Yu Yuan

Biography

EDUCATION ï‚· B.S. in Polymer Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China, July-2001 Thesis Advisor: Professor Yanmei Wang Thesis Title: The Synthesis and Properties of PNPMA-PSt-PNPMA ï‚· M.A. in Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, Oct-2002 Research Advisor: Professor Chulbom Lee ï‚· Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, Mar-2007 Thesis Advisor: Professor Chulbom Lee Thesis Title: Part I. Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (–)-Kendomycin; Part II. Double Cyclization via Rhodium Alkynyl and Vinylidene Catalysis ï‚· Post-Doctoral Fellow, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, Jul- 2009 Research Advisor: Professor Samuel J. Danishefsky EMPLOYMENT HISTORY ï‚· University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL (2012-present) Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry  Transition metal catalysis, organo-catalysis, multi-component and cascade catalysis  Total synthesis of anti-cancer natural products and lead optimization  Nitro group based cascade reactions ï‚· Merck Research Laboratories, West Point, PA (2009-2012) RNAi Medicinal Chemistry, Sr. Research Chemist  Designing novel siRNA conjugates for targeted gene knockdown  Improving RNA deliveries efficacy by oligonucleotide internal modifications  De novo design of high affinity ligands for tissue and tumor specific siRNA delivery ï‚· Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY (2007-2009) Advisor: Professor Samuel J. Danishefsky  Studies on the chemical synthesis of homogeneous erythropoietin  Investigation of two-component coupling reactions between isonitriles and carboxylic acids  Development of new methods for glycopeptide ligations 

Research Interest

Our laboratory focuses on three major research areas: development of novel methodologies, addressing the unmet needs for efficient medicine synthesis and application of powerful chemical tools to answer important biology questions.