Research Interests
Research Highlights
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the permanent repository of genetic information and the acquired understanding of the structure and function of DNA and the related RNA (ribonucleic acid), represent one of the greatest ever triumphs for chemistry and biology. It is not surprising that most of the licensed antiviral drugs (e.g. Zovirax and AZT) and many anticancer drugs are nucleoside analogues which are able to interfere with nucleic acid biosynthesis in a selective manner. Additionally, much of the recent information on the structure/function relationship of nucleic acids has come from using DNA/RNA probes that contain a subtle chemical modification. Present work within the group is concerned with studies on the synthesis of novel nucleic acids analogues as both potential therapeutic agents and as probes for understanding the precise mechanism by which nucleic acids fulfill their biological functions.