Kotra Research Group

• Yang, Y.; Vyawahare, R.; Lewis-Bakker, M.; Clarke, H.A.; Wong, A.H.C.; Kotra, L.P. Bioactive Chemical Composition of Cannabis Extracts and Cannabinoid Receptors. Molecules 2020, 25, 3466. (https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25153466)

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• Clarke, H.; Roychoudhury, P.; Ladha, K. S.; Leroux, T.; Fiorellino, J.; Huang, A.; Kotra, L. P. Darin discourse – yes: Practical considerations for cannabis use in the perioperative setting. Reg. Anesth. Pain Med. 2020, 45(7), 524-527. (https://doi.org/10.1136/rapm-2020-101521)

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• Jolivalt, C.G.; Frizzi, K.E.; Han, M.M.; Mota, A.J.; Guernsey, L. S.; Kotra, L.P.; Fernyhough, P.; Calcutt, N.A. Topical delivery of muscarinic receptor antagonists prevents and reverses peripheral neuropathy in female diabetic mice. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 2020, 374(1), 44-51 (https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.120.265447)

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• Goel, A.; McGuinness, B.; Jivraj, N.; Wijeysundera, D.; Mittleman, M.; Bateman, B.; Clarke, H.; Kotra, L.P.; Ladha, K. The impact of cannabis use disorder on perioperative outcomes in major elective surgeries: results from a propensity-matched retrospective cohort study. Anesthesiology 2020, 132(4), 625-635. (https://doi.org/10.1097/aln.0000000000003067) [PMID: 31789638].

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• Ladha, K.; Manoo, V.; Virji, A.-F.; Hanlon, J.; Mclaren-Blades, A.; Goel, A.; Wijeysundera, D. N.; Kotra, L. P.; Ibarra, C.; Englesakis, M.; Clarke, H. The Impact of Perioperative Cannabis Use – A Narrative Scoping Review. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2019, 4(4), 219-230.

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• Lewis-Bakker, M. M.; Yang, Y.; Vyavahare, R.; Kotra, L. P. Extractions of Medical Cannabis Cultivars and the Role of Decarboxylation for Optimal Receptor Responses. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2019, 4(3), 183-194. (Top 5 Most Read Articles of 2019 at Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research journal)

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• Olgen, S.; Kotra, L. P. Drug repurposing in the development of anticancer agents. Curr. Med. Chem. 2019, 25, in press. [PMID: 30009698] (https://doi.org/10.2174/0929867325666180713155702)

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• Caprariello, A.; Rogers, J.; Morgan, M.; Hoghooghi, V.; Plemel, J.; Koebel, A.; Tsutsui, S.; Dunn, J.; Kotra, L.; Ousman, S.; Wee, V.; Stys, P. K. Biochemically-altered myelin triggers autoimmune demyelination. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2018, 115(21), 5528-5533. [PMID: 29728463] (https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1721115115)

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• Curiel Tejeda, E. J.; Bello, A. M.; Wasilewski, E.; Koebel, A.; Dunn, S.; Kotra, L. P. Non-Covalent Protein Arginine Deiminase (PAD) Inhibitors Are Efficacious in Animal Models of Multiple Sclerosis. J. Med. Chem. 2017, 60(21), 8876–8887. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01102) 

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• Djiadeu, P.; Formakovski, N.; Azzouz, D.; Kotra, L. P., Sweezey, N.; Palaniyar, N. Surfactant Protein D Regulates Caspase-8-mediated Cascade of the Intrinsic Pathway of Apoptosis While Promoting Bleb Formation. Mol. Immunol. 2017, 92,190-198. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molimm.2017.10.016)

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• Yang, Y.; Lewis, M. M.; Bello, A. M.; Wasilwski, E.; Clarke, H. A.; Kotra, L. P. Cannabis sativa (Hemp) seeds, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and potential over dose. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2017, 2(1), 274-281. (https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2017.0040)

