The Daniel K. InouyeCollege of Pharmacy

Cao Lab

Dr. Shugeng Cao stands in a laboratory with team members behind himDr. Shugeng Cao in his laboratory

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Principal Investigator

Shugeng Cao

Professor

(808) 932-8125

scao@hawaii.edu

(808) 932-8117

Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy Building, room 242

Contact information

Lab Location: Facility Mod C (Room 3318C-102) and Mod B

For UH Hilo undergraduate students, if you are interested in research at Cao Lab, please feel free to contact Dr. Cao directly.

Lab Members

  • Shugeng Cao, PhD, PI
  • Xiaohua Wu, Part-Time Research Associate and Lab Manager
  • Pornphimon Meesakul, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow
  • Olusola Bodede, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow
  • Aleksandra Gurgul, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow

Research Topic areas

  • Biologically active compounds from natural sources including fungi, bacteria, marine organisms and plants;
  • Herbal medicine
  • Identification of biological small molecules with functions in human, animals, and microorganisms

Detailed Research Description

Biologically active compounds from natural sources

Natural products were and are still a rich source for drug discovery. One challenge is the rediscovery of known compounds. To avoid replication, Cao Lab is interested in studying the under-explored microorganisms in Hawaiʻi.

  1. The distribution and biologically active compounds of marine fungi have not been well studied compared with their counterparts in freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. Few studies have addressed the occurrence of fungi in deep-sea sediments. Studies also showed that taxonomic and functional annotation of the transcriptome demonstrated that coral-associated fungi in Hawaiʻi represent a diverse and metabolically active community, indicating that there is much to learn about fungi in corals.
  2. A total of 23,680 Hawaiian species have been documented, including 18,607 native Hawaiian species (9,151 indigenous species and 9,456 endemic species), and 5,073 human-introduced (non-native) species. Among the formally recognized species of native Hawaiian flowering plants, 88.9% are endemic to the Hawaiian islands. Research in the past ten years reveals that endophytic fungi are a rich source of biologically active secondary metabolites, but endophytic fungi are much underexplored.
  3. Bacteria, particularly actinimycetes, were traditionally the main source for drug discovery, especially for antibiotic. Many efforts have been focusing on discovering new drugs from old sources (for example, streptomyces), but it usually leads to the discovery of known natural products. More recently, efforts have been taken to reveal the cryptic natural products based on their unique genomic signatures. New technology enables scientists to study bacteria from new sources (for example, cyanobacteria, myxobacteria, uncultured bacteria, bacteria in lower animals, insects-associated bacteria, and bacteria from marine etc); and these adventures have resulted in the discovery of novel bioactive compounds with unique structural skeletons. Also, globally and locally remote, as well as physically and chemically diverse, Hawaiian aquatic habitats provide unique niches for the evolution of novel communities and microorganisms. Cao Lab is interested in finding new anticancer (& antibacterial and anti-fungal, etc.) natural products from marine and terrestrial fungi and bacteria collected in Hawaiʻi, manipulating silent genes for the production of secondary metabolites, understanding how they are biosynthetically synthesized, and elucidating their mechanisms of action. Since the end of 2013, Cao Lab has published more than ten papers about anti-proliferative compounds, p53 reactivator, STAT3 & NF-kB inhibitors, and antibacterial & anti-fungal agents from Hawaiian fungi in “Org. Lett.”, “Sci. Rep.”, “Phytochemistry”, “Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett.”, “Tetrahedron Lett.”, “Molecules”, and “Cancer Biol.” etc.

Herbal medicine

Herbal medicine has a long history, which is still used in many countries. Although herbal medicine is not part of the mainstream medical care in the USA, FDA has approved two botanic drugs, and will likely approve more. One challenge to study herbal medicine is the identification of biologically active molecules that account for the claimed therapeutic effects and mechanisms of action. Cao Lab is interested in studying traditional medicine used in the Asia-Pacific Region. In the past few years, Cao Lab has been studying some medicinal plants including Barleria lupulina and Morinda citrifolia. From these plants, Cao Lab has isolated many new compounds, identified a few previously unknown Nrf2 activators, and published some papers in “PLoS ONE”, “J. Ethnopharmacol.”, “J. Nat. Prod.”, “Tetrahedron Lett.”, “Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett.”, and “J. Nat. Sci.” etc.

