Welcome to the Paula Research Group
The primary goal of our research is the discovery of novel bioactive compounds and a detailed characterization of the molecular interactions that they undergo with their protein receptors. Understanding the factors that determine a small molecule's ability to interact specifically with a protein receptor is critical for the elucidation of many biological processes as well as for the design of novel drugs. We are mostly interested in enzyme inhibitors that are of potential therapeutic value. To reach our research goals, we employ computational techniques capable of analyzing and predicting bioactivities and specificities as well as more traditional bioassays that determine the potencies of compounds. We obtain our test compounds either commercially after virtual screens of large libraries or via collaborations with synthetic organic chemists. Some examples of current and past projects are inhibitors of P-type ATPases (sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase, sodium/potassium ATPase), xanthine oxidase, serine phosphatases, human aromatase, and anti-cocaine antibodies.
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