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• Lewis, M.M.; Yang, Y.; Wasilewski, E.; Clarke, H.A.; Kotra, L. P. Chemical profiling of medical cannabis extracts. ACS Omega 2017, 2(9), 6091-6103. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.7b00996)

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• Mundra, S.; Thakur, V.; Bello, A. M.; Rathore, S.; Asad, M.; Wei, L.; Yang, J.; Chakka, S. K.; Mahesh, R.; Malhotra, P.; Mohmmed, A.; Kotra, L. P. A novel class of Plasmodial ClpP protease inhibitors as potential antimalarial agents. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2017, 25(20), 5662-5677. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2017.08.049)

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• Wang, B. X.; Wei, L.; Kotra, L. P.; Brown, E. G.; Fish, E. N. A conserved residue, Tyrosine (Y) 84, in H5N1 Influenza A virus NS1 regulated IFN signaling responses to enhance viral infection. Viruses 2017, 9, 107. (doi: 10.3390/v9050107)

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• Sarswat, A.; Wasilewski, E.; Chakka, S. K.; Bello, A. M.; Caprariello, A. V.; Muthuramu, C. M.; Stys, P. K.; Dunn, S.; Kotra, L. P. Structure-activity relationship of hydantoin derivatives as inhibitors of protein arginine deiminases targeting multiple sclerosis. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2017, 25(9), 2643-2656.

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• Djiadeu, P.; Azzouz, D.; Khan, M.; Kotra, LP.; Sweezey, N.; Palaniyar, N. Ultraviolet Irradiation Increases Green Fluorescence of Dihydrorhodamine (DHR) 123: False Positive Results for Reactive Oxygen Species Generation. Pharmacol. Res. Perspectives. 2017, 5(2), e00303.

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• Djiadeu, P.; Kotra, LP.; Sweezey, N.; Palaniyar, N. Surfactant Protein D delays Fas- and TRAIL-mediated extrinsic pathway of apoptosis in T cells. Apoptosis, 2017, 22(5), 730-740.

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• Neschadim, A.; Kotra, L. P.; Barnch, D. R. Small molecule phagocytosis inhibitors for immune cytopenias. Autoimmunity Rev. 2016, 15, 843-847 (doi:10.1016/j.autrev.2016.06.004).

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• Tu, R.; Grover, H. M.; Kotra, L. P.* Peptidyl Arginine Deiminase (PADs) and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Curr. Med. Chem. 2016, 23, 104-114.

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• Wei, L.; Bello, A.M.; Majchrzak-Kita, B.; Salum, N.; Lewis, M. M.; Kotra, L.P.*; Fish, E. N.* Small molecule agonists for the type-I interferon receptor: an in silico approach. J. Interferon Cytokine Res. 2016, 36(3), 180-191 (doi:10.1089/jir.2015.0123)

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• Fujihashi, M.; Mnpotra, J. S.; Mishra, R. K.; Pai, E. F.; Kotra, L. P. Orotidine monophosphate decarboxylase – A fascinating workhorse enzyme with therapeutic potential. J. Genet. Genom. 2015, 42 (5), 221-234. [PMID: 26059770] (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jgg.2015.04.005)

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• Fortin, S.; Wei, L.; Kotra, L. P.; C.-Gaudreault, R. Novel cytocidal substituted phenyl 4-(2-oxoimidazolidin-1-yl)benzenesulfonates and benzenesulfonamides with affinity to the colchicine-binding site: Is the phenyl 2-imidazolidinone moiety a new haptophore for the design of new antimitotics? Open J. Med. Chem. March 2015, 5, 9-22. (http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ojmc.2015.51002)

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• Chakka, S. K.; Kalamuddin, M.; Sundararaman, S.; Wei, L.; Mundra, S.; Mahesh, R.; Malhotra, P.; Mohmmed, A.; Kotra, L. P. Identification of novel class of falcipain-2 inhibitors as potential antimalarial agents. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2015, 23(9), 2221-2240. (doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2015.02.062)

