Working in collaboration with researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Walker’s project focuses on creating and studying derivatives of prodigiosin, a naturally occurring compound that has shown promising anticancer properties.

鈥淥ur goal is to synthesize and characterize prodigiosin analogs and evaluate their biological activity against cancer cell lines,鈥� Walker said. 

Although the research is still in its early stages, Walker said the project could help lay the groundwork for future cancer therapies. By developing and testing how new analogs interact with cancer cells, the research will help determine which chemical structures are most promising for future drug development. The findings could eventually contribute to the development of more targeted cancer treatments that improve patient outcomes.

The collaboration combines expertise from both institutions to strengthen the research. While Walker’s laboratory specializes in designing and synthesizing new chemical compounds, Dr. Robert Griffin and his team at UAMS bring expertise in cancer biology to evaluate how the compounds perform against cancer cells. Together, the teams can more thoroughly evaluate how well the compounds work and how they affect cancer cells, helping researchers identify the most promising candidates for further study. 

鈥淭he INBRE funding supports student stipends, laboratory supplies, and access to analytical instrumentation,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淭hese resources allow us to carry out the synthesis and purification of analogs and identify their structure using techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).鈥�

In addition to advancing cancer research, the project is designed to prepare the next generation of scientists by providing students with meaningful research experiences and opportunities to present their work at conferences and contribute to scientific publications.

鈥淥ne of the most exciting aspects of this project is the opportunity to bridge fundamental chemistry with meaningful biomedical applications,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淭he potential to discover new compounds with real therapeutic relevance is highly motivating. Equally exciting is the role this project plays in student development, providing hands-on research experiences that prepare them for careers in science and healthcare.鈥�

Through the collaboration with UAMS, Walker and his team hope to advance the search for more effective, targeted cancer treatments while providing UA 糖心视频logo students with transformative, hands-on research experiences.

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The professors have used the grant to acquire an ultra-speed centrifuge for biomedical research. This instrument will augment a wide array of chemistry research and teaching applications, such as drug development, proteomics, and metabolomics research. They will be able to use the centrifuge for many experiments, including drug design, nanomaterials preparation, cell culture, molecular biology, and biochemical analyses.

鈥淚 think having such high-end equipment at the university is unbelievable, and I am so thankful to INBRE because they gave us this opportunity,鈥� said Dr. Mohammad Goodarzi, assistant professor of biochemistry. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have an ultra-speed centrifuge for our students and for our research. This is a boost for us and working with Dr. Noureen Siraj on this project has been an amazing experience for me. I am also thankful to Dean Brian Berry and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs for all their help with this grant.鈥�

Goodarzi鈥檚 research team investigates the intersection of biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, and immunology, working to craft pharmaceuticals that respond to infection and cancer. His group is dedicated to the advancement of novel drug development that addresses pathogenic infection scenarios.

The new ultra-speed centrifuge is located in the Department of Chemistry in the Science Laboratory Building. Dr. Noureen Siraj, associate professor of chemistry, said that having the equipment will also help students have opportunities to conduct more research.

鈥淭his equipment will offer both undergraduate and graduate students hands-on experience as well as enhance scientific research and collaboration among different departments at UA 糖心视频logo,鈥� Siraj said. 鈥淯ndergraduate students gain practical experience in using various instruments to reinforce the theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom. Our students will get hands-on experience using the ultra-speed centrifuge, and these skills will be in high demand when they graduate.鈥�

Additionally, the ultra-speed centrifuge is essential for the synthesis of gold nanomaterials. Siraj鈥檚 research group is developing different shapes of gold nanomaterials that will be used as a photothermal therapy drug and is also planning to incorporate other chemotherapeutic drugs in gold nanoparticles.

The INBRE grant will also help UA 糖心视频logo form collaborations with other universities. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff as well as Philander Smith University both wrote letters of support for the grant.

鈥淯nfortunately, not many higher education institutions in Arkansas have an ultra-speed centrifuge,鈥� Goodarzi said. 鈥淲e are happy to partner with institutions that do not have access to such equipment who want to use it for research and education. This will lead to multiple cross-institutional research collaborations.鈥�

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