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P R O M I N B N TC H E H I S T S T O J O I N
RESEARCETNSTITUTE OF SCRIPPS CLINIC
LA JOLLA, CA June
join
Ph.D.,
Wong,
Chi-FIuey
28,
two
the Research Institute
of
The expertise
of
to
Clinic
Scripps
Lerner,
the
study
chemistsr
on July
be a key addition
the trvo will
Institute,
prominent
nationally
Ph.D.'
Skolnick,
Jeffrey
assembled by Richard
researchers
Research
1989
Iq.D. ,
structure
wil-1
1.
to
a team of
director
and
and
of
mechanics
the
of
proteins.
The
grants
research
and graduate
Prior
professor
to
joining
the
chemistry
20 other
a year
$500'000
scientists,
glasses
polymers;
and theory
and
uses
themselves
interests
in
technicians
computers
into
of
conformational
to
MORE
Louis,
theoretical
stability
and
polymers
properties
of
in
glassy
solutions.
model the
tiifferenL
St.
v/as a
macromolecular
dynamics of
mechanical
of polyelectrolyte
in
have been in
proteins;
melts;
Skolnick
University
mechanics
protein
dynamics of
solution,
Skolnick
of
Institute,
Washington
statistical
theory
kinetics;
at
Research
research
including
assemblies;
fold
them more than
and more than
primary
chemistry,
folding
rsith
students.
of
his
where
bring
two will
shapes
way complex proteins
and
indicated
h.e h/as
Page 2 --
Research Institute
Chemists Join
impressed with
povrer available
Cray supercomputer
the
at
Scripps
Cl inic .
Wong,
in
University
of
new
a
who was
CoIlege
rat ional
Station,
des ign
and
interested
using
bioorganic
of
chemistry
of
is
strategy
synthetic
investigation
professor
synti-resis of
in
enzymes,
reactions
Texas
at
the
the
synthetic
of
biologically
A
& M
development
mechanistic
val-ue, and the
acLive
compounds
such as enzvmes and inhibitors.
During
past
the
and practical
synthetic
synthesis
asymmetric
aldol
catalyzed
deprotection
t r or in g
using
carbohydrate
lipases
and
via
transesterifications
using
and
preparative
peptide
farge-sca1e
amidase-damaged
are
enz)rme-
protection
chemistry,
recycling,
new
importance
substances
new enzymatic
severaf
proteases,
and
enol- esters
as
reagents.
has
al- so
used
condensations
establ
in
can
unphosphorylated
phosphates
in
cofactor
enzymatic
substrates
arsenate,
Of parLicular
sugar-related
methodology
irreversibLe
acylating
of
with
he has developed
strategies.
condensations,
oxidoreductions
synthesis
years,
five
be
replaced
organic
for
that
the
the
with
alcoholneed for
removal- of
the
and
the
the
phosphate
organic
processes
many enzymatic
el-iminating
and
i shed
the
as
such
aldol
corresponding
catalytic
preparation
phosphate
amount
of
of
organic
moiety
after
transformation.
FIis
recent
development
in
peptide
MORE
synthesis
using
amidase-
Page 3 --
Chemists Join
damaged proteases
peptides
large
chemically
directed
as
opens
modified
fragment
and
meso diols,
and
in
the
organometallic,
the
regio-
via
be useful
kinetic
templates
enol
catalyzed
chemoselective
for
esters
reactions
resolution
chiral
of
acylation
of
modification
of
enantioselective
and
The
active-site
the use of
esterase
smal-1 and
amino acids.
prepared
lVong pioneered
reagents
the
a number of
unusual
proteases
a new way for
and
to
have been shown to
coupling.
provides
alcohols
usual
serine
transesterification
which
a new route
containing
methylation
peptide
Research Institute
sugars and nucleosides.
Some of Wongrs new research
assisted
rational
design
desirabl-e
catalytic
properties
Skof nick
University
Prize
has
where
for
also
received
the
is
synthesis
and
in
awarded
most outstanding
been awarded the
the
toward the
of
synthetic
doctorate
his
he nas
directed
new enzymes
with
environments.
in
chemist ry
Richard
graduate
computer-
student
prestigious
AIfred
doctorate
in
f rom Yal-e
Wolfgang
chemistry.
in
P.
MemorialHe
Sloan Research
F e 1l o w s h i p .
I{ong
received
Iulassachusetts
fel1ow
at
1985,
and
Institute
Harvard
since
the
Skolnick
recipients
of
of
Technology,
chemistry
He was named Searle
University.
Award in
from
the
and was a postdoctoraL
1986 he has been sefected
Young Investigator
Both
his
for
the
Scholar
in
Presidential
Chemistry.
and Wong have published
numerous grants.
lt .lr
ltT
extensively
and are