Our primary areas of research are drug discovery and development. Research currently includes the design and synthesis of novel topoisomerase I and II poisons as antineoplastic agents. Several potent topoisomerase poisons have been identified and studies are in progress to identify those with the greater potential to serve as clinical candidates. Research has also been undertaken on the synthesis of analogs of the cancer chemotherapeutic agent hexamethylmelamine, or Altretamine Ò, as well as prodrugs of its suspect active metabolite. Mechanisms of carcinogenesis are being investigated by examining the potential role of metabolites of polycyclic aromatic compounds in cancer initiation and tumor growth.

	Ruchelman, A.R., Singh, S.K., Liu, A., Zhou, N., Liu, L.F., LaVoie E.J. , (2004), Cytotoxicity of 5H-dibenzo[c,h][1,6]-naphthyridin-6-ones and 6H-indeno[1,2-c]isoquinolin-5,11-diones in tumor cells sensitive and resistant to camptothecin analogues, Letters in Drug Design and Discovery, 1: 198-202.
	Ruchelman, A.R., Li, T-K., Angela Liu, A., Liu, L.F, <strong>LaVoie, E.J. </strong> (2004) Nitro and Amino Substitution within the A-ring of 5H-8,9-dimethoxy-5-(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethyl)dibenzo[c,h][1,6]naphthyridin-6-ones: Influence on Topoisomerase I-Targeting Activity and Cytotoxicity, Bioorg. Med. Chem., 14: <em>In Press
	Ruchelman, A.L., Singh, S.K. Ray, A., Wu, X., Yang, J-M., Nai Zhou, N., Liu, A., Liu, L.F., <strong>LaVoie, E.J. </strong> (2004), 11H-Isoquino[4,3-c]cinnolin-12-ones: novel anticancer agents with potent topoisomerase I-targeting activity and cytotoxicity, Bioorg. Med. Chem., 12: 795-806.
	Kwon, M-J., LaVoie, E. J. , Kim, J. S. (2003), Topoisomerase I inhibition by 2-substituted 5-nitrobenzimidazoles. Yakhak Hoechi , 47: 125-129.