Current Funding

  • Delightex Pte. Ltd., “Evaluation of proliferative activity of Hawaiian plants on neuronal cell lines”, PI, 01/2024 – 01/2027
  • Hawaii Community Foundation, MedRes_2023_00002620, “From genomes to antibiotic drug discovery from Hawaiian volcanic fungi”, PI, 05/2023 – 07/2027
  • USDA GRANT13956516, Co-Program Director (Program Director: Jia), 06/01/2024 – 05/31/2027
  • NIAID/NIH R01 AI173245-01A1, Co-Investigator (PI: Huang), 07/01/2024 – 06/30/2028
  • NCI/NIH 1UG3CA290375-01, Contact-PI, 05/14/2024 – 05/13/2027 (Phase 2: UH3 - TBF, 05/14/2027 – 05/13/2029)
  • HDOH, Cannabis Analysis, PI, 08/01/2026 - 07/31/2031

Recent Publications

  • Zhang D, Cao S, He S, Mao S, Luo S, Ding L. “A Comprehensive Insight of Mechanisms of Drugs Targeting Ion Channels: Exemplified by Marine Natural Products and Their Analogues.” Med Res Rev. 2026, Jun 11. doi: 10.1002/med.70067. Online ahead of print. PMID: 42277622
  • Davini Clister, Qhelen Mayline Chandra, Michle William Tan, Mega Carensia Gunawan, Aasia Bibi, Amer Ahmed, Marianne Bastian, Pornphimon Meesakul, Shugeng Cao, Bonglee Kim, Fahrul Nurkolis, Rony Abdi Syahputra “Microbiome- Based Precision Interventions in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Mechanisms, Modulators, and Translational Opportunities” J Nutr., 2026, Jul;156(7):101596. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101596. Epub 2026 Jun 15. PMID: 42414020
  • KH Ahammad Uz Zaman, Vanisa Petriti, Dipesh Dhakal, Ariel M. Sarotti, Chunchao Yan, Xiaohua Wu, Zhixing Wu, Yujia Jiang, Garret M. Rubin, James Turkson, Guangrong Zheng, Yousong Ding, Shugeng Cao “Fusaric Acid Analogs and Dimers from Marine-Derived Fusarium sp.: Biosynthetic Insights and Chloramphenicol-Enhanced Antibacterial Activity” J. Nat. Prod. 2026, Jun 26;89(6):1811-1820. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6c00288. Epub 2026 May 19. PMID: 42153971
  • Rony Abdi Syahputraa, Asriadi, Arnika Gloria Br Sitorus, Sintia Karina Putri, Ana Gabriela Silva Olivera, Livia Ramos Santiago, Princella Halim, Amer Ahmed, Aasia Bibi, Aminah Dalimunthe, Poppy Anjelisa Zaitun Hasibuan, Moon Nyeo Park, Rosy Iara Maciel de Azambuja Ribeiro, Bonglee Kim, Pornphimon Meesakul, Shugeng Cao “Peptide-mediated modulation of miRNAs: A novel therapeutic strategy for cancer” Eur. J. Med. Chem. Rep. 2026, 16, 100313
  • Jianjian Wang, Shengyan Zheng, Jie Zhang, Wenpeng Gao, Fandong Kong, Peihai Li, Cong Wang, Shugeng Cao “Cover Picture: Study on Secondary Metabolites of Marine-derived Fungus Cladosporium sp. MDCW-211” Chin. J. Org. Chem. 2026,
  • Rui Xu, Jianjian Wang, Changyu Liu, Xuefang Yang, Minjun Chen, Zihan Jin, Shengyan Zheng, Peihai Li, Cong Wang & Shugeng Cao “Diketopiperazines from marine-derived Exserohilum sp. M1-6” Nat. Prod. Res. 2026,
  • Pornphimon Meesakul 1, Tyler Shea 2, Xiaohua Wu 1, Yutaka Kuroki 3, Aya Wada 3, Shugeng Cao “Evaluation of proliferative activity of Hawaiian plants on PC-12 and Neuro-2a cells and their effect on the TrpH and TyrH genes.” Pharmaceuticals 2025, Sep 18;18(9):1403. doi: 10.3390/ph18091403.
  • Mengke Zhang, Tamara P. Kondratyuk, Shugeng Cao, Mu Li, Thanapat Songsak, Supakit Wongwiwatthananukit, You-Sheng Cai, and Leng Chee Chang* “Vernonolide A, A Sesquiterpene Lactone with a Unique Carbon Skeleton from Vernonia cinerea” Org. Lett., 2025, 27(3):909-914.
