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The Department of Biological Chemistry
Research Activities at Our Chemistry Department
Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry (Prof. Shimon Shatzmiller (Chair), Dr. Gary Gellerman, Dr. Irina Kustanovich)
Our research in Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry covers hit to lead optimization, targeted drug delivery, combinatorial chemistry and development of novel antibiotics. Prof. Sh. Shatzmiller focuses on the design and synthesis of contrast agents and imaging systems for radiography, synthesis of novel unnatural amino-acids and their incorporation in novel peptidomimetic antibiotics as well as the development of industrial processes for new drugs. Recently he entered into Gene Therapy research, linking Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNA) with peptide carriers yielding chimeras for delivery.
Structural Biology Research implementing the high-resolution NMR spectroscopy is pivotal determining biologically valuable protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions. Dr. Irina Kustanovich uses high-resolution multidimensional NMR spectroscopy to investigate dermaseptin antimicrobial peptides in their "native state" at physiological conditions. NMR-derived structures of a large number of native, mutated, chemically modified and truncated dermaceptin analogues show a strong correlation between their well-defined three-dimensional structures and their biological activity. The helical structure of the peptides displays a distinct electrostatic distribution that seems to be responsible for many aspects of their biological functions.
Dr. G. Gellerman specializes in Heterocyclic and Combinatorial Chemistry, Solid Phase Synthesis and Drug Design, Dr. Gellerman’s main research focuses on the development of novel multifunctional platforms for programmed release. These platforms can carry different drugs simultaneously and are designed as links to any known carrier. The application for such programmed drug delivery systems is broad including cancer therapy, cardiovascular diseases, pain management, CNS disorders and others. In another aspect of his research, Dr. Gellerman develops novel medicinally relevant scaffolds suitable for Combinatorial Chemistry on Solid Support. The libraries of small molecules generated from these scaffolds follow Lipinski’s role of 5 to improve the chances of old bioavailability from the early stages of the discovery process. In addition, Dr. G. Gellerman is also involved in the development of novel antifungal compounds for agriculture using structure activity relationship (SAR) approach. Moreover, Dr. Gellerman collaborates with biologists from CJS preparing peptide conjugates for Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) for various hematological cancers.
Bioinorganic, Inorganic and Radiation Chemistry (Prof. Dan Meyerstein (CJS President), Prof. Haim Cohen)
The research of the Inorganic Chemistry group involves both the synthesis and characterization of new coordination complexes. The synthesis of the compounds is supported by the design and preparation of organic ligands appropriate for selectively binding transition metal ions, often in a particular oxidation state. Prof. Meeyrstein and Prof. Cohen interests span radiation chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, complexes with metals in uncommon oxidation states, Metal-Carbon s bonds, red-ox reactions, free-radical kinetics and organometallic ligand design. In particular their group study: Radiation effects on chemical systems, formation and decomposition of Metal-Carbon s bonds in aqueous solutions, b elimination reactions (cleavage of C-X bonds) at ambient temperature; red-ox reactions of macrocyclic transition metal complexes, radical reactions (organic and peroxyl radicals) in aqueous solutions, chemical properties of metal complexes in uncommon oxidation states and red-ox catalysis, low temperature oxidation of coal piles under atmospheric storages. Mass spectrometry, UV-vis spectrophothometry, FTIR spectroscopy and Gas-chromatography are the tools used for quantitative and qualitative determinations of inorganic and organic compounds.
Material Science (Prof. Michael Zinigrad, Dean of Natural Sciences Faculty)
The quality of metallic materials depends on their composition and structure. These characteristics are determined by various physico-chemical and technological factors. Prof. Zinigrad has developed unique methods of mathematical modeling of phase interaction at high temperatures. These methods allow him to build models taking into account: thermodynamic characteristics of the processes, influence of the initial composition and temperature on the equilibrium state of the reactions, kinetics of homogeneous and heterogeneous processes, influence of the temperature, composition, speed of the gas flows, as well as hydrodynamic and thermal factors on the velocity of the chemical and diffusion processes. The models can be implemented in the optimization of various technological processes for the industrial preparation of steels and non-ferrous alloys as well as in material refining, alloying with special additives, removing of non-metallic inclusions, welding, surfacing, and others.
Electrochemistry and Fuel Cells Materials
The fuel cells and electrochemistry group at CJS led by Dr. Alex Schechter is advancing the study of novel materials and reactions related to polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEMFC). His areas of interest include: research of nano-catalysts for methanol oxidation, platinum alloy and non-platinum catalysts for oxygen reduction in fuel cells and particularly methanol tolerant catalysts. Recently, his lab identified a new class of non-platinum materials, which has both scientific and commercial importance. His group is also involved in the investigation of ultrathin proton conducting electrolytes to examine the structure and inner polymer proton interaction influence on the conduction mechanism and on the transport of hydrogen, oxygen and methanol through the thin membrane. Dr. Schechter collaborates extensively with industrial and academic partners through private and governmental support.
Theoretical Chemistry
High-energy cluster theory constitutes a major area of investigation in Theoretical Chemistry. Dr. Haya Kornweitz’s research focuses on the study of high-energy clusters of about 100 water molecules in surface collisions. Upon collision with the surface the water cluster shatters. Using state-of-the-art software, Dr. Kornweitz runs computer simulations of the shattering event to elucidate the mechanism and the threshold energy of the process. It was found that at higher energies the water molecules dissociate. During the shattering process, water molecules are excited, and should emit light. Dr. Kornweitz intends to calculate this emission spectrum as a function of the initial velocity of the water cluster.
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