Current Research: Robert Jacobs

Marine pharmacology research program

The overall goal in my lab is to utilize marine natural products as probes in studying the steps of certain molecular and cellular processes; specifically, cell cycle kinetics, synaptic transmission, and pain and inflammatory processes.

All of our research is oriented toward the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms of drug action. Studies include the investigation of marine toxins as well as new classes of natural products from marine invertebrates that inactivate the neurotoxins b-bungarotoxin, bee venom and cobra venom. These marine natural products are purified and identified by collaborators at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Some of these agents are potent inactivators of phospholipase A₂ and interfere with cellular lysis, chemotactic responses, cellular recognition and inflammatory processes. The phospholipase A₂ inactivators have been shown to be potent phorbol ester antagonists and to block tumor promotion and inflammation.

Through collaborative arrangements with participants in bio-organic chemistry, we have established a unique program that investigates the pharmacological properties of potent metabolites from colonial invertebrates and algae. This approach the last decade has led to the discovery of a diverse series of marine natural products that established clearly that marine organisms represent a previously untapped genetic pool of extremely important drugs that can be utilized to treat diseases in man. These investigations have also stimulated considerable basic research on ligand reactions with drug receptors, drug targeting and molecular modeling that evolved directly from our mechanism of action studies. In our laboratory, we continue to be a resource that serves as a stimulus for new research in organic chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology. The approach that is used focuses on developing new avenues of investigation into inflammation. We also have investigations of cytotoxin resistant cancer cells. The goal is to contribute to a better understanding of inflammatory diseases such as ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory diseases of the lung and heart; diseases of the bone and connective tissue and allergies. From a pharmacological perspective, we wish to also contribute to better understanding of drug resistance.

The approach to be used is multifaceted involving mammalian models as well as investigation of analogous processes in marine organisms. In the broadest sense all our methods and approaches involve simulation of molecular membrane, and cell and tissue reactions that lead to formation and release of oxidation products of arachidonic acid and the activation and release of lipase and proteolytic enzymes.

Recent Research Support

1998-01
Marine Inflammation Research Program 1. Pharmacological Studies of Inflammatory Processes, USDC Sea Grant R/MP-81, $72,016 1st yr.

1994-98
Marine Inflammation Research Program 1. Pharmacological Studies of Inflammatory Processes, USDC Sea Grant R/MP-58, $121,061 1st yr., $158,721 2nd yr., $165,692 3rd yr., $89,916 4th yr.

1995-98
The Oxidation and Metabolism of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acis (PUFA) by Marine Organisms, USDC Sea Grant R/MP-71, $84,512 1st yr., $93,000 2nd yr., $92,989 3rd yr.

Robert Jacobs | Research | Publications | Curriculum Vitae

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