  • Ji Eun Kim, Shugeng Cao, Jae Sung Pyo*, Kang Min Kim* “Optimization of pitavastatin calcium and ezetimibe combination tablet using full factorial design” Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research 2025; 24 (3): 293-302
  • Yea Jung Choi, Xiaohua Wu, Sullim Lee, Jae Sung Pyo, Jaejin Choe, Shugeng Cao,* Ki Sung Kang* “Protective effects of methylnissolin and methylnissolin-3- O-β-d-glucopyranoside on TNF-α-induced inflammation in human dermal fibroblasts” Toxicology in Vitro, 2025, Available online 31 December 2024, 106005
  • Park JW, Park JH, Lee H, Wang C, Cao* S, Kim* HS. “Penilumamide, a novel SIRT1 activator, protects UVB-induced photodamages in HaCaT cells” J. Toxicol. Environ. Health Part A. 2025, 88, 106-121. Published online: 06 Aug 2024, https://doi.org/10.1080/15287394.2024.2387041 About 40% contribution
  • Kim KM, Cao S, Pyo JS. "Tablet Compression Optimization of Ivabradine Sustained-Release Tablet Using Full Factorial Design" Ind. J. Pharm. Edu. Res., 2024; 58(3):730-735.
  • Gao Y, Wang J, Meesakul P, Zhou J, Liu J, Liu S, Wang C, Cao* S. “Cytotoxic Compounds from Marine Fungi: Sources, Structures, and Bioactivity.” Mar Drugs. 2024 Jan 28;22(2):70. doi: 10.3390/md22020070.
  • Meesakul P, Shea T, Wong SX, Kuroki Y, Cao* S. Hawaiian Plants with Beneficial Effects on Sleep, Anxiety, and Mood, etc. Pharmaceuticals 2023, 16(9), 1228
  • Koher G, Khan A, Suarez-Vega G, Meesakul P, Bacani AJ, Kohno T, Zhu X, Kim KH, Cao* S,Jia* Z. Plants (Basel). 2023, 12(16), 2924.
  • Li L, Wang Y, Chen N, Li X, Li H, Jin L, Ou Y, Kong XJ, Cao S, Xu Q, Wu X, Han* J, Deng* X.“Exploring Diversity through Dimerization in Natural Products by a Rational Tandem Mass-Based Molecular Network Strategy.” Org Lett. 2023, 25(22), 4016-4021.
  • Li C, Sarotti AM, Daranas AH, Wu X, Zheng SL, Blodgett JAV, Cao* S. “Chemical Stability of Petrichorins.” J Org Chem. 2022, 87(24),16847-16850.
  • Kim Y-R, Han, A-R, Jin C-H, Cao S, Jin* C-H. “Isoegomaketone From Perilla frutescens Ameliorates Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Mice” Nat Prod Comm.2022, 17(6), 1-6
  • Qiu Z, Wu Y, Lan K, Wang S, Yu H, Wang Y, Wang* C, Cao* S. “Cytotoxic compounds from marine actinomycetes: sources, structures and bioactivity” Acta Mater Med.2022,1(4),445-475.
  • Lee D, Wu X, Lange I, Cao* S, Kang* KS. “Dual Beneficial Effects of Methylnissolin-3-O-β-D-Glucopyranoside on Obesity-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Adipocyte-Macrophage Co-Culture.” Plants (Basel) 2022, 11(13), 1715.
  • Fan Y, Ma Z, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Ding Y, Wang* C, Cao* S. “Sulphur-Containing Compounds from Endophytic Fungi: Sources, Structures and Bioactivities” J. Fungi 2022, 8(6), 628.
  • Xu S, Liu Y-X, Wang H, Cao S, Zhou Y, Cernava T, Berg G, Xia T, Shen X-X, Wen Z, Xiao Y, Li C, Qu B, Ruan H, Chai Y, Zhou X, Ma Z, Shi Y, Yu* Y, Bai* Y, Chen* Y “Bacteria within fungal fruiting-body microbiome protect crops against fungal infections by disrupting lipid rafts” Nature Microbiology, 2022, 7(6):831-843.
  • Freckelton ML, Nedved BT, Cai Y-S, Cao S, Turano H, Alegado RA, Hadfield* MG. “Bacterial lipopolysaccharide induces settlement and metamorphosis in a marine larva.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 2022, 119(18), e2200795119
