“University of North Florida Professor Awarded Patent for Novel Anti-Cancer Compounds”

Dr. Kenneth Laali, a Presidential Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Florida (UNF), has been granted a US patent for his groundbreaking research on the synthesis of novel curcumin analogs, also known as curcuminoids, to combat cancer tumors.

The compounds developed by Dr. Laali present new therapeutic opportunities for specific types of cancer and could potentially aid in the discovery of treatments for multiple diseases. The patent, titled “Novel ‘Curcuminoid-Inspired’ Synthetic Compounds as Anti-tumor Agents,” reveals the synthesis and characterization of structurally diverse libraries of “curcumin-inspired” compounds (CURs). It also reports on their anti-tumor activity against a range of cancer cell lines.

Over the course of his research, Dr. Laali and his team synthesized and characterized more than 120 new compounds. They discovered several “hit-compounds” that are not only effective in halting cancer cell growth but also in killing cancer cells, making them suitable for pre-clinical development.

This patent is the result of over five years of Dr. Laali’s research at UNF, with contributions from UNF undergraduates, master’s level research interns, and visiting scientists. His work has provided significant research opportunities for UNF students, many of whom have gone on to pursue doctoral degrees at R1 Institutions. To date, seven peer-reviewed publications have emerged from this work, one of which made the cover of the journal ChemMedChem.

Dr. Laali hopes that this patent, along with another one pending, could attract the interest of a pharmaceutical company for the development of new anti-cancer compounds and therapeutics.

Dr. Laali is the inventor of two other UNF patents and has authored and coauthored over 220 peer-reviewed publications, several books, and monographs. He has been at UNF since 2009 and was the founding chair of the chemistry department. His research focuses on organic chemistry, utilizing multifaceted projects that combine synthetic, structural/mechanistic, spectroscopic, and theoretical approaches to solve diverse problems in biological chemistry, green chemistry, and materials chemistry.

Before joining UNF, Dr. Laali began his academic career at Kent State University in 1985 and became a full professor in 1996. He earned his doctoral degree from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and completed postdoctoral appointments at King’s College London, University of Strasbourg, University of Amsterdam, ETH-Zurich, and the University of Southern California.

The University of North Florida is a nationally ranked university located in Jacksonville, Florida. It is situated on a beautiful 1,300-acre nature preserve and features six colleges of distinction as well as nationally recognized flagship programs. UNF offers 60 bachelor degree programs and over 75 areas of concentration, providing a unique student-centered academic experience that is shaping the next generation of thinkers, leaders, and problem solvers.

For more information about Dr. Laali’s research or the University of North Florida, please contact Amanda Ennis, Media Relations Coordinator at UNF, at (904) 620-2192 or Amanda.ennis@unf.edu.