David Chen

Professor David Chen's research lab specializes in the total synthesis of complex natural products, with a strong emphasis on innovative synthetic methodologies and strategic bond-forming techniques. The lab focuses on the development and application of transition-metal-catalyzed C-H activation, asymmetric catalysis, and cascade reactions to construct challenging molecular architectures such as cyclopropanes and polycyclic frameworks. Recent work highlights the synthesis of biologically active marine natural products like cortistatin A and palmerolide A, as well as the exploration of fatty acid biosynthesis as a novel antibiotic target. The lab integrates methodological innovation with target-oriented synthesis to address longstanding challenges in complex molecule synthesis.