  • Li C, Hu Y, Wu X, Stumpf SD, Qi Y, D’Alessandro JM, Nepal KK, Sarottid AM, Cao* S, Joshua AV Blodgettc* JAV. “Discovery of unusual dimeric piperazyl cyclopeptides encoded by a Lentzea flaviverrucosa DSM 44664 biosynthetic supercluster” Natl. Acad. Sci. 2022, 119(17), e2117941119
  • Zaman KAU, Sarotti AM, Wu X, Cao S. “Antibacterial Polyketides, Diketopiperazines and an Isochromanone from the Marine-derived Fungal Strain Fusarium graminearum FM1010 from Hawaii” Phytochemistry 2022, 198, 113138
  • Rollins RL, Qader M, Gosnell WL, Wang C, Cao S, Cowie RH. “A validated high-throughput method for assaying rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) motility when challenged with potentially anthelmintic natural products from Hawaiian fungi” Parasitology 2022, 3, 1-28
  • Liu D, Wanniarachchi TN, Jiang G, Seabra G, Cao S, Bruner SD, Ding Y. “Biochemical and structural characterization of Haemophilus influenzae nitroreductase in metabolizing nitroimidazoles” RSC Chem. Biol. 2022, 3(4), 436-446
  • Yu JS, Jeong SY, Li C, Taehoon Oh T, Kwon M, Ahn JS, Ko S-K, Ko Y-J, Cao S, Kim KH. “New Phenalenone Derivatives from the Hawaiian Ma-rine-Derived Fungus Penicillium herquei FT729 and their In-hibitory Effects on Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase 1 (IDO1)” Pharm. Res. 2022, 45, 105-113.
  • Han X, Wang Q, Luo X, Tang X, Wang Z, Zhang D, Cao S, Li P, Li G. “Lemnalemnanes A-C, Three Rare Rearranged Sesquiterpenoids from the Soft Corals Paralemnalia thyrsoides and Lemnalia ” Org Lett. 2022, 24(1), 11-15. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.1c03386.
  • Han AR, Park HR, Kim GJ, Kim BR, Kim YR, Park HH, Park J, Jin CH, Kim JM, Kwon SJ, Kim JB, Cao S, Nam JW, Choi H. “18:0 Lyso PC Derived by Bioactivity-Based Molecular Networking from Lentil Mutant Lines and Its Effects on High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.” Molecules. 2021, 26(24):7547. doi: 10.3390/molecules26247547.
  • Qader M, Xu J, Yang Y, Wu X, Liu Y, Cao S. “Chemistry Behind the Immunomodulatory Activity of Astragalus membranaceus” Chin Med Cult. 2021, 4(4), 201-210.
  • Wang C, Sarotti AM, Zaman KAU, Wu X, Cao S. “New Alkaloids from a Hawaiian Q2 Fungal Strain Aspergillus felis FM324” Chem. 2021, 9:724617.
  • Wang C, Zaman KAU, Sarotti AM, Wu X, Zheng S-L, Cao S. “NF-kB inhibitory, antimicrobial and antiproliferative potentials of compounds from Hawaiian fungus Aspergillus polyporicola FS910” 3 Biotech. 2021, 11(8):391.
  • Wu X, Xu J, Cai Y, Yang Y, Liu Y, Cao S. “Cytoprotection against Oxidative Stress by Methylnissolin-3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside from Astragalus membranaceus Mainly via the Activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway.” Molecules. 2021, 26(13), 3852. doi: 10.3390/molecules26133852.
  • Qader M, Zaman KHAU, Hu Z, Wang C, Wu X, Cao S. “Aspochalasin H1: A New Cyclic Aspochalasin from Hawaiian Plant-Associated Endophytic Fungus Aspergillus sp. FT1307.” Molecules. 2021, Jul 12;26(14):4239. doi: 10.3390/molecules26144239.
  • Wang C, Du W, Lu H, Lan J, Liang K, Cao S. “A Review: Halogenated Compounds from Marine Actinomycetes.” Molecules. 2021, 26, 2754. doi: 10.3390/molecules26092754
  • Wang C, Lu H, Lan J, Zaman KHAU, Cao S. “A Review: Halogenated Compounds from Marine Fungi.” Molecules. 2021, 26(2), 458. doi: 10.3390/molecules26020458.
