Alice Clark
Professor of Pharmacognosy
Phone Number: (662)915-7583
Email: amclark@olemiss.edu
http://www.pharmacy.olemiss.edu/pharmacognosy/clark.html

Key Words: Discovery and development of prototype antibiotics and systemic antifungals from natural sources; use of microorganisms as tools in synthesis and metabolism studies.

Research Description: Dr. Clark's current research program, aimed at addressing the inadequacy of chemotherapy of opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts, is unique in that it is a major drug development program within an academic institution that combines drug discovery, in vitro and in vivo evaluations. An important characteristic of this program is that it addresses all aspects of drug discovery and development up to a preliminary assessment of potential clinical utility, including investigations into the mechanism(s) of action of novel antibiotics and the development of novel, but simple in vitro bioassay systems for use in the discovery of antibiotics acting at unique and specific microbial molecular targets. Utilization of mechanism of action information and mechanism-based assay systems should facilitate the discovery and development of highly selective antibiotics with potential use in the treatment of opportunistic infections.

Dr. Clark's interests also include the utilization of microorganisms a predictive models for drug metabolism and as synthetic adjuncts. It is well known that microorganisms can carry out regiospecific and stereospecific transformations of complex molecules in a mild and often high yielding manner. Thus, microbial systems are sought to effect specific changes in the structure of biologically active substances that may not be amenable to chemical transformations. Examples of projects in this area include the microbial modification of several biologically active sesquiterpenes.

Honors Theses:

Watkins, Andrew B. (2015) Discovery of Resistance-Reversing Agents in Antibiotic Resistant Strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae from Natural Product Libraries. (full text)

Ward, Amber Lynne (2012) "Mechanism of Action of A Novel Antifungal Compound" (full text)

Mitchell, Keyana Renee (2002) "Search for Natural Product Inhibitors of the Secreted Aspartic Protease Enzyme from Candida Albicans"