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Author |
|
| Name | Cohen, Seth |
| Research field | Chemistry and Biochemistry |
| Career stage | professor |
| Home university/institution | University of California San Diego |
| Department/Research unit at home university/institution | - |
| Chair/Working group at home institution | - |
International activity |
|
| Country | Germany |
| Location | Bochum |
| University | Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) |
| Fund Research School | VIP |
| Type of activity | research stay |
| Period |
starts 01-01-2015 ends 31-12-2017 |
| Keywords | - |
| Report |
Background Seth Cohen is Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of California, San Diego. He graduated from UC Berkeley, then did a postdoc at MIT, Cambridge, from where he moved directly to his current affiliation in 2001. While moving up the academic ranks, he also developed an unusually broad research profile that touches aspects of medicinal chemistry, drug screening, inorganic materials for catalysis, material science, and several others. Seth also had senior administrative roles, for example as Head of Department until recently. What is less know is his passion for muscle cars, music, and the American way of Life (see photo 1). Nils Metzler-Nolte is Professor for Bioinorganic and Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry at RUB. He graduated from LMU Munich, and after a postdoc with M. L. H. Green in Oxford became independent group leader at the Max-Planck-Institut für Strahlenchemie (now MPI for Chemical Energy Conversion) in Mülheim / Ruhr. He was appointed professor for Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Heidelberg in 2000, and moved to Bochum in 2006. The group works on metal-based drugs, including synthesis and characterization of new metal complexes, and investigations of their biological effects. Nils has been Speaker of the RUB Research School, Vice President of RUB, and is Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Outside chemistry, he has a passion for tennis and playing jazz piano. Seth is Visiting International Professor of the RUB-RS since 2016 with the group of Nils. Together, they work on an innovative project in drug discovery using metal-based compounds. Web site of the Cohen group: http://cohenlab.ucsd.edu Web site of the Metzler-Nolte group: http://www.chemie.rub.de/ac1 The Project The use of metal compounds in biomedicine – often termed medicinal inorganic chemistry - is an area of active research in many laboratories around the world (Gasser et al., J. Med. Chem. 54, 2011, 3; Gasser & Metzler-Nolte, Curr. Opinion Chem. Biol. 16, 2012, 84). Beyond the purely organic molecules that are traditionally used as drugs, it is increasingly recognized that metal complexes (particularly of transition metals) offer a number of unique properties. Among those, the capability to undergo electron transfer reactions ("redox chemistry"), is the most obvious feature. On the other hand, "compound shape" is clearly an important factor in molecular recognition processes between a ligand and its biological target, but this aspect has not yet been fully developed for metal-based drugs. Notably, it is well recognized in the medicinal chemistry community at large that the available compound space in purely organic drug and fragment libraries is limited (Firth et al., J. Chem. Inform. Modelling 52, 2012, 2516), particularly by the fact that many of the compounds in those libraries are derived from aromatic ring systems, and consequently are mostly 2-dimensional (e.g., essentially "flat" molecules, as exemplified by compounds such as aspirin). Metal complexes, on the other hand, are by their very nature most often globular, achieving a high degree of 3-dimensional shape. In the joint research effort between both groups, a common shortcoming in the existing, mostly organic compound libraries will be addressed, which is a lack of three-dimensionality in these molecular fragments. Both labs will use their existing, complementary knowledge and infrastructure to synthesize, characterize and test this common library. The Metzler-Nolte group in particular has worked for years with compounds derived from the metallocene and half-sandwich families of complexes, and has available a large number of different compounds that have never been explored in this respect, the Cohen lab will perform the necessary biological assays, and carry out structural characterization. Interaction Even before the VIP nomination, both groups had some interactions. Seth has visited RUB for the first time in late 2008, and spent time with Nils’ group not only in the University but also on Bochum’s Christmas market. Likewise, Nils has visited San Diego and gave research seminars to the Department in April 2011, and again in September 2013. In the framework of the VIP project, Seth spent several weeks in Bochum as a guest of the Metzler-Nolte group (March 2016, and again in September / October 2016). He gave seminars on his research, and also contributed to the regular teaching in Bioinorganic Chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Most important, however, were the personal interactions and the many discussion that Seth had with members of the Metzler-Nolte group, and with Nils. As one important outcome a PhD candidate in Nils’ group, Anna Cordes, was awarded an IRB from the RUB Research Schoolplus. She used this money not only for presenting her work at conferences (e.g. Gordon Research Conference on “Metals in Medicine” in 2014), but mostly for a five-month research placement in Seth’s lab at UC San Diego during October 2017 – March 2018. During this time, she worked closely with Dr. Christine Morrison, a postdoc in the Cohen lab, to realize results in the VIP project. The two groups have a regular and intense interaction, and a joint publication (hopefully high profile) is very well underway. Below is a picture from the 2018 Gordon Research Conference on “Metals in Medicine” (June 2018, Andover, NH, USA), showing Rayul Stokes (PhD in the Cohen group), and Anna, Christine, Seth and Nils (left to right) in front of their joint poster on “Fragment-based Drug Discovery using Metal Complexes” (Photo 2). Interestingly, a second line of research in the Cohen group deals with metal-organic frameworks, which are used for gas separations and storage, drug delivery and other applications. This coincides with the interest of the research group of Prof. Roland Fischer (Inorganic Chemistry II at RUB until 2016). Thus, there was also a good interest in the Fischer group for discussions and interactions with Seth during his times in Bochum. Finally, Seth also gave a somewhat unusual „presentation“ at the RUB RS Coffee Corner, aimed at interesting PhD candidates to do research placements or even a postdoc in the US. Here is from the teaser for this event: “… In his presentation at Coffee Corner, Seth will introduce his passion for classic cars, almost certainly showing photographs of his favourite models. While commenting on music, lifestyle and possibly surfin’ in California he will be open to discuss cultural differences and attitudes that may be relevant when you consider doing a postdoc in the US…”. The presentation was well received, and clearly the interaction continues! |