Brian Linton

Brian Linton serves as Associate Professor of Chemistry at the College of the Holy Cross. His research expertise spans molecular recognition, organic biochemistry, and receptor design, focusing on exploiting molecular interactions for chemical and biological innovations with applications in protein inhibition and novel materials.

Education:

• Ph.D. from University of Pittsburgh

Professor Linton's lab pursues three core research thrusts: artificial beta-sheet peptidomimetics for inhibiting HIV protease and Ras oncogenic pathways; hydrogen/deuterium exchange techniques to quantify hydrogen bonding strength and identify individual bond donors/acceptors; and receptor-mediated chemical synthesis for asymmetric catalysis and enzyme modeling. His hydrogen/deuterium exchange methodology revealed unprecedented insights into hydrogen bond characterization, recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

His receptor-mediated synthesis research demonstrates how binding energies control reaction environments, enabling precise product distribution and asymmetric synthesis. A collaboration with Scott J. Miller established pentapeptides as highly selective asymmetric organocatalysts in Michael additions through strategic hydrogen bonding.

Scientific Awards:

• Award from Research Corporation for artificial beta-sheet research

Research support includes the Research Corporation award funding beta-sheet development. Professor Linton actively collaborates with Scott J. Miller (Yale University) on asymmetric organocatalysis, where peptide backbone hydrogen bonds achieve remarkable stereoselectivity. His work bridges synthetic organic chemistry and biophysical analysis to advance molecular recognition science.

The Linton Lab pioneers innovative approaches to molecular design, utilizing synthetic organic chemistry to create receptors that manipulate molecular interactions for therapeutic applications and advanced materials development.