معرفی
Coran Watanabe is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Texas A&M University, leading the Watanabe Research Group. His research focuses on natural products biosynthesis, particularly the anti-tumor agent azinomycin and AMD-related lipofuscin cycloretinal. He holds a B.S. from the University of Hawaii (1992), a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University (1998), and completed postdoctoral training at the Scripps Research Institute (2002).
Research interests include: 1) Biosynthesis and mechanism of azinomycin’s DNA cross-linking activity; 2) Role of β-lactoglobulin in cycloretinal synthesis linked to AMD pathogenesis; 3) Development of biochemical methods to activate silent biosynthetic pathways. Key techniques used include genetic engineering, isotopic labeling, fluorescence microscopy, and PET imaging.
Recent work highlights cycloretinal’s role in retinal damage, with studies showing BLG’s survival through digestion and blood transport. Grants include Welch and NSF awards. Notable publications (2011-2022) address azinomycin oxygen incorporation, thioesterase mechanisms, and β-lactoglobulin enzymology.
- Awards: ACS Rising Star (2007), Dreyfus Lectureship (2008), Research Corporation Innovation Award (2003)
- Lab Members: Includes 5 graduate students, 2 undergraduates, and a postdoc
- Future Directions: Targeting AMD therapies via BLG inhibition and optimizing azinomycin derivatives
