Japan JSPS Program: Synthesis of Vitamin D3 Metabolites and their Analogues

该奖项支持为期12个月的日本科学促进会为加州大学圣克鲁斯分校化学系萨尔瓦多·G·阿尔瓦雷斯博士提供的博士后奖学金。这一奖学金机会将使阿尔瓦雷斯博士能够开始与日本东京早稻田大学应用化学系清水教授的合作研究工作。研究人员提出了一种通过合成CD环片段来收敛不对称合成1-α，25-二羟基维生素D3的新方法。这种维生素D3的类似物是一种活性的类固醇激素，是治疗骨质疏松症的主要候选药物，骨质疏松症是老年人的一种常见疾病。拟议的项目提供了维生素D3代谢物及其类似物的一般合成，用于探索结构活性关系研究。阿尔瓦雷斯博士此次为期12个月的访问将为他未来在美国和日本之间开展合作活动提供潜力。作为博士后研究员，阿尔瓦雷斯博士将有机会熟悉早稻田大学的新研究方法和类固醇化学，同时为整个研究工作做出贡献。因此，这项建议实现了该计划通过国际合作交流和转让科学知识的目标。

This award supports a 12-month Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Fellowship for Dr. Salvador G. Alvarez, Department of Chemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz. This fellowship opportunity will enable Dr. Alvarez to begin a collaborative research effort with Professor Isao Shimizu, Department of Applied Chemistry, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. The investigators propose a new method for the convergent asymmetric synthesis of 1-alpha, 25-dihydroxy-vitamin-D3 via the synthesis of the CD-ring fragment. This analogue of vitamin-D3 is an active steroid hormone and is a leading drug candidate for treating osteoporosis, a common disease with older populations. The proposed project provides a general synthesis of vitamin-D3 metabolites and their analogues for the exploration of structure activity relationship studies. This 12-month visit by Dr. Alvarez will provide him with a potential for future collaborative activities between the United States and Japan. As a postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Alvarez will have the opportunity to become familiar with novel research methodologies and steroid chemistry at Waseda University while contributing to the overall research effort. Therefore, this proposal fulfills the objectives of the program in its exchange and transfer of scientific knowledge through an international collaboration.