Joseph Steim
Professor Emeritus of Chemistry:
Chemistry
Phone: +1 401 863 3249
Joseph_Steim@brown.edu
Phospholipids play a crucial role in the architecture of biological membranes as well as in many biochemical processes. This structural role of phospholipid molecules reflect their physical properties, which are determined by their peculiar ability to self-assemble into a variety of supramolecular assemblies, including the well-known phospholipid bilayers present in every living cell of every organism. The understanding of the properties of the phospholipids has benefited immensely from such techniques as NMR and calorimetry, and in our laboratories we apply these and other physical methods to further clarify the physical chemistry of lipids and the biomembranes made from them.
Interests
Phospholipids play a crucial role in the architecture of biological membranes as well as in many biochemical processes. This structural role of phospholipid molecules reflect their physical properties, which are determined by their peculiar ability to self-assemble into a variety of supramolecular assemblies, including the well-known phospholipid bilayers present in every living cell of every organism. The understanding of the properties of the phospholipids has benefited immensely from such techniques as NMR and calorimetry, and in our laboratories we apply these and other physical methods to further clarify the physical chemistry of lipids and the biomembranes made from them. Lately, we have become particularly interested in phospholipid derivatives as pharmaceutical agents. The idea is to modify drugs such as AZT by covalently linking them to phospholipid molecules to produce hybrid compounds having the anti-viral activities of the parent drug but the physical and biochemical properties of phospholipids. The hope is to produce a new generation of pharmaceuticals which will be recognized and processed by the body as lipids. Compared to the parent drugs, the modified ones are expected to last longer in the bloodstream and be less toxic. Furthermore, there is a good chance of targeting the new molecules to specific cell types. Since the physical properties of these phospholipid-linked drugs plays such an important role in certain aspects of their behavior such as binding to cell and blood proteins, their physical chemistry comprises an important part of the research. In addition, the work is a nice synthesis of organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and pharmacology.
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