Design and synthesis of fluorogenic substrate-based probes for detecting Cathepsin B activity. Shusheng Wang Brady G. Vigliarolo, Morshed A. Chowdhury, Jennifer N.K. Nyarko,Darrell D. Mousseau, and Christopher P. Phenix. Bioorganic Chemistry, 2019, 92, 103194.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioorg.2019.103194

Non-radioactive 2-Fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose inhibits glucose uptake in xenograft tumours and sensitizes HeLa cells to doxorubicin in vitro.  Sarah Niccoli, Douglas R Boreham, Christopher P Phenix and Simon James Lees. PLoS ONE 12(11): e0187584.

Molecular Imaging of Hydrolytic Enzymes using PET and SPECT.  Brian. P. Rempel, Eric W. Price and Christopher P. Phenix.  Molecular Imaging.  Invited Review, 2017, 16, 1-30.

N-Alkylated Conduritol Aziridines are Potent, Specific and Cell-permeable Covalent Inactivators of Human β-Glucocerebrosidase. Benjamin T. Adams, Sarah Niccoli, Ashley Esarik, Morshed A. Chowdhury, Simon J. Lees, Brian P. Rempel and Christopher P. Phenix.  Chem. Commun., 2015, 51, 11390.

Creating and virtually screening databases of fluorescently-labeled compounds for the discovery of target-specific molecular probes.  Kamstra, R.L., Dadgar, S., Wigg, J., Chowdhury, M.A., Phenix, C.P., and Floriano, W.B. Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design. Published online Aug 24, 2014.

Carbohydrate-Modified Electrode Surfaces Sensitive to β-Glucosidase Enzyme Activity.  Ervin, E.M., Adams, B.T., Snyman,N., Phenix, C.P., Kariuki, J.K., and Rempel, B.P. Int. J. Electrochem. Sci., 9, 2014, 6043-6058.

Prodrug-Inspired Probes Selective to Cathepsin B Over Other Cysteine Cathepsins.  Morshed A. Chowdhury, Ignace A. Moya, Shardul Bhilocha, Cody C. McMillan, Brady G. Vigliarolo, Ingeborg Zehbe, and Christopher P. Phenix.  Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 57(14), 2014, 6092-104.

High intensity focused ultrasound technology, its scope and applications in therapy and drug delivery.  Phenix, C.P., Togtema, M., Zehbe, I. and Curiel, L.  Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences 17(1), 2014, 136-53.

Noninvasive imaging of Enzyme Replacement Therapy using PET: Proof of Concept For Gaucher Disease.  Phenix, C.P., Rempel, B.P., Colobong, K. Doudet, D.J., Adam, M.J., Clarke, L.A., and Withers, S.G.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA., 107 (25), 2010, 10842-10847.

*Article was featured in the June 7th, 2010 issue of Chemical and Engineering News.

Isothermal Titration Microcalorimetry Reveals the Cooperative and Noncompetitive Nature of Inhibition of Sinorhizobium meliloti L5-30 Dihydrodipicolinate Synthase by (S)-Lysine.  Phenix, C.P. and Palmer, D.R.J.  Biochemistry, 47,(30), 2008, 7779–7781. *Article was one of Biochemistry’s “most accessed” rapid report of 2008.

Structural, functional and calorimetric investigation of MosA, a dihydrodipicolinate synthase from Sinorhizobium meliloti L5-30, does not support involvement in rhizopine biosynthesis.  Phenix, C.P., Nienaber, K., Tam, P.H., Delbaere, L.T.J. and Palmer, D.R.J.  ChemBiochem, 9,(10), 2008, 1591-1602.

Crystallization, X-ray diffraction, and structure solution of MosA, a dihydrodipicolinate synthase from Sinorhizobium meliloti L5-30. Leduc, Y. A., Phenix, C.P., Puttick, J., Nienaber, K., Palmer, D.R.J. and Delbaere, L.T.J. Acta Crystallographica F, 62, 2006, 49-51.

 Stereoselective oxidation of protected inositol derivatives catalyzed by inositol dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis. Daniellou, R., Phenix, C.P., Tam, P.H., Laliberte, M.C and Palmer, D.R.J. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 3, 2005, 401-403.

MosA, a Protein Implicated in Rhizopine Biosynthesis in Sinorhizobium meliloti L5-30, is a Dihydrodipicolinate Synthase. Tam, P.H., Phenix, C. P. and Palmer, D.R.J.  Journal of Molecular Biology, 335(2), 2004, 393-397.