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• Purohit, M. K.; Chakka, S. K.; Scovell, I.; Neschadim, A.; Salum, N.; Katsman, Y.; Mareau, M. C.; Branch, D. R.; Kotra, L. P. Structure-activity relationships of pyrazole derivatives as potential therapeutics for immune thrombocytopenias. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2014, 22(9), 2739-2752 (doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2014.03.016)

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• Bello, A. M.; Wei, L.; Majchirzak-Kita, B.; Salum, N.; Purohit, M. K.; Fish, E. N.; Kotra, L. P. Small molecule mimetics of an interferon- receptor interacting domain. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2014, 22(3), 978-985.

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• Mundra, S.; Kotra, L. P. Design of inhibitors of ODCase. Future Med. Chem. 2014, 6(2), 165-177.

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• Fujihashi, M.; Ishida, T.; Kuroda, S.; Kotra, L. P.; Pai, E. F.; Miki, K. Substrate distortion contributes to the catalysis of orotidine 5'-monophosphate decarboxylase. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135(46), 17432-17443.

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• Hadimani, M. B.; Purohit, M. K.; Vanampally, C.; Ploeg, R.; Abrallo, V.; Morrow, D.; Frizzi, K.; Calcutt, N. A.; Fernyhough, P. F.; Kotra, L. P.* Guaifenesin derivatives promote neurite outgrowth and protect diabetic mice from neuropathy. J. Med. Chem. 2013, 56(12), 5071-5078.

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• Purohit, M. K.; Scovell, I.; Neschadim, A.; Katsman, Y.; Branch, D. R.; Kotra, L. P.* Disulfide Linked Pyrazole Derivatives Inhibit Phagocytosis of blood cells. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 2013, 23(8), 2324-2327. ( doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.02.064)

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• Crandall, I. E.; Wasilewski, E.; Bello, A. M.; Mohmmed, A.; Malhotra, P.; Pai, E. F.; Kain, K. C.; Kotra, L. P.* Antimalarial activities of 6-iodouridine, its prodrugs and potential for combination therapy. J. Med. Chem. 2013, 56(6), 2348-2358. (DOI: 10.1021/jm301678j)

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• Wei, L.; Wasilewski, E.; Chakka, S. K.; Bello, A. M.; Moscarello, M. A.; Kotra, L. P.* Novel inhibitors of protein arginine deiminase with potential activity in multiple sclerosis animal model. J. Med. Chem. 2013, 56 (4), pp 1715-1722.

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• Bello, A. M.; Poduch, E.; Wei, L.; Moscarello, M.; Kotra, L. P.* Interrogation of the active site of protein arginine deiminase (PAD) using designer probes. ACS Med. Chem. Lett. 2013, 4 (2), 249-253.

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• Purohit, M. K.; Poduch, E.; To, T.; Crandall, I. E.; Kain, K. C.; Pai, E. F.; Kotra, L. P.* Novel Cytidine-Based Orotidine-5’-Monophosphate Decarboxylase Inhibitors with an Unusual Twist. J. Med. Chem. 2012, 55(22), 9988-9997.

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• Fortin, S.; Wei, L.; Moreau, E,; Lacroix, J.; Côté, M.-F.; Petitclerc, E.; Kotra, L. P.; C.-Gaudreault, R. Substituted Phenyl 4-(2-Oxoimidazolidin-1-yl)benzenesulfonamides as Antimitotics. Antiproliferative, Antiangiogenic and Antitumoral Activity, and Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships. Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2011, 46(11), 5327-5342.

