Marty Perry

Associate Professor of Chemistry

(870) 245-5217 (Phone)

(870) 245-5241 (Fax)

Harvey Jones Science Center 216

410 Ouachita Street, Box 3711, Arkadelphia, AR 71998

Audrey

Research Interests

Developing Mimics for Carbohydrates with Lectins Using Molecular Modeling

Our ongoing goal is to develop glycochip arrays that can be used to probe the fine specificities of lectins, glycosyltransferases and antibodies. In this regard we have two specific aims:

1. To continue to decipher the recognition of lectins and to establish the specificity of antibodies and glycosyl hydrolases for select carbohydrate structures. Application of protein surface analysis and energy calculations of T and lactoseries antigen reactive structures open the route for the rational design of compounds of therapeutical interest in the areas of cancer and infectious disease.

2. To evaluate the binding and kinetic properties of compounds that are reactive with select T and lactoseries reactive lectins, antibodies and glycohydrolases. Molecular modeling will be utilized to suggest potential targets and binding analysis will be performed using BIACORE and theoretical energy analysis.

This project has been supported by Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN) grants and continues in collaboration with Dr. Tom Kieber-Emmons in the Department of Pathology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. This research has also been supported in part by a J.D. Patterson Grant.

QSAR, Molecular Modeling, Astrobiology, and Sleep

The objective of this project is to improve the quality of the sleep-wake cycle in astronauts. Our approach involves the study of the structure-activity relationships of novel compounds that modulate sleep patterns using computational techniques such as molecular modeling and quantitative structure-activity relationships to identify templates to design improved medications the astronauts may take during a mission. The goals are:

Goal 1 To compile and build a database of chemicals affecting sleeping patterns. The database will include quantitative descriptors for physiological, pharmacological, and toxicological effects, including potency, mechanism of action, and drug interactions. The physicochemical properties will be obtained using theoretical methods or retrieved from the literature.

Goal 2 To perform quantitative structure activity relationships studies using the classic Hansch's extra-thermodynamic approach, 3-D comparative molecular field analysis, and neural networks to identify best pharmacological agents to use them as templates to design new improved medications the astronauts may take during a mission.

Summaries and presentations of work accomplished to date can be found under the student links listed below. This work continues in collaboration with Drs. Lilia and Cesar Compadre in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. This research has been funded by a Virgil and June Waggoner Grant, by a J.D. Patterson Grant, and by NASA through the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium.