Solid Tumor Anticancer Drug Discovery from Tropical Marine Cyanobacteria

Emily Mevers

Appointment Period: 2011-2013, Grant Years: [27,28]

Marine algae and cyanobacteria are extremely rich sources of structurally diverse natural products, some of which have potent biological properties of relevance to cancer treatment. These samples, collected under permits from various foreign countries, are available as screening sets for human lung cancer cytotoxicity screens. As active materials are found from screening, I apply state-of-the-art chromatographic expertise to separate these into single components which are then returned to the bioassay for evaluation. Ultimately, this process leads to pure and active compounds which I then apply contemporary approaches in 2DNMR and Mass Spectrometry to solve their sometimes quite complicated structures. I fully expect that some of my research projects will develop such that I become involved in determining the site of action of one of my more potent anticancer-type molecules.

PUBLICATIONS (resulting from this training)

Pending - appointment to this training grant just recently commenced

Other publications (prior to Training Grant appointment):

Mevers E, Liu WT, Engene N, Mohimani H, Byrum T, Pevzner PA, Dorrestein PC, Spadafora C, Gerwick WH. Cytotoxic Veraguamides, Alkynyl Bromide-Containing Cyclic Depsipeptides from the Marine Cyanobacterium cf. Oscillatoria margaritifera. J Nat Prod. 2011 May 27;74(5):928-36. Epub 2011 Apr 13. PubMed PMID: 21488639; PMC3103610.

Nunnery JK, Mevers E, Gerwick WH. Biologically active secondary metabolites from marine cyanobacteria. Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2010 Dec;21(6):787-93. Epub 2010 Oct 26. Review. PubMed PMID: 21030245; PMC3034308.