 

GlycoNet Collaborative Research Grant - Radiotracers for imaging GCase in Parkinson's Disease

Lead Investigator: Christopher Phenix, Co-Investigators: Darrell Mousseau (U of S), Rebecca Davis (U of M), Justin Hicks (Lawson Research Institute) and David Palmer (U of S)

College of Medicine Research Award - Using pH-sensitive probes to monitor MAO 

Lead Investigator:  Darrell Mousseau (U of S), Co-Investigator: Christopher Phenix

Ontario Research Fund 8 – Guidance of Focused Ultrasound Interventions using Molecular Imaging

Lead Investigator:  Laura Curiel (U of Calgary), Co-Investigator:  Christopher Phenix

Global Institute For Food Security - Research tools for PET-based imaging and phenotyping

Lead Investigator: Christopher Phenix, Co-Investigators:  Suzanne Abrams (U of S)

NSERC – CRD - Impact of Low Dose Radiation During Late Gestation on Homeostatic Control of Metabolism and Cellular Function

Lead Investigator: T.C. Tai (Laurentian), Co-Investigators:  Christopher Phenix, Simon Lees (NOSM), Neelam Khaper (NOSM), Joyce Wilson (McMaster) and Andrew Maclean (NOSM)

Saskatchewan Health Research Fund – Establishment Grant - PET imaging GBA1 activity, a potential marker of early Parkinson's disease

Lead Investigator: Christopher Phenix, Co-Investigator:  None

Parkinson’s Society Canada Grant – Pilot Project – In Vitro Assessment of Conduritol Aziridines, Towards New PET Probes for GBA1

Lead Investigator: Christopher Phenix, Co-investigator: Simon Lees (NOSM)

NSERC – Discovery Grant – Probes for Imaging Enzyme Activity

Lead Investigator:  Christopher Phenix, Co-Investigators:  None

Past Funding 

Saskatchewan Health Research Fund – Collaborative Innovation Development Grants - Development of Drugs which Bind to α-Synuclein for treatment of Parkinson’s Disease.

Lead Investigator: Jeremy Lee (U of S), Co-Investigator:  Ed Krol (U of S), Miroslaw Cygler (U of S), Troy Harkness (U of S) and Christopher Phenix

GlycoNet –  Catalyst Grant - N-alkyl-conduritol aziridines as PET probes for early detection of Parkinson’s disease.

Lead Investigator: Christopher Phenix, Co-Investigator David Palmer (U of S)

NOAMA – Pre-clinical assessment of novel combination cancer therapies

Lead Investigator:  Margaret Anthes (Radiation Oncologist at TBRHSC, Co-Applicants: Simon Lees, Christopher Phenix, Laura Curiel and Douglas Boreham 

 Northern Ontario Heritage Fund – Towards New PET Imaging Probes (equipment grant for the preclinical imaging facility)

Lead Investigators: Christopher Phenix, Co-Applicants: Janet Northan, Michael Campbell and Amanda Moen

Industrial Partner:  Sofie Biosciences Inc.

Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation - Chemical and Enzymatic Synthesis of Novel Medical Imaging Probes

Co-Lead Investigators: David Palmer and Edward Krol, Co-Applicants: Christopher Phenix

Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute (CCSRI) - Activatable probes for imaging protease activity in the tumour and tumour environment: A potential method for the early detection of aggressive cancer

Lead Investigator: Christopher Phenix, Co-Applicants: Wely Floriano and Ingeborg Zehbe

 Ontario Research Fund – Ultra-high resolution imaging of contrast agent-target cell interactions for the development of new nanoscale cancer imaging and therapy agents.

 Lead Investigator: Naomi Matsurra, Co-Applicants: Virginius Barzda and Christopher Phenix

NSERC – Discovery Grant – "Prodrug" Strategies Applied to New Generation PET Imaging Agents

Lead Investigator:  Christopher Phenix

Towards ¹⁸F-labeled conduritol aziridines as PET radiotracers for imaging β-glucocerebrosidase in Parkinson’s.  Phenix C.P. Neuroscience Cluster, U of S, Oct 26th, 2017.

Design and synthesis of conduritol aziridines, towards a PET method to image GCase activity in Parkinson’s disease.  Phenix C.P.  WUSEP Lecture, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.  February 17^th, 2017. 

