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Arun K. Ghosh
Ian P. Rothwell Distinguished Professor—Organic Chemistry/Medicinal Chemistry
Email: akghosh@purdue.edu
Phone: 765-494-5323
Office: WTHR 273C
For Professor Ghosh's individual Home Page click here.
My research group is involved in multidisciplinary research projects in the areas of synthetic organic, bioorganic and medicinal chemistry. Of particular interest, we are investigating:
• Synthesis and biological studies of Bioactive Natural Products
• Design and synthesis of Molecular Probes for Bioactive Peptides and Proteins
• Structure-based Design of Enzyme Inhibitors for Alzheimer’s Disease and AIDS
• Development of Asymmetric methodologies (Catalytic and Stoichiometric)
• Multicomponent Reactions (MCR) for Highly Functionalized Products
The total synthesis and exploration biology of various medicinally important natural products are important parts of my group's research. These interests include the development of new synthetic methodologies, general strategies for synthesis and the study of important structure-function relationships. In this context, we are investigating the chemistry and biology of anticancer agents laulimalide, amphidinolides, peloruside A and opioid receptor antagonist salvinorin D. Another important research area in my group is the design and synthesis of molecular probes and nonpeptidal turn-mimics for biologically active peptides and proteins. 
We are currently studying critical ligand-binding site interactions of various proteolytic enzymes. This includes, memapsin 2, a very significant target for Alzheimer’s disease as well as, HIV protease whose clinical effectiveness for the treatment of AIDS has been well recognized. Furthermore, we are involved in the development of asymmetric reactions based upon various intermolecular or intramolecular metal chelations. Of particular interest, we are investigating a variety of asymmetric syntheses including syn- and anti- selective aldol, hetero Diels-Alder, conjugate addition and multicomponent (MCR) reactions.
Education
BSc (Honors), Calcutta University, 1978; MSc, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 1981; PhD, University of Pittsburgh, 1985; Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University, 1985-1988.Recognitions
- National Institutes of Health - MERIT Award, 2011
- Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, 2010
- IUPAC-Richter Prize , 2010
- Robert Scarborough Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry Award, 2008
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2005
- University Scholar, University of Illinois , 1998-2000
- National Scholar, Government of India, 1976-1981
Selected Publications
- Ghosh, A. K.;Anderson, D. D., Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Pladienolide B: A Potent Spliceosome Inhibitor . Organic Letters 2012 , 14 , 4730-4733.
- Ghosh, A. K.;Cheng, X., Synthesis of functionalized 4-methylenetetrahydropyrans by oxidative activation of cinnamyl or benzyl ethers . Tetrahedron Letters 2012 , 53 , 2568-2570.
- Ghosh, A. K.;Cheng, X.;Bai, R. L.;Hamel, E., Total Synthesis of Potent Antitumor Macrolide (-)-Zampanolide: An Oxidative Intramolecular Cyclization-Based Strategy . European Journal of Organic Chemistry 2012 , , 4130-4139.