Research
The Janetka research laboratory is broadly interested in the X-ray structure-based drug design, medicinal chemistry and organic synthesis of chemical tools and small molecule drugs. In multiple drug discovery projects, we are developing inhibitors of proteases, kinases, lectins, and other protein targets for studying and treating cancer and a variety of infectious disease. One project is targeting several serine proteases including HGFA and hepsin which activate growth factors and cytokines in tumors. Another project is working on inhibitors of transmembrane serine proteases such as TMPRSS2 and matriptase as broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. We have a project focused on aspartic protease inhibitors and GPCR antagonists as novel therapy for River Blindness, caused by parasitic filarial worm infections. We are also working on phosphodiesterase inhibitors as well as inhibitors of PIM kinase and others as new anthelmintic drugs to treat intestinal worm infections caused by whipworm and hookworm. Further studies are directed on the rational design of CDPK1 kinase inhibitors as novel drugs to treat acute and cure chronic Toxoplasmosis. Finally, a large research effort is dedicated to the structure-guided design of glycomimetic lectin antagonists such as PapG as innovative antivirulence therapeutics for the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections and in one project targeting Fap2 for colon cancer.