The Laboratory of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology
The research in the laboratory is focused on the chemistry biopolymers, DNA and RNA in particular, chemistry of environment and natural products, as well as physical organic structural chemistry and reaction kinetics. The latter projects continue the long-standing research traditions of the laboratory, whereas the biomolecule and natural chemistry projects - chemical biology- represent research that is strongly based on this tradition. The laboratory coordinates the national Graduate School of Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry.
Nucleic acid chemistry projects include the cleavage of RNA and its catalysts, development of oligonucleotide gluco- and peptide conjugates as tools of cell biology and drug development, solid-phase synthesis, diagnostic methods based on bioaffinity and DNA base modifications.
New directions include also research of environmental and natural products’ chemistry. Plant secondary metabolites and their biological significance are studied by analysing and isolating them from plants, insects, birds and soil. Pharmacological studies are aimed at clarifying their potential as drugs or food additives. Research on applied analytical techniques concentrates in physico chemical structural characterisation of natural organic macromolecules from aquatic environment and in estimating their significance in environmental chemistry.
Physical organic research includes structural analysis of pharmacologically interesting heterocycles, thermodynamics of vinyl ethers and carbonyl compounds and kinetics of solvolysis of carboxylic acid derivatives.