Peptidomimetics:
Design of secondary structure mimics
Development of chemical methodology
Applications to the design of therapeutic agents

Organic Process Research:
Development of scalable, economic and environmentally acceptable processes for valuable small-molecules

Design of Nerve-growth Modulators

Recent Publications (For detailed publication list: Click Here)

Vartak, A.P.; Skoblenick, K.; Thomas, N.; Mishra, R.K.; Johnson, R.L. Allosteric Modulation of the Dopamine Receptor by Conformationally Constrained Type VI β -Turn Peptidomimetics of Pro-Leu-Gly-NH₂. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2007, 50, 6725.

Vartak, A.P.; Dwoskin, L.P.; Crooks, P.A.Synthesis of symmetrical 1,5-disubstituted granatanines. Tetrahedron Letters, 2008, 49, 6330.

Vartak, A.P.; Nickell, J.R.; Chagkutip, J.; Dwoskin, L.P.; Crooks, P.A. Pyrrolidine Analogues of Lobelane: Relationship of Affinity for the Dihydrotetrabenazine Binding Site with Function of the Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 (VMAT2). Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2009, 52, 7878. Selected for publication in the Centennial Issue of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

Vartak, A.P. Crooks, P.A. A Scalable, Enantioselective Synthesis of the α2-Adrenergic Agonist, Lofexidine. Organic Process Research & Development, 2009,13, 415. Highlighted in Noteworthy Chemistry, June 29, 2009 release.

Vartak, A.P.; Sonar, V; Crooks, P.A. Rac- and S-(+)-[4,4',5,5'-2H4]-2-(1'-[2'',6''-dichlorophenoxy]-ethyl)-Δ2-imidazoline (lofexidine). Journal of Labelled Compounds and Radiopharmaceuticals, 2009, 52, 431.

Vartak, A.P.; Deaciuc, A.G.; Dwoskin, L.P.; Crooks, P.A. Quinlobelane: a water-soluble lobelane analogue and inhibitor of VMAT2. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 2010, 20, 3584

Peter A. Crooks, Guangrong Zheng, Ashish Vartak, John Culver, Fang Zheng, A. Gabi Deaciuc, and Linda P. Dwoskin. Design, Synthesis and VMAT2 Binding of Lobeline Analogs as Potential Therapeutic Agents for Treating Psychostimulant Abuse. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, 2010, 9, Bentham Science, in press, 2010

Beckmann, J.S.; Siripurapu, K.B.; Nickell, J.R.; Horton, D.B.; Denehy, E.D.; Vartak, A.P.; Crooks, P.A.; Dwoskin, L.P.; Bardo, M.T. The Novel Pyrrolidine nor-Lobelane Analog, UKCP-110 (cis-2,5-di-(2-Phenethyl)-pyrrolidine Hydrochloride) Inhibits VMAT2 Function, Methamphetamine-evoked Dopamine Release, and Methamphetamine Self-administration in Rats. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2010, In press doi:10.1124/jpet.110.172742

Nasim, S.; Vartak, A.P.; Pierce, W.M.; Taylor, G.K.; Smith, N.; Crooks, P.A. 3-O-Phosphate ester conjugates of 17-β-O-{1-[2-carboxy-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-3-carboxamido)anilido]ethyl}1,3,5(10)-estratriene as novel bone targeting agents, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 2010, In press doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2010.10.023

Nasim, S.; Vartak, A.P.; Pierce, W.M., Jr.; Grant, T.K.; Crooks, P.A. Improved and Scalable Synthetic Route to the Synthon 17-β -(2-Carboxyethyl)-1,3,5(10)-Estratriene: An Important Intermediate in the Synthesis of Bone-Targeting Estrogens. Synthetic Communications, 2010, 40, 772.