Molecular Biology in Medicinal Chemistry

This readily comprehensible book explains the identification of molecular targets via cellular assays, reporter genes or transgenic models, as well as surveying recent advances in the synthesis, separation and analysis of drugs. A special section is devoted to molecular genetics methods.
With its examination of these novel methods and generous practical advice, this is essential reading for all pharmaceutical chemists, molecular biologists and medical researchers using molecular methods to study drugs and their action.

Die Gentechnik hat nicht nur die moderne Biologie sondern auch die Pharmaforschung revolutioniert. Mit den Methoden der Molekularbiologie stehen heute ganz neue Verfahren fur die Entwicklung, Herstellung und Analytik von Wirkstoffen zur Verfugung. Dieser Band beschreibt anhand vielfaltiger Beispiele die erfolgreiche Anwendung molekularbiologischer Methoden in der Pharmaforschung.

Das Themenspektrum reicht von rekombinanten "drug targets" uber gentechnisch hergestellte Medikamente bis hin zum Einsatz molekularbiologischer Techniken in der Enantiomerentrennung. Neue Verfahren der Probenvorbereitung, der kombinatorischen Synthese und der Pharmakokinetik werden ebenso vorgestellt wie die molekularbiologisch gepragten Konzepte des funktionellen Wirkortes und der Pharmakogenomik.

Renommierte Herausgeber und Autoren beleuchten den aktuellen Stand der Forschung und erlautern die Moglichkeiten und Grenzen der neuen Techniken. Dieses verstandlich geschriebene Buch wendet sich an alle Chemiker, Pharmazeuten, Molekularbiologen und Mediziner, die sich mit der modernen Wirkstoffforschung beschaftigen.

MOLECULAR TARGETS
Cellular Assays in Drug Discovery
Gene Knockout Models
Reporter Gene Assay Systems for the Investigation of GPCRs
From the Human Genome to New Drugs: The Potential of Orphan GPCRs
SYNTHESIS
Stereoselective Synthesis with the Help of Recombinant Enzymes
Nucleic Acid Drugs
ANALYSIS
Recent Trends in Enantioseparation of Chiral Drugs
Affinity Chromatography
NMR-based Drug Discovery
13C- and 15N-Isotopic Labeling of Proteins
Antibody Fragments as Crystallization Enhancers
KINETICS, METABOLISM AND TOXICOLOGY
Pharmacogenetics: The Effect of Inherited Genetic Variation on Drug Disposition and Drug Response
Pharmacogenomics of Bioavaliability and Elimination
Toxicogenomics: Integration of New Molecular Biological Tools in Toxicology
"...a welcome addition to the library of anyone seeking to build a multidisciplinary group"
Applied Organometallic Chemistry, June 2004

"In all, the book touches on some of the trendiest subjects that interface to form the frontier of modern medicinal chemistry."

Kevin G. Rice, Division of Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 47, No. 26, 2004

"Molecular Biology in Medicinal Chemistry ist eine exzellente Einführung in einige wichtige Aspekte der pharmazeutischen Forschung und der Chemischen Biologie. Jeder Wissenschaftler, der sich für diese Gebiete interessiert, sollte über seine Bibliothek Zugriff auf dieses Buch haben."
Rolf Breinbauer
Angewandte Chemie

"It is not the book "screening for beginners" but, thanks to the wide range of topics, every reader will find several very interesting chapters in it. The readership is addressed in the title: medicinal chemists in industry and academia. I, for my part, found far more in it than I expected."

Boris Schmidt
ChemBioChem 8/2004

"Das von Dingermann, Steinhilber und Folkers zusammengestellte Autorenteam beleuchtet in kompetenter und aufschlußreicher Weise den gegenwärtigen Stand und Stellenwert der molekularebiologischer Methoden und Techniken im Bereich der pharmazeutischen Chemie. ...
Mit dem Themenblock Kinetik, Metabolismus und Toxikologie schließt das Buch ab. Diese hervorragende Zusammenstellung über den aktuellen Stand von Pharmacogenomics und Toxicogenomics sowie die umfassende und detaillierte Referenzliste setzt Maßstäbe und wäre allein schon Grund genug das Buch zu erwerben."

Stefan Müller, Köln, Arzneimittel-Forschung/Drug Research, 1/05
Theodor Dingermann, born 1948, studied pharmacy at the University of Erlangen, Germany. After obtaining his PhD in biochemistry, he worked as a post-doc at Yale University, New Haven. In 1987 he completed his habilitation for the disciplines of biochemistry and molecular biology. Since 1990 he is full professor of pharmaceutical biology at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. He is editor-in-chief of two journals, "Die Pharmazie" and "Pharmazie in unserer Zeit". Furthermore, he is chairman of the working group on biopharmaceuticals and vice-chairman of the committee on pharmaceutical biology of the German Arzneibuch commission. From 2000 to 2004 he has been President of the German Pharmaceutical Society.

Dieter Steinhilber, born 1959, studied pharmacy at the University of Tubingen (Germany). After an assistantship there he spent a postdoc period with Nobel prize winner Bengt Samuelsson in Stockholm (Sweden). In 1994 he received an associate professorship and since 2000 he is a full professor for pharmaceutical chemistry at the Goethe University in Frankfurt (Germany). He is also the chairman of the scientific advisory board of Phenion, a company for molecular cell physiology.

Gerd Folkers is professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at the ETH Zurich since 1991. He studied pharmacy at the University of Bonn and earned his Ph.D. on structure-activity relationships of desapurines. He then moved to the University of Tubingen, where he completed his habilitation in pharmaceutical chemistry. During a stay with H.-D. Hoeltje in Bern, he studied new research methods in computer-aided molecular design and expanded this knowledge during other stays with T. Blundell at the Birkbeck College and E. Meyer at Texas A&M University.
The focus of his research is the molecular interaction between drugs and their binding sites. Besides his work on the molecular mechanism of "conventional" nucleoside therapeutics against virus infections and cancer, his special interest has shifted to immuno-therapeutics. Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering have made a great impact on the methods and strategies of modern pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry, transforming virtually every step in the drug development process, from target finding to drug design and ADMET analysis. Even the synthesis and manufacture of pharmaceutically active compounds has benefited from novel approaches based on molecular biology tools.

From the Contents:
* Cellular Assays in Drug Discovery
* Transgenic Models
* Reporter Gene Assay Systems
* Stereoselective Synthesis with Recombinant Enzymes
* Nucleic Acid Drugs
* Enantioseparation of Chiral Drugs
* NMR-based Drug Discovery
* Pharmacogenomics and Toxicogenomics

With its broad coverage and up-to-date treatment, this volume is essential reading for all pharmaceutical chemists, molecular biologists and medical researchers using molecular biology tools to study drugs and their action.