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• Verma, V.; Testero, S. A.; Amini, K.; Wei, W.; Liu, J.; Balachandran, N.; Monoharan, T.; Stynes, S.; Kotra, L. P.; Golemi-Kotra, D. The Hydrolytic Mechanism of OXA-58, a Carbapenem-hydrolyzing Class D beta-lactamase from Acinetobacter baumannii. J. Biol. Chem. 2011, 286(43), 37292-37303. (doi:10.1074/jbc.M111.280115)

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• Fortin, S.; Wei, L.; Moreau, E.; Lacrix, J.; Cote, M.-F.; Petitclerc, E.; Kotra, L. P.; C.-Gaudreault, R. Design, synthesis, biological evaluation and structure-activity relationships of substituted phenyl 4-(2-oxoimidazoleidin-1-yl)benzenesulfonates as new tubulin inhibitors mimicking combretastatin A-4. J. Med. Chem. 2011, 54(13), 4559-4580.

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• Lewis, M. M.; Meza-Avina, M.; Wei, L.; Crandall, I.; Bello, A. M.; Poduch, E.; Liu, Y.; Paige, C. J.; Kain, K.C.; Pai, E. F.; Kotra, L. P.* Novel interactions of fluorinated nucleotide derivatives targeting orotidine-5'-monophosphate decarboxylase. J. Med. Chem. 2011, 54 (8), 2891-2901 (dx.doi.org/10.1021/jm101642g)

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• Bello, A. M.; Purohit, M. K.; Cui, T. J. Y.; Stead, S. B.; Kotra, L. P.* Immunological targets in inflammation from the small molecule perspective. Anti-Inflamm. Anti-Allergy Agents Med. Chem. 2011, 10, 121-131.

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• Meza-Avina, M. E.; Wei, L.; Liu, Y.; Poduch, E.; Bello, A. M.; Mishra, R. K.; Pai, E. F.; Kotra, L. P.* Structural determinants for inhibitory ligands of orotidine-5`-monophosphate decarboxylase. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2010, 18(11), 4032-4041. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2010.04.017)

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• Fortin, S.; Wei, L.; Moreau, E.; Labrie, P.; Peritclerc, E.; Kotra, L. P.; Gaudreault, R. C. Mechanism of actionof N-phenyl-N’-(2-chloroethyl)ureas in the colchicines-binding site at the interface between - and -tubulin. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2009, 17(10), 3690-3697.

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• Fujihashi, M.; Wei, L.; Kotra, L. P.; Pai, E. F. Structural characterization of the molecular events during a slow substrate-product transition in Orotinde-5’-monophosphate decarboxylase. J. Mol. Biol. 2009, 387, 1199-1210. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmb.2009.02.037).

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• Bello, A. M.; Konforte, D.; Poduch, E.; Furlonger, C.; Wei, L.; Liu, Y.; Lewis, M.; Pai, E. F.; Paige, C. J.; Kotra, L. P.* Structure-activity relationships of orotidine-5’-monophosphate decarboxylase inhibitors as anticancer agents. J. Med. Chem. 2009, 52, 1648–1658. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jm801224t)

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• Bello, A. M.; Bende, T.; Wei, L.; Wang, X.; Majchrzak-Kita, B.; Fish, E. N.; Kotra, L. P.* De novo design of nonpeptidic compounds targeting the interactions between interferon- and its cognate cell surface receptor. J. Med. Chem. 2008, 51, 2734-2743. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jm701182y)

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• Tang, S.; Xiao, V.; Wei, L.; Whiteside, C. I.; Kotra, L. P.* Protein kinase C isozymes and their selectivity towards ruboxistaurin. Proteins Struct. Function & Bioinform. 2008, 72, 447-460. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/prot.21942)

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• Fortin, S.; Labrie, P.; Moreau, E.; Wei, L.; Kotra, L. P.; C.-Gaudreault, R. A Comparative Molecular Field and Comparative Molecular Similarity Indices Analyses (CoMFA and CoMSIA) of N-Phenyl-N’-(2-chloroethyl)urea Targeting the Colchicine-Binding Site as Anticancer Agents. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2008, 16, 1914-1926 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2007.11.004).

