We have a long-standing interest in developing novel tools for the study of cell death; for example, we have recently disclosed a small molecule that induces apoptotic cell death with unparalleled speed. In addition, we have developed high-end technologies for HTS, with an emphasis on methods that can directly report on compound binding (versus traditional assays that measure enzymatic activity). In this vein we work closely with Professor Brian Cunningham at UIUC and have developed novel photonic crystal methods for the rapid detection of inhibitors of protein-DNA interactions, protein-protein interactions, and for direct detection of small molecules binding to proteins.

Related Publications:
- Monitoring poly(ADP-ribosyl)glycohydrolase activity with a continuous fluorescent substrate
Drown, B. S.; Shirai, T.; Rack, J.G.M.; Ahel, I.; Hergenrother, P. J.
Cell Chem. Biol. 2018, 25, 1562-1570
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- A Small Molecule that Induces Intrinsic Pathway Apoptosis with Unparalleled Speed
Palchaudhuri, R.; Lambrecht, M. J.; Botham, R. C.; Partlow, K. C.; Van Ham, T. J.; Putt, K. S.; Nguyen, L. T.; Kim, S.-H.; Peterson, R. T.; Fan, T. M.; Hergenrother, P. J.
Cell Reports 2015, 13, 2027-2036.
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- Detection of Protein-Small Molecule Binding Using a Self-Referencing External Cavity Laser Biosensor​
Zhang, M.; Peh, J.; Hergenrother, P. J.; Cunningham, B. T.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 5840-5843.
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- External Cavity Laser Biosensor
Ge, C.; Lu, M.; George, S.; Flood, T. A.; Wagner, C.; Zheng, J.; Pokhriyal, A.; Eden, J. G.; Hergenrother, P. J.; Cunningham, B. T.
Lab Chip 2013, 13, 1247-1256.
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UIUC News Highlight
- Whole Cell Microtubule Analysis by Flow Cytometry
Morrison, K.C.; Hergenrother, P. J.
Anal. Biochem. 2012, 420, 26-32.
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- Transcript Profiling and RNA Interference as Tools to Identify Small Molecule Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential
Palchaudhuri, R.; Hergenrother, P. J.
ACS Chem. Biol. 2011, 6, 21-33.
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- High-Throughput Screening for Modulators of Protein-Protein Interactions: Use of Photonic Crystal Biosensors and Complementary Technologies
Heeres, J. T.; Hergenrother, P. J.
Chem. Soc. Rev. 2011, 40, 4398-4410.
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- Preparation of the Caspase-3/7 Substrate Ac-DEVD-pNA by Solution-Phase Peptide Synthesis
Peterson, Q. P.; Goode, D. R.; West, D. C.; Botham, R. C.; Hergenrother, P. J.
Nature Protocols 2010, 5, 294-302.
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- Identifying Modulators of Protein-Protein Interactions Using Photonic Crystal Biosensors
Heeres, J. T.; Kim, S.-H.; Leslie, B. J.; Lidstone, E. A.; Cunningham, B. T.; Hergenrother, P. J.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 18202-18203.
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BioPhotonics Highlight
- A General Method for Discovering Inhibitors of Protein-DNA Interactions Using Photonic Crystal Biosensors
Chan, L. C.; Pineda, M.; Heeres, J. T.; Hergenrother, P. J.; Cunningham, B. T.
ACS Chem. Biol. 2008, 3, 437-448.
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About the Authors
RSC News Highlight
Biooptics World Highlight
Medical News Today Highlight
Photonics.com Highlight
- Identification of the Cellular Targets of Bioactive Small Organic Molecules Using Affinity Reagents
Leslie, B. J.; Hergenrother, P. J.
Chem. Soc. Rev. 2008, 37, 1347-1360.
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- Obtaining and screening compound collections: A user’s guide and a call to chemists
Hergenrother, P. J.
Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 2006, 10, 213-218.
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- Direct Quantitation of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase (PARP) Activity as a Method to Distinguish Necrotic and Apoptotic Death in Cell and Tissue Samples
Putt, K. S.; Beilman, G. J.; Hergenrother, P. J.
ChemBioChem 2005, 6, 53-55.
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- A non-radiometric, high-throughput assay for poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG): Application to inhibitor identification and evaluation
Putt, K. S.; Hergenrother, P. J.
Anal. Biochem. 2004, 333, 256-264.
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- An Enzymatic Assay for Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase (PARP-1) via the Chemical Quantitation of NAD+: Application to the High-Throughput Screening of Small Molecules as Potential Inhibitors
Putt, K. S.; Hergenrother, P. J.
Anal. Biochem. 2004, 326, 78-86.
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