The Medicinal Chemistry Facility provides researchers with expertise in early-stage drug discovery and synthetic organic chemistry. Although lead optimization is the Facility’s specialty, the Facility offers several other medicinal chemistry services such as initial lead selection, the rational design and synthesis of compound libraries, elucidation of structure-activity relationships, scaling up biologically relevant compounds (1 – 5 g, contingent on synthetic accessibility), and the design and synthesis of probes.  The Facility also offers limited analytical chemistry support for small molecules that includes aqueous solubility, solution stability and purity (quality assurance).  Custom synthesis for non-medicinal chemistry projects is approved on a case-by-case basis and is determined by synthetic accessibility and time constraints.  

With the goal of discovering novel molecules that elicits a significant biological response, drug discovery requires an interdisciplinary team of scientists for success. As medicinal chemistry is critical for lead optimization, the Facility works closely with the Molecular Modeling Core, NMR Facility, Biophysics Core, and biology research groups to produce advanced leads with improved biological activity and drug-like properties.  The Facility has participated in ten successful lead optimization campaigns and on average produces over 300 compounds a year.    

Established in 2011, the Medicinal Chemistry Facility is located on the 2^nd floor of the CTR Building. The modernized laboratory contains standard organic chemistry equipment, rotary evaporators, microwave reactor, and automated chromatography systems.  For chemical characterization, the Facility manages an Agilent MR 400 MHz NMR and an Agilent 6224 LC/MS with a time-of-flight MS detector.  The Facility has similar chemistry capabilities found in a comparable biotech setting. 

Contact: 

Joe A. Burlison, Director – joe.burlison@louisville.edu or (502)-852-0969