James and Ellen Leahy

Dr. James and Ellen Leahy

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

14Years (2013-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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7 March 2013 in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
CTCraig S. Takeuchi
Craig S. Takeuchi
BKByung Gyu Kim
Byung Gyu Kim
CBCharles M. Blazey
Charles M. Blazey
SMSunghoon Ma
Sunghoon Ma
HJHenry W. B. Johnson
Henry W. B. Johnson
NMNicole Miller
Nicole Miller

2 January 2018 in Organic Letters
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
ZSZachary P. Shultz
Zachary P. Shultz
GLGrant A. Lawrence
Grant A. Lawrence
JJJeffrey M. Jacobson
Jeffrey M. Jacobson
ECEmmanuel J. Cruz
Emmanuel J. Cruz
JLJames and Ellen Leahy
James and Ellen Leahy

12 June 2018 in ACS Chemical Biology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
JSJonathan J. Sabbagh
Jonathan J. Sabbagh
RCRicardo A. Cordova
Ricardo A. Cordova
DZDali Zheng
Dali Zheng
MCMarangelie Criado-Marrero
Marangelie Criado-Marrero
ALAndrea Lemus
Andrea Lemus
LBLaura Blair
Laura Blair

24 March 2021 in PLOS ONE
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
LTLogan Tillery
Logan Tillery
KBKayleigh Barrett
Kayleigh Barrett
JGJenna Goldstein
Jenna Goldstein
JLJared W. Lassner
Jared W. Lassner
BOBram Osterhout
Bram Osterhout
WVWesley C. Van Voorhis
Wesley C. Van Voorhis
Naegleria fowleri is a pathogenic, thermophilic, free-living amoeba which causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). Penetrating the olfactory mucosa, the brain-eating amoeba travels along the olfactory nerves, burrowing through the cribriform plate to its destination: the brain’s frontal lobes. The amoeba thrives in warm, freshwater environments, with peak infection rates in the summer months and has a mortality rate of approximately 97%. A major contributor to the pathogen’s high mortality is the lack of sensitivity of N. fowleri to current drug therapies, even in the face of combination-drug therapy. To enable rational drug discovery and design efforts we have pursued protein production and crystallography-based structure determination efforts for likely drug targets from N. fowleri. The genes were selected if they had homology to drug targets listed in Drug Bank or were nominated by primary investigators engaged in N. fowleri research. In 2017, 178 N. fowleri protein targets were queued to the Seattle Structural Genomics Center of Infectious Disease (SSGCID) pipeline, and to date 89 soluble recombinant proteins and 19 unique target structures have been produced. Many of the new protein structures are potential drug targets and contain structural differences compared to their human homologs, which could allow for the development of pathogen-specific inhibitors. Five of the structures were analyzed in more detail, and four of five show promise that selective inhibitors of the active site could be found. The 19 solved crystal structures build a foundation for future work in combating this devastating disease by encouraging further investigation to stimulate drug discovery for this neglected pathogen.

5 November 2020 in ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
DKDonghwa Kim
Donghwa Kim
SASteven S. An
Steven S. An
HLHong Lam
Hong Lam
JLJames and Ellen Leahy
James and Ellen Leahy
SLStephen Liggett
Stephen Liggett

22 January 2020 in ACS Chemical Biology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
BOBrian G. O’fLynn
Brian G. O’fLynn
ELEric M. Lewandowski
Eric M. Lewandowski
KPKarin Claire Prins
Karin Claire Prins
GSGabriela Suarez
Gabriela Suarez
AMAngelica N. McCaskey
Angelica N. McCaskey
DMDavid Merkler
David Merkler