The research in this area concerns the chemistry and biochemistry of sterols and sphingolipids. Special emphasis is directed towards studies of oxygenated sterols as regulators of cholesterol metabolism. These compounds are highly active in the regulation of the biosynthesis and esterification of cholesterol. A large number of oxygenated sterols have been prepared by chemical synthesis and investigated with respect to their activities, mechanisms of action, and metabolism.
Through these and other studies, the laboratory has significant experience in the evaluation and development of inhibitors of sterol synthesis, the development of methodologies for the analyses of oxysterols in blood, tissues, and other materials, and potential uses of oxygenated sterols in medicine.
The laboratory also has significant experience with sphingolipids, a class of compounds of increasing interest with respect to effects on cell function and replication. Current and planned efforts involve studies of the quantitation of selected sphingolipids, studies of their actions and metabolism in mammalian cells, and investigations of potential interactions in the metabolism of sterols and sphingolipids.