Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Professor Biophysics
About
RESEARCH FOCUS: Dr. Scott’s research focus is on the structure and function of human membrane cytochrome P450enzymes involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics and the synthesis and interconversions of keyendogenous compounds. In the former context, the Scott lab is interested in both understandingthe metabolism of drugs in clinical use and inhibiting in vivo activation of procarcinogens such asthose in tobacco smoke. The Scott lab also investigates P450 enzymes with endogenous steroid,fatty acid, and vitamin substrates as drug targets for specific disease pathways. Recent effortshave particularly focused on understanding the biochemistry and structural biology of CYP17A1, atarget for prostate cancer, with efforts toward more effective drug design. Various biochemical,biophysical, and structural biology approaches are used to investigate these versatile enzymes, butwith an emphasis on X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy.
