Satyamaheshwar Peddibhotla, Ph.D.

As a research associate professor in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, he has over 15 years of experience in synthetic/medicinal chemistry, devoted to SAR-based discovery and optimization of small molecules leads, synthesis of active pharmaceutical intermediates and proteomic probes across multiple therapeutic areas including cancer, addiction, metabolic diseases and infectious diseases. As a Senior Scientist at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, he led hit to lead optimization and scale up chemistry to support in vitro and in vivo studies for both phenotypic and specific target driven projects. This work contributed to 12 probes for the NIH Molecular Libraries Program (MLPCN). He has led programs to translate 4 of these probes/hits to in vivo leads under the Florida Translational Research Program (FTRP). In addition, his doctoral work focused on discovering metal-catalyzed cycloadditions aimed towards Diversity Oriented Synthesis (DOS) of heterocyclic libraries that are rich in stereochemical diversity and access novel chemical and biological space. He has also led efforts to develop a “chemical toolbox” for a direct access to natural product proteomic probes to derive SAR information and allow rapid identification of the biological targets in my post-doctoral research. This has provided him the requisite experience in data driven design of analogs, chemo- and site-selective reagent development, stereoselective synthesis, and efficient construction of heterocyclic scaffolds including metal catalyzed processes, parallel synthesis, purification, and characterization to deliver the intended molecules.

Chemokine receptors and GPCRs (G-protein coupled receptors) play crucial roles in various physiological processes, including cancer progression, immune responses, and metabolic regulation. We focus on understanding their involvement in liver and other cancers, particularly in relation to resistance mechanisms, immune modulation, tumor growth, and metastasis, is highly relevant and impactful.

Developing therapeutics targeting GPCRs holds immense potential, especially in addressing the adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with current therapies across multiple disease areas such as cancer, CNS disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic conditions. GPCRs are known for their druggability and diverse roles in cellular signaling, making them promising targets for novel therapeutic interventions.

In our research, we are exploring how modulation of GPCRs can enhance therapeutic efficacy, overcome resistance mechanisms, and potentially improve patient outcomes. The interdisciplinary nature of my work, spans basic drug discovery, pharmacology, molecular mechanisms and therapeutic applications and economic value, underscores its translational potential.

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• Adverse drug reactions (ADRs)
• Chemical biology
• Medicinal chemistry
• Small molecule drug discovery