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PrintJeffery Davis
Professor
Personal Data
Education
- Colby College, B. A. 1981
- M.I.T, Ph.D. 1987
- Genzyme Co., Boston, 1987-1990
- University of Washington, NIH Post-Doctoral Fellow, 1990-93
Professional Experience
- University of Maryland, Assistant Professor, 1993-99
- University of Maryland, Associate Professor, 1999-2003
- Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, 2003-present
- Visiting Professor, MESA+ Nanotech Institute, University of Twente, Netherlands. 2002-2003. Associate Professor, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, 1999-2003 Assistant Professor, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, 1993-1999.
- NIH NRSA Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Washington, 1990-1993.
- Group Leader of Bioorganic Chemistry, Genzyme Co., Boston, MA. 1987-1990.
Research Interests
Supramolecular Chemistry, Molecular Recognition, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Bioorganic Chemistry, Separations Chemistry, NMR Spectroscopy, Synthetic Ion Channels
Major Recognitions and Honors
- NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, 1991-1993
- Outstanding Junior Faculty, College of Chemical and Life Sciences, UMCP 1997
- Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar, 1998-2003
- Visiting Professor, Univ. of Twente, Netherlands, 2002-2003
- Inaugural Chemical Society Review Lectureship, 2006
Significant Professional Service and Activities
Phi Beta Kappa (1980); NIH Postdoctoral Fellow (1990-1993); Junior Faculty Award, College of Life Sciences, Univ. of Maryland (1997); Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1998-2003);
UMCP Nanotechnology Advisory Board, 2004-present; Royal Society of Chemistry Inaugural Lecturer (2006);
Chair, 9th International Conference on Calixarene Chemistry (2007).
UMCP Nanotechnology Advisory Board, 2004-present; Royal Society of Chemistry Inaugural Lecturer (2006);
Chair, 9th International Conference on Calixarene Chemistry (2007).
Students Mentored
To date 30 undergraduates have done research with Prof. Davis. He has also mentored 12 Ph. D. degree recipients and 10 M. S. degree recipients.
SYNTHETIC ION CHANNELS, FUNCTIONAL NANOSTRUCTURES
Our group is making building blocks needed to form membrane-active structures via self-assembly.
Studies focus on synthesis, characterization and use of synthetic channels for cations and anions
• Synthetic Na+ Channels-Potential Antibiotics. Cells have protein channels that facilitate rapid (106-108 ions/s) and selective transport of ions across plasma membranes. Nature’s important pores (K+ and Cl- channels) are formed by selfassembly in the membrane. We would like to mimic Nature’s strategy by making iontransporting nanopores from small molecules. Such compounds are likely candidates for antibiotic activity. We have prepared lipophilic nucleosides that form discrete supramolecular assemblies.1 Addition of Na+ to these nucleosides triggers self-assembly to give nanoscale structures that are stable in non-polar milieu (Fig. 1).
With lipophilic exteriors and hydrophilic interiors these assemblies are ideal conduits for transporting ions across hydrophobic membranes. Indeed, we found that a covalently modified assembly transports Na+ across phospholipids.2 The next step, determining whether these structures form discrete channels in membranes, is being pursued in our labs. Once structure-function correlation studies are made for these membrane-active compounds, we will conduct bioassays to determine if these compounds demonstrate anti-bacterial or anti-fungal activity.
• Synthetic Cl - Channels. Anion transport across membranes is critical to life. Chloride channels regulate salt and fluid balance in cells. Dysfunction in chloride channels can lead to disease. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by a defect in the protein that moves Cl- out of the cell. Small molecules that facilitate transmembrane transport of Cl- are attractive targets for therapeutic intervention, especially as the promise of gene therapy for CF is no closer than it was 15 years ago. We have discovered a series of synthetic compounds known as calixarenes that self-assemble in phospholipid membranes to give supramolecular assemblies that can transport Cl- anion across the bilayer (Fig. 2).3
Some of the compounds appear to function by a channel mechanism, whereas others seem to operate by a carrier mechanism. One goal is to accumulate solid electrophysiological and NMR data to demonstrate that these calixarene assemblies selectively transport chloride anions by forming channels that span the membrane. Small molecule Cl transporters that can be readily delivered by aerosol application to the lungs would be an exciting development in the treatment of cystic fibrosis.
