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Triterpenoids and Chemoprevention: A Dartmouth Collaboration
For 11 years, Dartmouth chemists Gordon Gribble and Tadashi Honda have collaborated with Dr. Michael Sporn, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Dartmouth Medical School, to create drugs that prevent and treat cancer. In 1998, Gribble's lab synthesized CDDO, a synthetic triterpenoid. This compound and one of its derivatives are now in clinical trials for a variety of cancers. So far, the drugs have proven to be quite safe and effective. For more on those trials and Sporn's research, read "Chemopreventatives show promise in trials". For a more in-depth look at this work, read the Winter 2006 feature "Compound Interest".
Video
A Q&A with Gordon Gribble
- What are triterpenoids?
- How did you create the synthetic triterpenoids?
- How did you begin working with Dr. Sporn?
- Why has your collaboration with Dr. Sporn been so successful?
- How do triterpenoids relate to cancer prevention?
- Do academic chemists often see their compounds go into trials?
Gordon Gribble Tells the Story of the Triterpenoid Project
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