The Chong group’s research involves organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry, synthetic methodology development, bioconjugate chemistry, bioanalytical chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, biochemistry, and antibody drug conjugate (ADC) chemistry.
The current research interest is centered on interdisciplinary research projects aimed at developing safe, effective, and targeted drugs for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases including small molecule inhibitors, bioconjugates, and nuclear medicine. We have developed several promising cancer therapeutic and imaging agents with successful preclinical profiles that are favorably compared to the existing anti-cancer drugs and radiopharmaceuticals.
The Chong group is specialized in chemistry of aziridinium ions as versatile and reactive intermediate compounds in organic synthesis of enantiomerically enriched molecules. We have conducted synthetic and mechanistic studies of the strained and labile aziridinium ions and utilized aziridinium ion chemistry for development of biologically active molecules and macrocyclic and acyclic chelating agents for biomedical and environmental health applications.
