Pavel A. Petukhov
Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences
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About
Overview:
I have a broad background in medicinal chemistry, computer-aided drug design, synthetic organic chemistry, and chemical biology. I received extensive training in synthetic organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and computer-aided drug design during my PhD and postdoctoral research. As PI, co-PI, and co-investigator on multiple NIH and DoD-funded grants, I have gained broad experience in design and administration of complex multidisciplinary grants geared toward medicinal chemistry, in silico screening, computer-aided design, chemical biology, design and discovery of novel small molecules as chemical tools to study biology, and discovery and development of novel small molecule-based therapeutic approaches to a variety of diseases and conditions.
Research Interests:
Research in Dr. Petukhov laboratory is focused on (1) the discovery, computational design, synthesis, and preclinical studies of novel small molecule compounds as therapeutics for a variety of diseases and conditions and (2) development of novel chemical tools and approaches to gain deeper understanding of biology. Current projects focus on discovery of novel small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of schistosomiasis, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and chronic hepatitis B virus infections.
Teaching and Supervision
Fundamentals of Drug Action (PHAR 422), 8/25/2025 – 12/5/2025
Fundamentals of Drug Action (PHAR 422), 8/25/2025 – 12/5/2025
Fundamentals of Drug Action (PHAR 422), 8/25/2025 – 12/5/2025
Fundamentals of Drug Action (PHAR 422), 8/25/2025 – 12/5/2025
PSCI Ph.D. Thesis Research (PSCI 599), 1/13/2025 – 5/2/2025
PSCI Ph.D. Thesis Research (PSCI 599), 8/26/2024 – 12/6/2024
Fundamentals of Drug Action (PHAR 422), 8/26/2024 – 12/6/2024
Fundamentals of Drug Action (PHAR 422), 8/26/2024 – 12/6/2024
Fundamentals of Drug Action (PHAR 422), 8/26/2024 – 12/6/2024
Selected Grants
Development of novel TGR inhibitors for the treatment of schistosomiasis., 7/5/2024 - 6/30/2029, Obligated Amount: $1567644; Anticipated Amount: $3851238
Development of HDAC8 inhibitors for the treatment of AML., 3/1/2022 - 8/31/2024, Obligated Amount: $150000; Anticipated Amount: $150000
Identification of the target of meclonazepam in schistosome worms, Rush University Medical Center., 2/22/2021 - 1/31/2022, Obligated Amount: $79950; Anticipated Amount: $119925
Discovery of novel smHDAC8 inhibitors for the treatment of schistosomiasis., 12/4/2020 - 11/30/2023, Obligated Amount: $447143; Anticipated Amount: $447143
Identification of Preclinical Drug Candidates for the Treatment of Schistosomiasis., 12/1/2018 - 11/30/2022, Obligated Amount: $578006; Anticipated Amount: $578006
Histone deacetylase target engagement as a tool to individualize epigenetics-based therapeutics and decipher their clinical efficacy and toxicity., 1/1/2018 - 12/31/2018, Obligated Amount: $20000; Anticipated Amount: $20000
Identification of preclinical drug candidates for the treatment of schistosomiasis, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases., 12/1/2016 - 11/30/2018, Obligated Amount: $391590; No Anticipated Amount Set
Role of Leukocyte-Endothelial Adhesion in Diabetic Retinopathy., 9/30/2015 - 8/31/2021, Obligated Amount: $1913299; Anticipated Amount: $1913299
Generating Human CORD-Blood-Derived Functional Megakaryocytes and Platelets., 9/10/2015 - 5/31/2020, Obligated Amount: $1730126; Anticipated Amount: $1730126
Selected Publications
Gabriele, Federica, Bogard, Jala A, Palerma, Marta, Ardini, Matteo, Byrne, Margaret E, Chen, Xian-Ming, Petukhov, Pavel A, Ippoliti, Rodolfo, Angelucci, Francesco, Williams, David L. (2025). Targeting Apicomplexan Parasites: Structural and Functional Characterization of Cryptosporidium Thioredoxin Reductase as a Novel Drug Target. Biochemistry, 64, (10), 2212-2225. doi:10.1021/acs.biochem.5c00059.
Flowers, Brenna, Rullo, Abigail, Petukhov, Pavel, Kastrati, Irida. (2025). Abstract 3042: Non-covalent thioredoxin reductase inhibitors for TNBC. Cancer Research, 85, (8_Supplement_1), 3042-3042. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.am2025-3042.
Rullo, Abigail, Flowers, Brenna, Chang, Keacha, Petukhov, Pavel, Kastrati, Irida. (2025). Abstract 5982: Mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer activity of new, non-covalent thioredoxin reductase inhibitors. Cancer Research, 85, (8_Supplement_1), 5982-5982. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.am2025-5982.
Flowers, Brenna, Rullo, Abigail, Zhang, An, Chang, Keacha, Petukhova, Valentina Z, Aboagye, Sammy Y, Angelucci, Francesco, Williams, David L, Kregel, Steven, Petukhov, Pavel A, Kastrati, Irida. (2025). Pleiotropic anti-cancer activities of novel non-covalent thioredoxin reductase inhibitors against triple negative breast cancer. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 227, 201-209. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.12.010.
Ardini, Matteo, Aboagye, Sammy Y, Petukhova, Valentina Z, Kastrati, Irida, Ippoliti, Rodolfo, Thatcher, Gregory RJ, Petukhov, Pavel A, Williams, David L, Angelucci, Francesco. (2024). The “Doorstop Pocket” In Thioredoxin ReductasesAn Unexpected Druggable Regulator of the Catalytic Machinery. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 67, (18), 15947-15967. doi:10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00669.
Palerma, Marta, Harding, LNM, Petukhova, VZ, Gabriele, F, Ardini, M, D’Addario, M, Bogard, J, Ippoliti, R, Williams, DL, Petukhov, PA, Angelucci, F. (2024). Crystal structures of human histone deacetylase 8 in complex with novel hydroxamic acid inhibitors. Acta Crystallographica Section A: Foundations and advances, 80, (a1), e163-e163. doi:10.1107/s205327332409836x.
Kwok, Man Long, Geyer, Melissa, Chan, Wan Ching, Zhao, Shuangping, Gu, Lianzhi, Huang, Fei, Vogel, Steven M, Petukhov, Pavel A, Komarova, Yulia. (2023). Targeting EB3-IP3R3 Interface with Cognate Peptide Protects from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.. American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, 69, (4), 391-403. doi:10.1165/rcmb.2022-0217oc.
Mechaal, Amal, Ganapathy, Amudha, Mahmud, Dolores, Taha, Taha Y, Ranjan, Rajeev, Khan, Irum, Petukhov, Pavel, Mahmud, Nadim. (2021). Isoform Selective HDAC8 Inhibitor (OCH3) Shows Potency in Selectively Targeting Primary AML Cells. Blood, 138, (Supplement 1), 2944. doi:10.1182/blood-2021-151599.
Popova, Isolda A, Lubbe, Lizelle, Petukhov, Pavel A, Kalantarov, Gavriil F, Trakht, Ilya N, Chernykh, Elena R, Leplina, Olga Y, Lyubimov, Alex V, Garcia, Joe GN, Dudek, Steven M, Sturrock, Edward D, Danilov, Sergei M. (2021). Epitope mapping of novel monoclonal antibodies to human angiotensin I‐converting enzyme. Protein Science, 30, (8), 1577-1593. doi:10.1002/pro.4091.