 Design and synthesis of conduritol aziridines, towards a PET method to image GCase activity in Parkinson’s disease.  Phenix C.P.  WUSEP Lecture, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.  November 3^rd, 2016.

 Towards PET tracers for imaging β-Glucocerebrosidase activity.  Phenix C.P., Adams, B.T., Lees, S.J., Tesolin, D., Niccoli. S. 252^nd American Chemical Society, National Meeting and Exposition, Philadelphia, PA, United States, Aug 21^st – 25^th, 2016.

 Towards ¹⁸F Labeled Conduritol Aziridines for PET Imaging β-glucocerebrosidase, a Potential Marker of Early Parkinson's Disease. Phenix C.P., Tesolin, D., Adams, B.T., Nicolli, S., Lees S.J., Chowdhury, M.A., Rempel B.P. Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Halifax, NS, Canada, June 5^th – 10^th, 2016. 

Towards new PET tracers to reveal aggressive cancer.  Phenix, C.P., Moya, I.A. Chowdhury M.A., Wang S., and Vigliarolo B.G.  3^rd Annual Saskatchewan Cancer Research Conference, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, June 22^nd, 2016.

The Design and Evaluation of Probe Candidate for Imaging Enzyme Activity in Living Systems.  Phenix,C.P., Adams,B., Moya, I.A., Vigliarolo, B., Bhilocha, S., Chowdhury, M.A., Nicolli, S. and Lees, S.J. Western Canadian Medicinal Chemistry Workshop. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, September 28^th – 30^th, 2014.

The Design of Substrate-Based Molecular Imaging Probes to Detect Aggressive Cancer.  Phenix, C.P. Moya I.A., Chowdhury M., Bhilocha S., Vigliarolo, B.G. , S., Zehbe I. Medical Sciences Seminar, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury & Thunder Bay, ON, February 11^th, 2014.

PET Molecular Imaging – Its Future in Diagnostics, Prognostic and Guiding Therapy. Phenix, C.P. Brown Bag Presentations, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Thunder Bay, ON, January 22^nd, 2014.

Prodrug Inspired Imaging Agents as a Prognostic Indicator of Invasion and Metastatic Potential.  Phenix, CP., Chowdhury, M.,Vigliarolo, B., Bhiloca, S., and Moya, I.A.  McMaster University, October 15^th, 2012. 

Application of PET Imaging to Monitor Direct Enzyme Replacement Therapy.  Phenix C.P., Rempel B.P., Colobong, K., Doudet, D.J., Adam M.J., Clarke, L.A., and Withers S.G. Pacifichem 2010, Honolulu HI, December 15^th – 20^th, 2010. 

Substrates Bearing Lysosomotropic Reporter Groups for PET Imaging Cathepsin Activity. Vigliarolo, B.V., Chowdhury, M.A., Wang, S., Moya, I.A. and Phenix, C.P. Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, May 28^th – June 2nd, 2017. 

Conduritol Aziridines as ¹⁸F Labelled Positron Emission Tomography Probes for Imaging Glucocerebrosidase: A Biomarker for Parkinson's Disease. Tesolin, D., Esarik, A,, Wang, S., Chowdhury, M.A., Phenix, C.P. Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Halifax, NS, Canada, June 5^th – 10^th, 2016.

 Using Positron Emission Tomography to Monitor Biodistribution of Radiolabelled Analogues of Enterolactone. Allen K.J.H., Petriew S.C., Phenix C.P., Krol, E.S. Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Halifax, NS, Canada, June 5^th – 10^th, 2016. 

Prodrug-inspired Substrates Employing Lysosomotropic Reporter Groups for PET Imaging Cathepsins.  Vigliarolo, B.V. Moya, I.A. Chowdhury, M.A., Wang S., Phenix C.P., Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Halifax, NS, Canada, June 5^th – 10^th, 2016.

Synthesis of N-alkyl aziridines as probes for PET imaging glucocerebrosidase. Phenix, C.P., Tesolin, D., Wang, S.  GlycoNet Annual Meeting and Symposium, Banff National Park, May 18^th, 2016.

Substrate-based Probes for the Tumour Marker Cathepsin B. Moya, I.A. Chowdhury M.A., Wang S., Bhiloca S., Vigliarolo B.G., Valliant J.F., Phenix C.P. Bioorganic Chemistry Division, Gordon Conference. Proctor Academy, Andover, New Hampshire, USA June 7th – 12th, 2015.

