Scott E. Schaus

About

Scott E. Schaus is a Professor of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry at Boston University. His research focuses on enantioselective catalytic synthetic methodologies for chemical synthesis and biomedical research, conducted at the Boston University Center for Molecular Discovery. His work includes developing catalytic methods such as enantioselective boronate reactions, asymmetric Mannich reactions, and metal-promoted condensation reactions. These methodologies are aimed at constructing chiral building blocks and natural products, utilizing boronates and catalysis with cinchona amine, acid, and diol catalysts. In addition to his contributions to synthetic chemistry, Professor Schaus is engaged in biomedical research aimed at advancing translational science in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. His collaborative efforts include developing treatments for challenging cancers, such as liver cancer, in partnership with other faculty and clinicians, as well as working against neglected tropical diseases. His research is conducted in conjunction with the NIH-funded Center for Molecular Discovery at Boston University. Since 2001, he has mentored graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, many of whom have pursued careers in academia and the pharmaceutical industry.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Biology
• Cell biology
• Materials science
• Genetics
• Nanotechnology
• Process engineering
• Systems engineering
• Business
• Engineering

Selected publications

• Strategy, Design, and Fabrication of Electrochemical Biosensors: A Tutorial

  ACS Sensors · 2024 · 91 citations

  Advanced healthcare requires novel technologies capable of real-time sensing to monitor acute and long-term health. The challenge relies on converting a real-time quantitative biological and chemical signal into a desired measurable output. Given the success in detecting glucose and the commercialization of glucometers, electrochemical biosensors continue to be a mainstay of academic and industrial research activities. Despite the wealth of literature on electrochemical biosensors, reports are o…

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• The microtubule-associated histone methyltransferase SET8, facilitated by transcription factor LSF, methylates α-tubulin

  Journal of Biological Chemistry · 2020 · 31 citations

  In addition, we found that the ability of LSF to facilitate this methylation is countered by factor quinolinone inhibitor 1 (FQI1), a specific small-molecule inhibitor of LSF. These findings suggest the general model that microtubule-associated proteins, including transcription factors, recruit or stimulate protein-modifying enzymes to target tubulins. Moreover, our results point to dual functions for SET8 and LSF not only in chromatin regulation but also in cytoskeletal modification.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Targeting the oncogene LSF with either the small molecule inhibitor FQI1 or siRNA causes mitotic delays with unaligned chromosomes, resulting in cell death or senescence

  BMC Cancer · 2020 · 15 citations

  BACKGROUND: The oncogene LSF (encoded by TFCP2) has been proposed as a novel therapeutic target for multiple cancers. LSF overexpression in patient tumors correlates with poor prognosis in particular for both hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal cancer. The limited treatment outcomes for these diseases and disappointing clinical results, in particular, for hepatocellular carcinoma in molecularly targeted therapies targeting cellular receptors and kinases, underscore the need for molecularly t…

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• Identification of Small Molecules with Improved Potency against Orthopoxviruses from Vaccinia to Smallpox

  Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy · 2022-10-12 · 9 citations

  articleOpen access

  The genus Orthopoxvirus contains several human pathogens, including vaccinia, monkeypox, cowpox, and variola virus, the causative agent of smallpox. Although there are a few effective vaccines, widespread prophylactic vaccination has ceased and is unlikely to resume, making therapeutics increasingly important to treat poxvirus disease. Here, we described efforts to improve the potency of the anti-poxvirus small molecule CMLDBU6128. This class of small molecules, referred to as pyridopyrimidinone…

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• Discovery of pyrazolopyrrolidinones as potent, broad-spectrum inhibitors of Leishmania infection

  Frontiers in Tropical Diseases · 2023-01-17 · 8 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Introduction Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease that affects more than 1 million people worldwide annually, predominantly in resource-limited settings. The challenge in compound development is to exhibit potent activity against the intracellular stage of the parasite (the stage present in the mammalian host) without harming the infected host cells. We have identified a compound series (pyrazolopyrrolidinones) active against the intracellular parasites of Leishmania donovani and L. major; the c…

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Recent grants

• Advancement of a poxvirus antiviral

  NIH · $5.8M · 2020–2029

• NIH Grant P41GM086180

  NIH · $231k · 2011

• CAREER: Interdisciplinary Research in Organic Synthesis and Biology

  NSF · $640k · 2004–2008

Frequent coauthors

• J. A. Westbrook

  61 shared

• John A. Porco

  36 shared

• Eric N. Jacobsen

  Harvard University Press

  26 shared

• Sha Lou

  Tongji University

  23 shared

• Philip N. Moquist

  Pfizer (United States)

  23 shared

• Jennifer M. Goss

  Boston University

  21 shared

• Hang Gyeong Chin

  New England Biolabs (United States)

  20 shared

• Yi Luan

  University of Science and Technology Beijing

  20 shared

Similar researchers at Boston University

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• James Panekh-58
• Tom Tulliush-57