M Mahmun Hossain

M Mahmun Hossain is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). His research focuses on Medicinal Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, particularly in the development of small-molecule therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases and anticancer agents. He leads the Hossain Group and is affiliated with the Milwaukee Institute for Drug Discovery.

• Education: PhD from the University of South Carolina.

Professor Hossain's work spans two primary areas: (1) creating novel histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) like MJM-1 to enhance memory formation via epigenetic mechanisms, and (2) developing microtubule inhibitors for cancer chemotherapy. His team utilizes molecular docking and synthetic strategies to optimize compounds for blood-brain barrier permeability and low toxicity. Key projects include analogs of TPS-A and TPS-B for microtubule inhibition.

His publications highlight advancements in asymmetric catalysis, organometallic reactions, and heterocyclic synthesis. Notable contributions include the enantioselective synthesis of tryptophan derivatives and the catalytic rearrangement of allyl enol ethers. While his research includes collaborations with peers like Eduardo Alberch and Sharif Asad, the focus remains on scalable and efficient synthetic pathways.