The Design of Mechanism-based Inhibitors as Potential Probes for PET Imaging Glucocerebrosidase.  Phenix C.P. Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Ottawa, ON, Canada, June 13^th – 17^th, 2015.

Substrate-based Probes for the Tumour Marker Cathepsin B. Moya, I.A., Chowdhury M.A., Wang S., Bhiloca S., Vigliarolo B.G., Valliant J.F., Phenix C.P. Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Ottawa, ON, Canada, June 13th – 17th, 2015.

Probes for the Tumour Marker Cathepsin B. Moya I.A., Chowdhury M.A., Wang S., Bhiloca S., Vigliarolo B.G., Valliant J.F., Phenix C.P. GTC Biomarker summit. March 18-20, 2015. San Diego, CA.

Substrate-based Fluorogenic Probes for Cathepsin B.  Moya I.A., Chowdhury M., Vigliarolo, B.V., Wang, S., Phenix C.P. Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, June 1st – 5th, 2014.

Probes for the Molecular Imaging of Enzyme Activity – Cathepsin B.  Phenix C.P., Moya I.A., Chowdhury M., McMillan C.C., Bhilocha S., Cunninghame, S., Zehbe I. Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Quebec City, QC, Canada, May 26^th – 30^th, 2013.

Prodrug Inspired Probes for Molecular Imaging of Cathepsin B, A Potential Biomarker of Aggressive Cancer.  Phenix, C.P.,  Moya, I.A., Chowdhury, M.A., McMillan, C., Bhilocha, S., and  Zehbe, I. Western Canadian Medicinal Chemistry Workshop. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, September 28^th – 30^th, 2012.

Prodrug Inspired Imaging Agents as a Prognostic Indicator of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis.  Phenix, CP., Chowdhury, M.,Vigliarolo, B., Cunninghame, S., and Moya, I.A. Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition, Calgary, AB, Canada, May 26^th – 30^th, 2012. 

Towards New Imaging Biomarkers.  Phenix, CP., Chowdhury, M.,Vigliarolo, B., Luby. A. Lakehead University Research and Innovation Week, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, Feb 14^th – 15^th, 2011.

 Active Site ¹⁸F-labeling and In Vivo PET Imaging of Cerezyme, the glycosylated Enzyme Used to Treat Gaucher Disease.   Phenix C.P., Rempel B.P., Colobong, K., Doudet, D.J., Adam M.J., Clarke, L.A., and Withers S.G. Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition Toronto, ON, Canada, May 29th – June 2nd, 2010.  Presentation Abstract # BM5-868.

A Potential Method To Monitor Enzyme Replacement Therapy for Treatment of Gaucher Disease Using PET. Phenix C.P., Rempel B.P., Adam M.J., and Withers S.G. 18^th International Symposium on Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, Edmonton, AB, Canada, July 13^th – 17^th 2009.  Presentation Abstract #P004.

PET Imaging Agents for in vitro Labeling of Recombinant Glucocerebrosidase, the Enzyme Used for Treatment of Gaucher Disease.   Phenix C.P., Rempel B.P., Adam M.J., and Withers S.G. Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition Edmonton, AB, Canada, May 24 – 28th, 2008.  Presentation Abstract # BM2-0030.

Does MosA, a Dihydrodipicolinate Synthase, also Catalyze the Formation of the Rhizopine 3-O-methyl-scyllo-inosamine from scyllo-inosamine?  Phenix C.P., Palmer, D.R.J., and Tam, P.H.  88th Canadian Society for Chemistry Conference, May 28 - June 1, 2005, Saskatoon, SK. Presentation Abstract # BMP-423.

 Investigation of Enzymes from Sinorhizobium Meliloti that Utilize Scyllo-Inosamine. Phenix C.P., Tam P.H., Palmer D.R.J. 39^th IUPAC Congress and 86^th Conference of the Canadian Society for Chemistry, August 10 – 15, 2003, Ottawa, Ontario. Presentation Abstract # OR.1. PO31.

Investigation of the Rhizopine Biosynthetic Pathway in Sinorhizobium meliloti.  D. R. J. Palmer, C. P. Phenix and P. H. Tam. 85th Canadian Society for Chemistry Conference, June 1-5, 2002, Vancouver, BC. Presentation Abstract # BMPS-1006.