Ragains, Justin - Louisiana State University

个人简介

Justin Ragains received his B.S. in 2000 from Ball State University. He participated in undergraduate research in organic synthesis in the laboratory of Mohammad Behforouz. He completed his Ph.D. in 2006 under the supervision of Jeffrey D. Winkler at the University of Pennsylvania where his research involved the development of [2+2] photocycloadditions of vinylogous amides with olefins. From 2006-2010, he worked as a postdoctoral associate with Jon Clardy (Harvard Medical School) and Ralph Mazitschek (Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital) performing research in chemical biology and organic synthesis. Justin has been an Assistant Professor at LSU since August of 2010. His research interests include the development of synthetic methods in organic chemistry and the synthesis of small molecules for the study of biological function.

研究领域

Research in our laboratory addresses problems ranging from the chemical to the biological sciences. We are interested in the development of new synthetic organic methods, particularly with the use of visible light photoredox catalysis, a new and exciting area of organic synthesis marked by the novelty and mildness of the methods that it produces. We are also interested in the synthesis and evaluation of small molecules for the study of biological function. This area of investigation, in particular, is highly collaborative. Development of Visible Light-Promoted and Visible Light Photocatalytic Methods in Organic Synthesis We are developing a range of visible light-promoted and visible light photocatalytic transformations. We have been particularly successful in the development of a photocatalytic O-glycosylation of alcohols with selenoglycoside donors and have reported both transition metal-catalyzed and organocatalytic variants of this method. This chemistry is currently being expanded into other areas of selenium chemistry. Finally, a number of other visible light photoredox catalytic methods are currently being developed by members of our group. Chemical Genetic Studies of Chemosensation in Caenorhabditis elegans and Related Nematodes We are engaged in studies aimed at elucidating the function of a series of small molecule metabolites of the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. C. elegans biosynthesizes a series of metabolites known as ascarosides and in turn uses them to regulate a number of aspects of its own development and behavior. We have synthesized a series of naturally-occurring ascarosides and analogs thereof. Study of the action of these molecules on C. elegans (in collaboration with the laboratory of Rebecca Butcher at the University of Florida) will provide a number of helpful insights into the processes governing biochemical signal transduction, olfaction and the hormonal regulation of development and behavior in C. elegans and higher organisms. We have also synthesized metabolites of a related nematode (the insect pathogen Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) as part of an additional collaboration with the Butcher Lab.

近期论文

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Hollister, K.A.; Conner, E.S.; Zhang, X.; Spell, M.; Bernard, G.M.; Patel, P.; de Carvalho, A.C.G.V.; Butcher, R.A.; Ragains, J.R. Ascaroside Activity in Caenorhabditis elegans is Highly Dependent on Chemical Structure. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2013, 21, 5754-5769. Spell, M.; Wang, X.; Wahba, A.E.; Conner, E.S.; Ragains, J.R. An a-Selective, Visible Light Photocatalytic Glycosylation of Alcohols with Selenoglycosides. Carbohydr. Res. 2013, 67, 42-47. Noguez, J.H.; Conner, E.S.; Zhou, Y.; Ciche, T.A.; Ragains, J.R.; Butcher, R.A. A Novel Ascaroside Controls the Parasitic Life Cycle of the Entomopathogenic Nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora. ACS Chem. Biol. 2012, 7, 961-966. Kim, K.; Sato, K.; Shibuya, M.; Zeiger, D.M.; Butcher, R.A.; Ragains, J.R.; Clardy, J.; Touhara, K.; Sengupta, P. Two Chemoreceptors Mediate Developmental Effects of Dauer Pheromone in C. elegans. Science 2009, 326, 994-998. Butcher, R.A.; Ragains, J.R.; Clardy, J. An Indole-Containing Dauer Pheromone Component with Unusual Dauer Inhibitory Activity at Higher Concentrations. Org. Lett. 2009, 11, 3100-3103. Butcher, R.A.; Ragains, J.R.; Li, W.; Ruvkun, G.; Clardy, J.; Mak, H.Y. Biosynthesis of the Caenorhabditis elegans Dauer Pheromone. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., USA. 2009, 106, 1875-1879. Butcher, R.A.; Ragains, J.R.; Kim, E.; Clardy, J. A Potent Dauer Pheromone Component in Caenorhabditis elegans that Acts Synergistically with Other Components. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., USA. 2008, 105, 14288-14292. Floyd, D.L.; Ragains, J.R.; Skehel, J.J.; Harrison, S.C.; van Oijen, A.M. Single-Particle Kinetics of Influenza Virus Membrane Fusion. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., USA. 2008, 105, 15382-15387. Ragains, J.R.; Winkler, J.D. Pseudosymmetry in Azabicyclo[2.1.1]hexanes. A Stereoselective Construction of the Bicyclic Core of Peduncularine. Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 4437-4440. Winkler, J.D.; Ragains, J.R. Intramolecular Photoaddition of Vinylogous Amides with Allenes: A Novel Approach to the Synthesis of Pyrroles. Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 4031-4033. Winkler, J.D.; Londregan, A.T.; Ragains, J.R.; Hamann, M.T. Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Manzamine Analogues. Org. Lett. 2006, 8, 3407-3409. Seradj, H.; Cai, W.; Erasga, N.O.; Chenault, D.V.; Knuckles, K.A.; Ragains, J.R.; Behforouz, M. Total Synthesis of Novel 6-Substituted Lavendamycin Antitumor Agents. Org. Lett. 2004, 6, 473-476.