Doctor Stephen Pelly: Medicinal chemistry |
| Posted by Administrator (admin) on 11/05/2011 |
What does the research entail?
The research of Dr Stephen Pelly focuses on the area of medicinal chemistry which involves the design and synthesis of new drug entities that target specific diseases.
Why is it relevant?
A significant amount of Dr Pelly’s time involves using molecular modelling as a tool to design new organic compounds which may be well accommodated into the active site of critical proteins relevant to the two particular diseases most seriously affecting sub-Saharan Africa, namely HIV and malaria. The intention behind these custom-designed molecules is that they will bind tightly and selectively to the desired target protein, making them potent inhibitors of the disease with low toxic side effects.
Once the design phase has been completed, Dr Pelly then leads a team of organic chemists who synthesise these molecules so that they can be tested for efficacy. Using this process, several molecules showing promising activity against the desired target can be identified and further optimised by the modelling synthesis process, thereby developing them into a handful of lead compounds which are very effective against the disease and have the potential to progress onto the candidate stage. At this point, the work done by the team would most likely be licensed to large pharmaceutical organisations who would finance the subsequent stages of the compounds’ development, ultimately arriving at new and more effective drugs for these diseases.
What lies ahead?
At present Dr Pelly is working on collaborative project with a team from Emory University in Atlanta, USA on the development of a new antiretroviral drug. There is a continuing and pressing need for new antiretrovirals targeting HIV as patients develop resistance to the existing drugs. Dr Pelly is also working with the South African Malaria Initiative (SAMI) and has two ongoing projects targeting critical enzymes for the most lethal strain of malaria, namely Plasmodium falciparum.
More about the researcher
Dr Stephen Pelly obtained his MSc and PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of the Witwatersrand. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science at Stellenbosch University. When he’s not in his office modelling new, potentially life-saving drugs, Dr Pelly is a keen guitarist and also enjoys photography.
