Mark Peczuh

Mark Peczuh is a Professor and Department Head in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Connecticut. His research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of small molecules, particularly septanoses and macrocyclic compounds, to investigate biological processes and protein interactions. He holds a PhD from Yale University (1999), an MS from the University of Pittsburgh (1997), and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Princeton University (1999–2001).

His group explores the design of septanose analogs to study lectin binding and enzyme inhibition, as well as macrocycles with unique shapes for antibacterial applications. Collaborations include work with Antoni Planas on glycosidase enzymes and NSF-funded projects on septanose selectivity. He advises students in synthetic organic chemistry and directs an REU program. His lab’s innovations include methods for glycosylation and post-glycosylation diversification (PGD) to build compound libraries.

Key projects involve carbohydrate-fused macrocycles, structural analysis via NMR and X-ray crystallography, and enzyme inhibition studies. The group emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining organic synthesis with biochemistry and computational methods.