Steven M. Firestine

B.S. Chemistry - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI
PhD. Medicinal Chemistry - Purdue University, West Lafayette IN
Postdoc Enzymology - Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA

1988-1990      Undergraduate Research Assistant (Dr. James K. Coward) University of   Michigan , Ann Arbot, MI

1990-1995      Graduate Research Assistant (Dr. V. Jo Davission), Purdue University , West Lafayette, IN

1996-2000      Postdoctoral Fellow (Dr. Stephen J. Benkovic), The Pennsylvania State University , Univ. Park, PA

2000-2005            Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Duquesne University Mylan School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh PA

2000-2006            Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Wayne State University, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI

1989              Gomberg Summer Research Fellowship, University of Michigan

1990              Merck Award, University of Michigan

1992-1993      NIH Predoctoral Training grant, Purdue University

1994-1995      American Chemical Society Division of Medicinal Chemistry Predoctoral Fellowship, Purdue University

1995              Jenkins/Knevel Award for Outstanding Graduate Research, Purdue University

1996-1999      Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Fellowship, Penn State

1999              ASBMB   Travel Award, Penn State

2005              Outstanding Young Investigator, Duquesne University

1.     Firestine, S.M. and Davisson, V. J. A Tight Binding Inhibitor of 5-Aminoimidazole Ribonucleotide Carboxylase. J. Med. Chem., 1993, 36, 3484-3486.

2.   Firestine, S.M. and Davisson, V.J.  Carboxylases in de novo Purine Biosynthesis.  Characterization of the Gallus gallus Bifunctional Enzyme. Biochemistry, 1994, 33, 11917-11926.

3.   Firestine, S.M., Poon, S.W., Mueller, E., Stubbe, J. and Davisson, V.J.  Reactions Catalyzed by 5-Aminoimidazole Ribonucleotide Carboxylases from Escherichia coli and Gallus gallus: A Case for Divergent Catalytic Mechanisms? Biochemistry, 1994, 33, 11927-11934.

4.   Firestine, S.M., Nixon, A.E., and Benkovic, S.J. Threading your way to Protein Function. Chemistry & Biology, 1996, 3, 779-783.

5.   Firestine, S.M., Misialek, S., Toffaletti, D.L., Klem, T.J., Perfect, J.R., and Davisson, V.J. Biochemical Role of the Cryptococcus neoformans ADE2 Protein in Fungal de novo Purine Biosynthesis. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 1998, 351, 123-134.

6.   Nixon, A.E., Firestine, S.M., Salinas , F., and Benkovic, S.J.   Rational Design of a Scytalone Dehydratase-Like Enzyme from a Structurally Homologous Protein Scaffold.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 1999, 96, 3568-3571.

7.   Thoden, J.B., Firestine, S.M., Nixon, A.E., Benkovic, S.J. and Holden, H.M. Molecular Structure of Escherichia coli PurT-Encoded Glycinamide Ribonucleotide Transformylase. Biochemistry, 2000, 39, 8791-8802.

8.   Nixon, A.E., and Firestine, S.M. Rational and Irrational Design of Proteins and Their Use in Biotechnology.  IUBMB Life, 2000, 49, 181-187.

9.   Firestine, S.M., Salinas , F., Nixon, A.E., Baker, S.J., and Benkovic, S.J. Using an AraC-based Three-hybrid System to Detect Biocatylsts in vivo. Nature Biotechnol. 2000, 18, 544-547.

10.  Baker, S.J., Firestine, S.M., Salinas , F. and Benkovic, S.J. Synthesis of Two Bifuntional Ligands for the QUEST Three-hybrid System.  Tet. Lett., 2000, 41, 7009-7012.

11.   Xiao, Z., Schaeffer,K., Firestine, S.M. and Li, P.K  Solid-Phase Synthesis of Thalidomide and Its Analogs. , J. Comb. Chem., 4, 149-153, 2002. 

12. Thoden, J., Firestine, S.M., Benkovic, S.J., and Holden, H.M. PurT-encoded glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase: accommodation of adenosine nucleotide analogs within the active site. J. Biol. Chem., 2002, 277, 23898-23908.

 

13. Firestine, S.M., Salinas , F., Benkovic, S.J. Using Transcriptional-Based Systems for In Vivo Enzyme Screening. In E. coli Gene Expression Protocols, ed. P. Vallincourt, Humana Press. 2003, pg 315-327.

 

14. Witt-Enderby, P.A.*, Bennett, J.,  Jarzynka, M.J., Firestine, S.M. and Melan, M.A.. Melatonin Receptors and their Regulation: Biochemical and Structural Mechanisms.  Life Sci. 72, 2183-2198, 2003.

15. Xie, W and Firestine, S.M.* A Simple and Inexpensive Reactor with Condenser for Use in Combinatorial Chemistry. J. Comb. Chem., 6, 24-26, 2004.

16. Chamarthy, S.P., Jia, L., Kovacs, J.R., Anderson, K.R., Shen, H., Firestine, S.M., and Meng, W.S.* Gene Delivery to Dendritic Cells Facilitated by a Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Competing Peptide.  Molecular Immunology, 41, 741-749, 2004.

17. Firestine, S.M.* Recent Advances in Herpes Simplex Virus Antiviral Therapy, Expert Opinions in Therapeutic Patents., 14, 1139-1151, 2004.

18. Evanseck, J.D.* and Firestine, S.M.  Status of Research-Based Experiences for First- and Second-Year Undergraduate Students. Ann. Rev. Comp. Chem. 2005, 1, 206-214.

19. Henriksen, B.S., Zahn, T.J., Evanseck, J.D., Firestine, S.M. and Gibbs, R.A. Computational and Conformational Evaluation of FTase Alternative Substrates: Insight into a Novel Enzyme Binding Pocket. J. Chem. Info. Mod., 2005, in press.

20. Hooda, J. Bednarski, D., Irish, L. and Firestine, S.M.* Synthesis and testing of a Triaza-Cyclopenta[b]phenanthrene scaffold as a DNA binding agent, accepted Bio. Med. Chem.

Poster and Oral Presentations: Over 50 presentations.