Kevin M Church

Associate Professor; Director of Graduate Program in Chemistry

Profile

Dr. Kevin Church is a faculty member of the Department of Chemistry where he serves as the Director of Graduate Studies in Chemistry. He also teaches courses for the Premedical Programs.

The Faculty Perspective

After many years of working in the department I have come to the conclusion that teaching and research are sometimes hard to separate. The most obvious overlap comes in teaching. As often as I can, I try to bring in real world examples of research into my courses. The students always perk up and are more interested in the subject matter. Sometimes the lecture material for a course will also give me ideas for new research projects. Teaching and research can be mutually supporting if given a chance.

Degrees

  • Ph.D. in Biomedicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska. 1988.
  • M.Sc. in Biomedicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska. 1985.
  • B.Sc. in Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska. 1982.

Professional Activities

1996 - present: Associate Professor of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Dayton. Research interests involve the synthesis and characterization of novel nucleoside analogs and DNA binding agents. Director of departmental high field NMR facility.

1990 - 1996: Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Dayton.

1988 - 1990: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University. Under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Singleton. Research involved radical mediated methylenecyclopentane annulations using 2-phenylsulfonyl substituted methylene cyclopropanes.

1982 - 1988; Graduate Research Assistant, Eppley Cancer Research Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center. Under the supervision of Dr. Barry Gold. Synthetic strategies were developed to covalently link N-nitrosoureas to DNA affinity binding molecules.

1980 - 1982: Undergraduate Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Under the supervision of Dr. Charles Kingsbury. NMR conformational studies of selenium substituted ethanes.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1996 - present: Associate Professor of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Dayton. Teaching duties have included lecture courses in General (CHM 123,124), Organic (CHM 313, 314), Medicinal (course developed by myself CHM427), Biochemistry (CHM 420), and Organic Spectroscopy (CHM 317/507).

1990 - 1996: Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Dayton.

Research Interests

  • Organic Structure Determination
  • Synthesis of Nucleoside analogs
  • Anti-tumor and DNA reactive agents

Selected Publications and Presentations

PUBLICATIONS

Church, K., Holloway, L., Matley, R., Brower, R., Efficient Pyrimidine N-1-Alkylation via Activation of Electron Rich Olefins with Oxoammonium Salts: Synthesis of Methoxy TEMPO Substituted Pyrimidine Nucleoside Analogs., Nucleosides, Nucleotides & Nucleic Acids., 2004, 23(11), 1723 - 1738.

Chmielewski, J., Haun, M., Topmiller, K., Ward, J., Church, K., Aminothiocyanation of Electron Rich Olefins as an Efficient Purine and Pyrimidine N-Alkylation Process., Synth. Commun., 2002, 32(3), 343 V 353.

Frasier, M., Swartz, V., Church, K.; Lexitropsin Dipeptides Conjugated to Aromatic Amino Acids and ƒ?-Lactams: Synthesis and DNA Binding Properties., Recent Research Developments in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Trans World Research Network, 2 (1999), 69-78.

Mehta, P., Williams, J., Chen, F., Encell, L., Shuker, S., Church, K., Gold, B.; The Design of DNA Affinity Binding Agents to Control DNA Methylation Adducts. Selective Major Groove Methylation of DNA by an N-Methyl-N-Nitrosourea Linked to an Analogue of the Intercalator Phenyl Neutral Red., Chem. Res. Toxicol., 1996, 9(6), 939-948.

Stewart, D., Trauth, J., Windholtz, J., Church, K.; Adenosine Nucleoside Analog Synthesis Via Electrophilic Activation of Electron Rich Alkenes., Synth. Commun., 1996, 26(22), 4279-4288.

Huval, C., Church, K., Singleton, D.; Free-radical Mediated [3+2] Methylenecyclopentane Annulations of Electron-poor Alkenes., Syn. Lett., 1994, 4, 273.

Chen, F., Zhang, Y., Church, K., Gold, B., Bodell, W.; DNA Crosslinking, Sister Chromatid Exchange and Cytotoxicity of N-(2-Chloroethyl)-N-Nitrosoureas Tethered to Minor Groove Binding Peptides., Carcinogenesis, 1993,14, 935.

Church, K., Moore, T., Luckey, S., Schaeper, M., Chase, K.; Synthesis and DNA Binding Properties of Tryptophan Linked Monocationic Netropsin Analogues., Bioorg. Med. Chem. Let., 1993, 1, 2623.

Singleton, D., Huval, C., Church, K., Priestly, E.; Methylenecyclopropane-carboxylates and - dicarboxylates, Efficient Reagents for the [3+2] Methylenecyclopentane Annulation of Unactivated and Electron Rich Alkenes., Tet. Lett., 1991, 32, 5765.

Gold, B., Church, K.M., Wurdeman, R.L., Zhang, Y., Chen, F. X.; Control Over the Sequence Specificity of DNA Alkylation: Synthesis and Reactions with Phosphorous-32-end-labeled DNA of N-Alkyl-N-Nitrosoureas Linked to Minor Groove Binding Lexitropsins., IARC Sci. Publ. (1991), 105: Relevance to Human Cancer. N-Nitroso Compounds and Tobaco Mycotoxins., 439-442.

Church, K., Wurdeman, R., Zhang, Y., Chen, F., Gold, B.; N-(2-Chloroethyl)-N-Nitrosoureas Covalently Bound to Nonionic and Monocationic Lexitropsin Dipeptides. Synthesis, DNA Affinity Binding Characteristics and Reactions with 32-P-End-Labeled DNA., Biochemistry, 1990, 22, 6827.

Singleton, D., Church, K., Lucero, M.; Catalytic Stereocontrol of a Radical Cyclization., Tet. Lett., 1990, 3l, 5551.

Singleton, D., Church, K.; [3+2] Methylenecyclopentane Annulations of Unactivated and Electron Rich Olefins with 2-Phenylsulfonylmethylenecyclopropanes., J. Org. Chem., 1990, 4780.

Wurdeman, R., Church, K., Gold, B.; DNA Methylation by N-Methyl-N-Nitrosourea, N- Methyl-N-Nitro-N-Nitrosoguanidine, N-Nitroso(l-acetoxyethyl)methylamine and Diazomethane: Mechanism for the Formation of N- 7-Guanine in Sequence Characterized 5'-Endlabeled DNA., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1989, 111, 6408.

Church, K., Gold, B.; The Role of Nucleophilicity in the Ratio of Primary to Secondary Solute Derived Products in the Decomposition of (l-Acetoxypropyl)propylnitrosamine., Chem. Res. Toxicol., 1986, 1, 269.

PRESENTATIONS

Church, K., Wheatcraft, H., Addaganti, N., Reid, R., Benin, V.; Alkylation of Thymidine with 2-(methylthio)ethyl and 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl-N-nitrosocarbamates., 39th Central Regional Meeting, Amer. Chem. Soc., May 20-23, 2007, Covington, KY.

Wheatcraft, H., Addaganti, N., Benin, V., Church, K., Alkylation of Thymidine with 2-(Methylthio)ethyl and 2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl- N-nitrosocarbamates at pH 8., Dayton Sect. Amer. Chem. Soc. Meeting, March 1, 2007, Dayton, OH.

Ranganathan, R., Church, K., Synthesis and Structural Characterization of 2-Methoxy TEMPO Substituted Nucleosides., 36th Central Regional Meeting , American. Chem. Soc., June 4, 2004, Indianapolis, IN.

Holloway, L. Church, K., Synthesis of 4-Methoxy TEMPO Substituted Thymine Analogs. Annual Poster Session American Chemical Society Dayton Section, March 6, 2003, Dayton,OH

Church, K., Holloway, L., Matley, R., Brower, R., Efficient Pyrimidine N-1-Alkylation via Electrophilic Activation of Electron Rich Olefins with Oxoammonium Salts: Synthesis of Methoxy TEMPO Substituted Pyrimidine Nucleoside Analogs. 224th National Amer. Chem. Soc. Meeting, Aug 18 V 22, 2002, Boston, MA.

Chmielewski, J., Haun, M., Top miller, K., Ward, J., Church, K., Amino-Thiocyanation: An Efficient Process for the Formation of Nucleoside Analogs from Electron Rich Alkenes. Central Reg. Am. Chem. Soc. Meeting, May 16- 19, 2000, Covington, KY.

Church, K., Meyers, K., Miller, K., Stafford, B., Trauth, J., Windholtz, J., Stewart, D., Karla, A.; Nucleoside Analog Synthesis Via Trapping of Alkene Derived Electrophilic Intermediates. Dayton Sect. Am. Chem. Soc. Meeting, March, 1998, Dayton, Ohio.

