structures. (C) The Se-base pair of T4-A5 with the experimental electron density. Journal of Am. Chem. Soc., 2007, 129, 4862-4863.
Research Project II: RNA MicroArray and MicroChip Technologies
Figure 3. This RNA MicroChip Technology will be a direct, simple, rapid, selective, sensitive & cost-effective
detection & quantification system. ChemBioChem, accepted, 2010, in press.
Contact Information and Mailing Address:
Zhen Huang, Ph.D.
University Distinguished Professor of
Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Department of Chemistry and Department of Biology
Georgia State University
Room 540 General Classroom Building
38 Peachtree Center Ave.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3083
Office Location: 547 NSC
Phone: (404) 413-5535 (Office)
(404)
413-5534 (Lab)
Fax: (404) 413-5505
Email:
Huang@gsu.edu
or
chezh@langate.gsu.edu