Amanda Hargrove

Research Areas: 

Chemical Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular Recognition, RNA Targeting, non-coding RNA, Cancer Biology, Virology

Research Profile:

The Hargrove lab harnesses the unique properties of small organic molecules to study the structure, function and therapeutic potential of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). The discovery of these fascinating biomolecules has caused a paradigm shift in molecular biology and speculation as to their role as the master drivers of diseases such as cancer. At the same time very little is known about their structure and function, leading some to call the field a veritable “Wild West.”

Small molecules are the perfect tools for such exploration, and the Hargrove lab works at the interface of chemistry and biology, employing methods ranging from RNA-targeted small molecule synthesis and machine learning to studies of the molecular and cellular biology of nucleic acids.

Our discoveries in these areas include design principles for RNA-targeting small molecules, chemical probes for two oncogenic long noncoding RNAs, and the development of novel antivirals for enteroviruses and coronaviruses, including targeting of the causative agents of hand-foot-and-mouth disease and COVID19.