BPS 2024
Controllable and Scalable Synthesis of Polymacrocyclic and Multi-Chain Peptides Using Radical-Mediated Enzymatic Methods
Karsten Eastman
CEO, Post-doctoral Scholar, Sethera, University of Utah
ABSTRACT
Cyclic and polycyclic peptides are of considerable interest as therapeutic agents because the conformational restriction resulting from macrocyclization ensures specificity and resistance to proteolytic degradation. However, the assembly of polymacrocyclic structures is often challenging because of the necessity for multi-step syntheses involving orthogonal protecting groups.
BIO
Karsten A. S. Eastman received his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Utah in 2023, working under the mentorship of Professor Vahe Bandarian. During his doctoral research, Dr. Eastman focused on the mechanistic studies of radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine (rSAM) enzymes, particularly those involved in thioether cross-linking in peptides. His work has contributed to understanding how these enzymes can be leveraged to create new chemical biology tools.
Following his PhD, Dr. Eastman founded Sethera Therapeutics. Sethera is pioneering new methods to access peptide chemical space, emphasizing scalable and controllable enzymatic processes for peptide modifications and screening. This work is expanding the potential for developing stable, specific, and diverse peptide structures.
Dr. Eastman has authored several papers, specifically focusing on enzymatic mechanisms and the synthesis of macrocyclic peptides. His research underscores the potential of enzymes as versatile biocatalysts in synthetic biology and drug development.