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• Bello, A. M.; Poduch, E.; Liu, Y.; Wei, L.; Crandall, I.; Wang, X.; Dyanand, C.; Kain, K. C.; Pai, E. F.; Kotra, L. P.* Structure-Activity Relationships of C6-Uridine Derivatives Targeting Plasmodia Orotidine Monophosphate decarboxylase. J. Med. Chem. 2008, 51 (3), 439–448. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jm7010673)

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• Poduch, E.; Wei, L.; Pai, E. F.; Kotra, L. P.* Structural Diversity and Plasticity Associated with Nucleotides targeting Orotidine Monophosphate Decarboxylase. J. Med. Chem. 2008, 51 (3), 432–438. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jm700968x)

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• Meza-Avina, M. E.; Wei, L.; Buhendwa, M. G.; Poduch, E.; Bello, A. M.; Pai, E. F.; Kotra, L. P.* Inhibition of Orotidine 5’-Monophosphate Decarboxylase and Its Therapeutic Potential. Mini-Rev. Med. Chem. 2008, 8(3), 239-247.

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• Kumaran, J.; Wei, L.; Kotra, L. P.;* Fish, E. N.* A structural basis for interferon-alpha-receptor interactions. FASEB J. 2007, 21, 3288-3296.

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• Bello, A. M.; Poduch, E.; Fujihashi, M.; Amani, M.; Li, Y.; Crandall, I.; Hui, R.; Lee, P. I.; Kain, K. C.; Pai, E. F.; Kotra, L. P.* A potent, covalent inhibitor of orotidine 5’-monophosphate decarboxylase with antimalarial activity. J. Med. Chem. 2007, 50(5), 915-921.

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• Wang, X.; Wei, L.; Kotra, L. P.* Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) conjugates with enhanced solubility. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2007, 15, 1780-1787.

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• Labrie, P.; Maddaford, S. P.; Fortin, S.; Rakhit, S.; Kotra, L. P.; C.-Gaudreault, R. A Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) and Comparative Molecular Similarity Indices Analysis (CoMSIA) of Anthranilamide Derivatives that are Multidrug Resistance Modulators. J. Med. Chem. 2006, 49(26), 7646-7660.

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• Poduch, E.; Bello, A. M.; Tang, S.; Fujihashi, M.; Pai, E. F.; Kotra, L. P.* Design of Inhibitors of Orotidine Monophosphate Decarboxylase using Bioisosteric Replacement and Determination of Inhibition Kinetics. J. Med. Chem. 2006, 49, 4937-4945.

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• Wang, M.; Kotra, L. P.; Hampson, D. R. Molecular homology modeling of G-protein coupled receptors. Curr. Comp.-Aided Drug Des. 2006, 2, 95-103.

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• Oyiliagu, C.; Novalen, M.; Kotra, L. P.* Fluorine containing molecules for peptidomimicry: A chemical act to modulate enzymatic activity. Mini-Rev. Org. Chem. 2006, 3, 99-115. (invited review article)

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• Annedi, S. C.; Biabani, F.; Poduch, E.; Mannargudi, B. M.; Majumder, K.; Wei, L.; Khayat, R.; Tong, L.; Kotra, L. P.* Engineering D-amino acid containing Novel Protease Inhibitors using Catalytic Site Architecture. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2006, 14, 214-236.

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• Fujihashi, M.; Bello, A. M.; Poduch, E.; Wei, L.; Annedi, S. C.; Pai, E. F.; Kotra, L. P.* An unprecedented twist for ODCase catalytic activity. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 15048-15050 (3-page communication).

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• Gallant, C. V.; Daniels, C.; Leung, J. M.; Ghosh, A. S.; Young, K. D.; Kotra, L. P.; Burrows, L. L. Common β-lactamases inhibit bacterial biofilm formation. Mol. Microbiol. 2005, 58, 1012-1024 (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2958.2005.04892.x).

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• Annedi, S. C.; Majumder, K.; Wei, L.; Oyiliagu, C. E.; Samson, S.; Kotra, L. P.* Novel fluoropeptidomimetics: Synthesis, stability studies and protease inhibition. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2005, 13, 2943-2958.