Bioorganic and medicinal chemistry of nucleic acid components

Novel types of modified derivatives and analogues of nucleobases, nucleosides, nucleotides and nucleic acids are designed and prepared for applications in all areas of biomedicinal sciences (medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, chemical biology, bioanalysis etc.). Basic developments of methodology for the synthesis of these modified biomolecules are performed largely using modern methods (including metal- or enzyme-catalyzed reactions). Biological activity (cytostatic, antiviral etc.) of the novel nucleobases, nucleosides and nucleotides is systematically studied in collaboration with several groups both in academia and in pharmaceutical industry. Several collaborative projects also address chemical biology of nucleic acids (i.e. DNA polymerase specificity and fidelity). The newest research project of the group deals with functionalized nucleic acids bearing diverse interesting and useful substituents and with their applications in bioanalysis (e.g. diagnostics of mutations of DNA), chemical biology and nanotechnology. The group is a part of the Gilead Sciences & IOCB Research Center.

Appointed to the group is also a Laboratory of Prof. Martin Kotora, working in the field of application of transition metal catalyzed reactions in organic synthesis of modified natural products (nucleosides, terpenoids etc.).

Group web pages: http://www.uochb.cas.cz/hocekgroup