John A. Porco, PhD
Professor, Chemistry
Biography
John Porco investigates chemical syntheses of complex molecules and synthesis of complex chemical libraries of novel structural types. John joined the Department of Chemistry at Boston University in 1999 after a successful career in industry and was rapidly promoted to Professor of Chemistry in September 2004.
Research in the Porco Group is focused in two major areas: the development of new synthetic methodologies for efficient chemical synthesis of complex molecules and synthesis of complex chemical libraries, the latter conducted at the Boston University Center for Molecular Discovery. Synthetic methodologies developed in the Porco Laboratory include copper (I)-mediated formation of enamides, oxa-electrocyclization/dimerization of dienals enroute to complex epoxyquinoids; enantioselective oxidative dearomatization using chiral copper complexes and molecular oxygen; photocycloaddition using oxidopyryliums enroute to the rocaglamides and related natural products, and catalytic ester-amide exchange using group (IV) metal alkoxide-activator complexes.
-Dearomatization Strategies in Complex Synthesis aim to utilize aromatic scaffolds as starting materials as precursors to complex natural products.
-Faculty Profile Scientific Image Porco 1Biomimetic Synthesis Approaches involve development of methodologies to test plausible biosyntheses of complex natural products and derivatives.
-New Reaction Discovery is done in conjunction with the BU-CMD and aims to discover transformations leading to novel chemotypes.
Techniques & Resources:
-Organic Synthesis techniques are used and include modern methods for synthesis, purification, and analysis of organic molecules
.
-Boston University Center for Molecular Discovery (BU-CMD) is an NIH-funded Center at Boston University which focuses on development of new methodologies for the synthesis of complex chemical libraries.
Other Positions
- Professor, Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Member, BU-BMC Cancer Center, Boston University
- Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research, Boston University
Education
- Harvard University, PhD
- College of the Holy Cross, DEng
- Yale University, MS
- College of the Holy Cross, BA
Publications
- Published on 2/10/2025
Conley JF, Brown LE, McNeely JH, Pelletier J, Porco JA, Allen KN. Structural Basis for the Improved RNA Clamping of Amidino-Rocaglates to eIF4A1. ACS Omega. 2025 Feb 18; 10(6):5795-5808. PMID: 39989799.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 2/1/2025
Oo A, Borge A, Lee RCH, Salim CK, Wang W, Ricca M, Fong DY, Alonso S, Brown LE, Porco JA, Chu JJH. In Vitro Discovery of a Therapeutic Lead for HFMD From a Library Screen of Rocaglates/Aglains. J Med Virol. 2025 Feb; 97(2):e70228. PMID: 39921602.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/16/2025
Lin H, Seitz S, Tan Y, Lugagne JB, Wang L, Ding G, He H, Rauwolf TJ, Dunlop MJ, Connor JH, Porco JA, Tian L, Cheng JX. Label-free nanoscopy of cell metabolism by ultrasensitive reweighted visible stimulated Raman scattering. Nat Methods. 2025 Jan 16. PMID: 39820753.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 11/21/2024
Avancha A, Hoyt H, Bhave K, Medeiros M, Cho D, Brown LE, Fernández González D, Porco JA, Forman SA. Glabridin Hypnosis in Zebrafish Larvae Is Associated With Effects on Multiple Anesthetic Target Receptors. Anesth Analg. 2024 Nov 21. PMID: 39773742.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 8/12/2024
Yang F, Oladokun A, Porco JA. Evolution of a Strategy for the Unified, Asymmetric Total Syntheses of DMOA-Derived Spiromeroterpenoids. J Org Chem. 2024 Sep 06; 89(17):11891-11908. PMID: 39133739.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 8/8/2024
Wang Z, Thakare RP, Chitale S, Mishra AK, Goldstein SI, Fan AC, Li R, Zhu LJ, Brown LE, Cencic R, Huang S, Green MR, Pelletier J, Malonia SK, Porco JA. Identification of Rocaglate Acyl Sulfamides as Selective Inhibitors of Glioblastoma Stem Cells. ACS Cent Sci. 2024 Aug 28; 10(8):1640-1656. PMID: 39220711.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 8/6/2024
Keiser PT, Zhang W, Ricca M, Wacquiez A, Grimins A, Cencic R, Patten JJ, Shah P, Padilha E, Connor JH, Pelletier J, Lyons SM, Saeed M, Brown LE, Porco JA, Davey RA. Amidino-rocaglates (ADRs), a class of synthetic rocaglates, are potent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 replication through inhibition of viral protein synthesis. Antiviral Res. 2024 Oct; 230:105976. PMID: 39117283.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/6/2024
Ji K, Parthiban J, Jockusch S, Sivaguru J, Porco JA. Triple-Dearomative Photocycloaddition: A Strategy to Construct Caged Molecular Frameworks. J Am Chem Soc. 2024 May 15; 146(19):13445-13454. PMID: 38708818.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/3/2024
Thirman HL, Hayes MJ, Brown LE, Porco JA, Irish JM. Single Cell Profiling Distinguishes Leukemia-Selective Chemotypes. bioRxiv. 2024 May 03. PMID: 38826485.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 4/23/2024
Volegova MP, Brown LE, Banerjee U, Dries R, Sharma B, Kennedy A, Porco JA, George RE. The MYCN 5' UTR as a therapeutic target in neuroblastoma. Cell Rep. 2024 May 28; 43(5):114134. PMID: 38662542.
Read at: PubMed
View 212 more publications: View full profile at BUMC