Research in The Siegel Laboratory is centered on organic synthesis. The diverse and evolving set of small molecules our group works on originate from natural sources, natural products, signaling lipids, as well as small molecule leads for diseases that lack therapeutic options. The syntheses of structurally complex compounds are of particular interest as these targets allow us to gain one of a kind access to rare compounds for study while also providing an important training opportunity for synthetic chemists. Projects aligned with biological questions and drug development are linked through collaborations with groups specializing in select areas of biology and medicine. As a research group in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, we strive to develop compounds that achieve their purpose by meeting pharmacodynamic as well as pharmacokinetic criteria. Chemical probes to decipher pathways controlled by small molecules are also developed and tested within the group and provide unique insights into targets that would be difficult or impossible to identify by other means.