1 " The G-Quartet in Supramolecular Chemistry and Nanoscience." M. S. Kaucher and J. T. Davis, Quadruplex Nucleic Acids, S. Neidle (Ed.), Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, U.K., 2006, 253-296.
2 "A Unimolecular G-Quadruplex that Functions as a Synthetic Transmembrane Na+ Transporter." M. S. Kaucher, W.A. Harrell, Jr. and J. T. Davis, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 38-39.
3 " Regulating Supramolecular Function in Membranes: Calixarenes that Enable or Inhibit Transmembrane Cl-Transport." J. L. Seganish et al. Angewandte Chemie Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 3334-3338.
Our group is making building blocks needed to form membrane-active structures via self-assembly.
Studies focus on synthesis, characterization and use of synthetic channels for cations and anions
• Synthetic Na+ Channels-Potential Antibiotics. Cells have protein channels that facilitate rapid (106-108 ions/s) and selective transport of ions across plasma membranes. Nature’s important pores (K+ and Cl- channels) are formed by selfassembly in the membrane. We would like to mimic Nature’s strategy by making iontransporting nanopores from small molecules. Such compounds are likely candidates for antibiotic activity. We have prepared lipophilic nucleosides that form discrete supramolecular assemblies.1 Addition of Na+ to these nucleosides triggers self-assembly to give nanoscale structures that are stable in non-polar milieu (Fig. 1).
With lipophilic exteriors and hydrophilic interiors these assemblies are ideal conduits for transporting ions across hydrophobic membranes. Indeed, we found that a covalently modified assembly transports Na+ across phospholipids.2 The next step, determining whether these structures form discrete channels in membranes, is being pursued in our labs. Once structure-function correlation studies are made for these membrane-active compounds, we will conduct bioassays to determine if these compounds demonstrate anti-bacterial or anti-fungal activity. • Synthetic Cl - Channels. Anion transport across membranes is critical to life. Chloride channels regulate salt and fluid balance in cells. Dysfunction in chloride channels can lead to disease. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by a defect in the protein that moves Cl- out of the cell. Small molecules that facilitate transmembrane transport of Cl- are attractive targets for therapeutic intervention, especially as the promise of gene therapy for CF is no closer than it was 15 years ago. We have discovered a series of synthetic compounds known as calixarenes that self-assemble in phospholipid membranes to give supramolecular assemblies that can transport Cl- anion across the bilayer (Fig. 2).3
Some of the compounds appear to function by a channel mechanism, whereas others seem to operate by a carrier mechanism. One goal is to accumulate solid electrophysiological and NMR data to demonstrate that these calixarene assemblies selectively transport chloride anions by forming channels that span the membrane. Small molecule Cl transporters that can be readily delivered by aerosol application to the lungs would be an exciting development in the treatment of cystic fibrosis.
1 " The G-Quartet in Supramolecular Chemistry and Nanoscience." M. S. Kaucher and J. T. Davis, Quadruplex Nucleic Acids, S. Neidle (Ed.), Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, U.K., 2006, 253-296.
2 "A Unimolecular G-Quadruplex that Functions as a Synthetic Transmembrane Na+ Transporter." M. S. Kaucher, W.A. Harrell, Jr. and J. T. Davis, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 38-39.
3 " Regulating Supramolecular Function in Membranes: Calixarenes that Enable or Inhibit Transmembrane Cl-Transport." J. L. Seganish et al. Angewandte Chemie Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 3334-3338.
