The discovery and optimization of small bioactive molecules remains an active goal for chemists in both academic and industrial settings. Bioactive molecules provide essential insights into basic cellular function and they are critical to identify cellular targets implicated in human diseases. Research in the Sotelo laboratory focuses on organic synthesis, with a specific emphasis on developing new methods and molecules that will enhance our understanding of the basis of human diseases and the discovery of new small molecule treatments. The ability to synthesize new chemical entities rapidly and efficiently provides unlimited opportunities to discover compounds with exciting properties and applications. Synthesis is an immensely powerful tool in Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology and we exploit this approach for the development of novel therapeutic agents to address significant unmet medical needs and to tailor molecular probes to study complex biological systems. The Sotelo laboratory has also pioneered the use of 3D printing concepts in the development of novel environmentally friendly heterogeneous catalysts.
Our ongoing projects are split into four major areas:
