Eberly College of Science Department of Chemistry

Gong Chen

Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Email: guc11@psu.edu

Research Interests

We are a young organic group located on the 4^th floor of the new chemistry building. We are interested in both synthetic and biological studies of carbohydrates and peptides, two essential building blocks of any living system. Organic synthesis is the key, yet not the destination, of our research program. Our mission is to develop all kinds of bio-chemical tools to unravel some novel biological functions of carbohydrates and peptides in the living system, preferentially on a glycomic and proteomic level. In addition to revealing molecular mechanisms, we hope that our studies will facilitate the development of valuable therapeutic and diagnostic agents. Our current research projects include total synthesis of novel peptide (non-ribosomal peptide) and carbohydrate-based natural products, molecular imaging studies of cellular sialylation processes, and development of synthetic receptors for complex carbohydrates.

Positions Available

Highly self-motivated undergraduate and graduate students with organic synthesis or biochemistry backgrounds are encouraged to apply for our research positions. Post-doc candidates with extensive synthesis or carbohydrate background are also welcome to apply.

Representative Publications

11. Development of efficient methods for accomplishing cysteine-free peptide and glycopeptide coupling. Gong Chen, Qian Wan, Zhongping Tan, Cindy Kan, Krishnakumar Ranganathan, Zihao Hua, and Samuel J. Danishefsky. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2007, 46, 7383-7386.

10. Mature homogeneous erythropoietin building blocks by chemical synthesis: the EPO 114-166 glycopeptide domain presenting its O-linked glycophorin. Jiehao Chen, Gong Chen, Bin Wu, Qian Wan, Zhongping Tan, Zihao Hua, and Samuel J. Danishefsky. Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 8013-8016.

9. Mature homogeneous erythropoietin building blocks by chemical synthesis: the EPO 22-37 glycopeptide domain presenting the fully N-linked dodecasaccharide. Bin Wu, Zhongping Tan, Gong Chen, Jiehao Chen, Zihao Hua, Qian Wan, Krishnakumar Ranganathan, and Samuel J. Danishefsky. Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 8009-8011.

8. A valuable advance in the synthesis of carbohydrate based anticancer vaccines through extended cycloaddition chemistry. Qian Wan, Jiehao Chen, Gong Chen, and Samuel J. Danishefsky. J. Org. Chem. 2006, 71, 8244-8249.

7. Synthesis of the biantennary N-glycan of erythropoietin. Bin Wu, Zihao Hua, J. David Warren, Krishnakumar Ranganathan, Qian Wan, Gong Chen, Zhongping Tan, Jiehao Chen, Atsushi Endo, and Samuel J. Danishefsky. Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 5577-5579.

6. Reiterative cysteine-based coupling leading to complex, homogeneous glycopeptides. Bin Wu, J. David Warren, Jiehao Chen, Gong Chen, Zihao Hua, and Samuel J. Danishefsky. Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 5219-5223.

5. Studies related to the relative thermodynamic stabilities of C-terminal peptidyl esters of O-hydroxy thiophenol: emergence of a doable strrategy for non-cysteine ligation applicable to the chemical synthesis of glycopeptides. Gong Chen, J. David Warren, Jiehao Chen, Bin Wu, Qian Wan, and Samuel J. Danishefsky. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 7460-7462.

4. Toward erythropoietin, part I: reiterative cysteine-based coupling leading to complex, homogeneous glycopeptides. Bin Wu, J. David Warren, Jiehao Chen, Gong Chen, Zihao Hua, and Samuel J. Danishefsky. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 4116-4125.

3. Synthesis of cyclic peptides and glycopeptides by native chemical ligation using in situ derived thioester. Jiehao Chen, J. David Warren, Bin Wu, Gong Chen, Qian Wan, and Samuel J. Danishefsky. Tetrahedron Lett. 2006, 47, 1969-1972.

2. Development of metabolic imaging agents via rational design of fluorescence switch: new fluorogenic probes for monoamine oxidases. Gong Chen, Dominic J. Yee, Niko G. Gubernator, and Dalibor Sames. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 4544-4545.

1. Reactivity of functional groups on the protein surface: development of epoxide probes for protein labeling. Gong Chen, Alexander Heim, Doris Riether, Dominic J. Yee, Yelena Milgrom, Mary Ann Gawinowicz, and Dalibor Sames. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 8130-8133.