Synthesis and Functions of Inositol Phosphates

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My research program aims at developing chemical biology tools to study inositol phosphates, an important family of endogenous molecules. Inositol phosphates play numerous crucial roles in the cell, ranging from cellular signalling and calcium mobilization to transcription regulation. Furthermore, some inositol phosphates are also anchored in the lipid bilayer where they recruit a multitude of proteins with important biological consequences. Despite the crucial functions of inositol phosphates in cell, a comprehensive picture is still lacking. This is due in part to the fact that there are over 60 possible inositol phosphate variations depending on the degree and position of phosphorylation. In addition, inositol phosphates interact with a daunting number of proteins. Access to well defined inositol phosphate molecules and their analogues is of key importance to decipher their precise role and mechanism at a molecular level. Moreover, the strong binding of inositol phosphates to calcium and other physiological cations has a dramatic impact on their functions. The ability to modulate the ion binding properties of inositol phosphates will provide important chemical tools. In addition, the chelating properties of inositol phosphates can be exploited to afford new biocompatible coating agents for inorganic surfaces, with potential applications in functional materials.