James Panek

James Panek is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Boston University, affiliated with the Center for Molecular Discovery. His research focuses on synthetic organic chemistry, particularly the induction of chirality and the development of new reaction methods. He has contributed to natural product synthesis and the creation of novel reagents. His work emphasizes stereochemistry, regioselective synthesis, and the application of transition metal catalysis and titanium alkoxide systems.

Education: B.Sc. in Chemistry (cum laude) from SUNY Buffalo (1979), M.S. in Medicinal Chemistry (1982), Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry (1984), both from Kansas University, followed by an NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship at Yale University (1984–1986).

Research Interests: Panek’s group explores asymmetric synthesis methodologies, including chiral auxiliaries and organosilane-based reactions. Key areas include the synthesis of complex organic molecules like anti-inflammatory agents, natural products (e.g., suaveoline alkaloids, discodermolide), and macrocyclic enzyme inhibitors. His studies often involve innovative approaches to regioselective coupling and cycloaddition reactions.

Lab/Team: The Panek Group is renowned for its contributions to synthetic organic chemistry and medicinal applications, leveraging advanced methodologies to address challenges in drug discovery and molecular design.