Professor, Organic and Medicinal Chemistry
Research
Research in the Schaus Group is focused in two major areas: enantioselective catalytic synthetic methodologies for chemical synthesis and biomedical research, the latter conducted at the Boston University Center for Molecular Discovery. Catalytic methods developed in the Schaus Research Laboratories include enantioselective boronate reactions, asymmetric Mannich reactions, and metal-promoted condensation reactions.
- Enantioselective Boronate Catalysis – The development of methodologies to construct chiral building blocks and natural products using boronates.
- Asymmetric Mannich Reactions – The use of cinchona amine, acid, and diol catalysis in the synthesis of chiral amines and heterocycles.
- Biomedical Research – Advance translational science in the treatment of cancer and infectious disease in conjunction with the CMD-BU.
- Cancer Treatments – Develop treatments for cancers challenging to treat in collaboration with Professor Ulla Hansen in the Department of Biology and clinicians. Taking on liver cancer in the lab.
- Neglected Tropical Disease – BU Researchers Work against Deadly, Disfiguring Disease. Pharmaceutical giant GSK chooses team in its new competition.
Publications
Techniques & Resources
- Organic Synthesis techniques are used and include modern methods for synthesis, purification, and analysis of organic molecules.
- The Center for Molecular Discovery (CMD-BU) is an NIH-funded Center at Boston University which focuses on development of new methodologies for the synthesis of chemical libraries and biomedical research.
What’s Next for Graduates of the Schaus Group?
Since 2001, 20 graduate students have completed their Ph.D. dissertations and 3 postdoctoral fellows have completed fellowships.
Of those who have completed training, 6 of 20 have pursued academic or postdoctoral positions while the remainder have pursued careers in the pharmaceutical industry or professional sciences. Former graduate students include:
- Dr. Stacy Van Epps, Senior Scientist, Abbvie Bioresearch Center
- Dr. Sha Lou, Research Investigator, Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Dr. Randolph Escobar, Senior Scientist, AstraZeneca