Caren Freel Meyers

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT CAREN FREEL MEYERS

My research interests are in the areas of organic and medicinal chemistry, enzymology and drug delivery, with an emphasis on antimicrobial and anticancer drug design. ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS: A long-term goal of my research program is to develop novel approaches to kill human pathogens, including bacterial pathogens and malaria parasites, toward development of potential therapeutic agents. Toward this goal, we are pursuing studies of bacterial isoprenoid biosynthetic enzymes comprising the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway essential in many human pathogens. Studies focus on understanding mechanism and regulation throughout the pathway toward the development of selective inhibitors of isoprenoid biosynthesis. A particular target of interest includes DXP synthase. DXP synthase catalyzes formation of DXP, a branch point metabolite feeding into isoprenoid biosynthesis as well as thiamin diphosphate and pyridoxal phosphate cofactor biosynthesis pathways critical in bacterial central metabolism. Other targets of interest include methylerythritol phosphate processing enzymes IspD, E, and F. Our strategies for creating new antimicrobials involve interdisciplinary research in the continuum of organic, biological and medicinal chemistry. DRUG DELIVERY: We are developing prodrug strategies for the intracellular delivery of highly polar phosphorylated drug molecules, including clinically-used bisphosphonates and phosphorylated inhibitors of MEP pathway enzymes, toward development of antimicrobial and anticancer therapies.