Oregon Universities

Scientists at Oregon universities contribute significantly to specific aspects of therapeutic discovery and development by discovering new therapeutic targets, synthesizing novel chemical products, developing assays for screening chemical products, establishing preclinical models and trials, and conducting human clinical trails. These research programs produce the licensable technologies that form the foundation of therapeutic development (lead compounds, vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics). Furthermore, scientists at Oregon's research institutions currently study mechanisms of bacterial and viral pathogenesis; identify and validate therapeutic targets; develop vaccines; isolate and test biologically active natural products; and synthesize and analyze small molecules in the discovery and refinement of biologically active lead compounds.

OHSU has expertise and facilities to discover new therapeutic targets, develop novel chemical products, and conduct preclinical and clinical trials. OHSU's new Chemical Biology program brings together bioorganic chemists and biologists in cross-disciplinary collaborations. The new program targets the discovery and development of small molecules that function as highly specific probes of cellular function and prototype therapeutics. This includes a focus on newly emerging viruses (especially AIDS-related agents) in its Division of Pathobiology and Immunology. In addition, OHSU has only one of 8 primate research center in the US.
www.ohsu.edu

OSU has strengths in biological, chemical, and pharmaceutical sciences and demonstrated success in areas of therapeutic discovery and development. OSU scientists study a wide variety of infectious diseases (e.g. tuberculosis, malaria, schistosomiasis, HIV, avian influenza, West Nile virus, gram-positive bacterial infections). Other OSU researchers are working to discover and develop anticancer agents and new therapeutics for treating neurological and degenerative diseases (ALS, Alzheimer's). OSU chemists have created libraries of synthetic compounds and natural products that can be screened for new therapeutic leads. Scientists conduct preclinical metabolism, toxicology and pharmacokinetics studies in animal facilities for mice, Zebra fish, and trout models.
www.oregonstate.edu

OU has nationally and internationally recognized strengths in the biological and physical sciences and in specific areas that relate to therapeutic discovery and development. Core competencies at UO include scientists with expertise and research programs in protein crystallography, protein biochemistry, cell signaling and development, gene expression, nanoscience, and organic synthesis/medicinal chemistry.
www.uoregon.edu

PSU scientists have national and international research programs focusing on infectious diseases (e.g. malaria and tuberculosis) and applied organic chemistry (synthesis and generation of small molecules as potential therapeutic leads). Organic chemists at PSU work in the field of synthetic medicinal chemistry, which involves identifying small molecules as lead compounds for therapeutic development and subsequently synthesizing and testing derivatives of these lead compounds for improved efficacy, greater bioavailability and decreased toxicity and unwanted side-effects. PSU has experts in natural products chemistry, therapeutic delivery systems, the development of assays for screening lead compounds and investigating potential targets for new therapeutics.
www.pdx.edu