Stewart, D., Trauth, J., Windholtz, J., Church, K; Nucleoside Analog Synthesis Via Electrophilic Activation of Electron Rich Alkenes. Central Reg. Am. Chem. Soc. Meeting, June, 1996, Dayton, Ohio.

Stewart, D., Church, K.; Synthesis of Adenine Analog Nucleosides via Amino-Selenation. Proceedings; NOBCChE, 1996, 23, 173-180.

Mehta, P., Church, K., Williams, J., Chen, F., Encell, L., Shuker, D., Gold, B., Enhanced Major Groove Methylation of DNA by an N-Methyl-N-Nitrosourea Functionalized Phenyl Neutral Red Intercalator. Natl. Am. Chem. Soc. Meeting, August, 1996, Orlando, Florida.

Swartz, V., Church, K. DNA Binding Properties of a Penicillin VV-Netropsin Conjugate. Natl. Meeting of the Amer. Chem. Soc., April, 1995, Anaheim, CA..

Church, K., Schaeper, M., Moore, T., Kuehner, K. Synthesis and DNA Binding Properties of Trytophan Linked Netropsin Analogues. Natl. Meeting of the Amer. Chem. Soc., April 1994, Denver, CO.

Mehta, P., Williams, J., Chen, F., Church, K., Gold, B. Design of DNA Affinity Binding Agents to Control DNA Methylation of DNA by an N-Methyl-N-Nitrosourea Linked to an Analogue of the Intercolator Phenyl Neutral Red. Midwestern Reg. Meeting of The Amer. Chem. Soc., November 1993, Columbia, MO.

Singleton, D., Church, K. Trapping of a Phenylsulfonyl Substituted Trimethylenemethane with Electron Rich Olefins. Natl. Meeting of the Amer. Chem. Soc., May 1989, Dallas, TX.

Gold, B., Church, K., Konakahara, T., Wurdeman, R. Control over the Sequence Specificity of DNA Alkylation. Synthesis and Reactions with P-32-end-labeled DNA of N-Alkyl-N-nitrosoureas Linked to a Methidium Chloride Intercolator and to a Minor Groove Binding Lexitropsin. IARC 10th Intern. Meeting on N-Nitroso Comps., Mycotoxins and Tobacco Smoke. September 1989, Lyon, France.

Church, K., Wurdeman, R., Gold, B. Control over the Sequence Specificity of DNA Alkylation. Synthesis and Reactions of 2-Chloroethylnitrosoureas Linked to Minor Groove Binding Lexitropsins. Natl. Meeting of Amer. Assoc. of Cancer Res., May, 1989, San Francisco, CA.

Gold, B., Konakahara, T., Church, K., Wurdeman, R., Synthesis and Characterization of an N-Methyl-N-Nitrosourea Linked to a Methidium Chloride Analog. Reactions with P-32-Endlabeled DNA. Natl. Meeting of the Amer. Chem. Soc., September, 1988, Los Angeles, CA.

Church, K., Gold, B., Wurdeman, R. Synthesis and Characterization of an N-Methyl-N-Nitrosourea linked to Methidium Chloride Analog. Reactions with P-32-Endlabeled DNA. Natl. Meeting Med. Chem. Symposium., June, 1988, Minneapolis, MN.

Church, K., Gold, B., Synthesis, Alkylating Activity and In Vivo Toxicity of N-Nitrosoalkylureas Tethered to Ionic and Nonionic Lexitropsin DNA Affinity Binding Molecules. International Conference on Advances in the Biology and Chemistry of N-Nitroso Compounds. Univ. of Nebraska Med. Center., May 1988, Omaha, NE.

Gold, B., Church, K. Reactions of Propane 1-diazotic acid: Evidence for Nucleophilic Selectivity. Natl. Meeting of the Amer. Chem. Soc., Spring 1986, New York, NY.

Gold, B., Church, K. Reactions of N-Nitrosocarbamates with Nucleosides and Related Model Compounds. NCI Conference: Organic and Biological Chemistry of Carcinogenic and Carcinostatic Agents Containing Nitrogen-Nitrogen Bonds. May 1985, Harpers Ferry, WV.