  • Zaman KAU, Park JH, DeVine L, Hu Z, Wu X, Kim HS, Cao S. “Secondary Metabolites from the Leather Coral-Derived Fungal Strain Xylaria sp. FM1005 and Their Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitory Activity.” J Nat Prod. 2021, 84(2), 466-473. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c01330.
  • Jiang G, Zhang P, Ratnayake R, Yang G, Zhang Y, Zuo R, Powell M, Huguet-Tapia JC, Abboud KA, Dang LH, Teplitski M, Paul V, Xiao R, Ahammad KH, Zaman U, Hu Z, Cao S, Luesch H, Ding Y. “Fungal epithiodiketopiperazines carrying a,b-polysulfide bridges from Penicillium steckii YE, and their chemical interconversion” 2021, 22(2), 416-422. doi: 10.1002/cbic.202000403.
  • Uz Zaman KA, Wu X, Hu Z, Yoshida W, Hou S, Saito J, Avad KA, Hevener KE, Alumasa JN, Cao S. “Antibacterial kaneoheoic acids A-F from a Hawaiian fungus Fusarium sp. FM701.” Phytochemistry 2021, 181, 112545. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2020.112545.
  • Wang C, Tang S, Cao S. “Antimicrobial compounds from marine fungi” Rev. 2021, 20, 85-117. DOI: 10.1007/s11101-020-09705-5
  • Sui Y, Huang X, Qader M, You P, Gan G, Xi X, Zhang J, Cao S. “Triterpenoid saponins from the rhizome of Impatiens pritzellii var. hupehensis” Phytochem Lett. 2021, 41, 175-179
  • Manavalan A, Qader M, Wu X, Cao S. “Nrf2 activation by Morinda citrifolia L. (Noni) fruit juices” J. Tradit. Chin. Med. 2021, 7(2), 184-191.
  • Qader M, Xu J, Yang Y, Liu Y, Cao S. “Natural Nrf2 activators from juices, wines, coffee and cocoa” Beverages2020, 6(4), 68. https://doi.org/10.3390/beverages6040068
  • Yu JS, Li C, Kwon M, Oh T, Lee TH, Kim DH, Ahn JS, Ko SK, Kim CS, Cao S, Kim KH. “Herqueilenone A, a unique rearranged benzoquinone-chromanone from the Hawaiian volcanic soil-associated fungal strain Penicillium herquei FT729.” Bioorg Chem. 2020, 105, 104397
  • Lee D, Yu JS, Huang P, Qader M, Manavalan A, Wu X, Kim JC, Pang C, Cao S, Kang KS, Kim KH. “Identification of Anti-Inflammatory Compounds from Hawaiian Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) Fruit Juice.” Molecules. 2020, 25(21), 4968.
  • Ohashi M, Jamieson CS, Cai Y, Tan D, Kanayama D, Tang M, Anthony SM, Chari JV, Barber JS, Picazo E, Kakule TB, Cao S, Garg NK, Zhou J, Houk KN, Tang Y “Discovery of enzymatic Alder-ene reaction and origins of catalytic selectivity” Nature 2020, 586(7827), 64-69
  • Wang C, Wu X, Bai H, Zaman KAU, Hou S, Saito J, Wongwiwatthananukit S, Kim K-S, Cao S. “Lumazine Peptides, Aspochalasin, γ-Butyrolactone Derivatives and Cyclic Peptides with Antibacterial and NF-κB Inhibitory Activities from a Hawaiian Aspergillus flavipes” J. Nat. Prod. 2020, 83(7), 2233-2240.
  • Wang C, Tang S, Cao S. “Antimicrobial compounds from marine fungi” Phytochem. Rev. 2020, Accepted. DOI: 10.1007/s11101-020-09705-5
  • Wang C, Lu Y, Cao S. “Antimicrobial compounds from marine Actinomycetes” Arch. Pharm. Res. 2020, 43(7), 677-704.
  • Park YJ, Kim KS, Park JH, Lee SH, Kim HR, Lee SH, Choi HB, Cao S, Kumar V, Kwak JH, HS. “Protective effects of dendropanoxide isolated from Dendropanax morbifera against cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury via the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway” Food Chem. Toxicol. 2020, 145, 111605.
  • Wang F, Sarotti AM, Jiang G, Huguet-Tapia JC, Zheng SL, Wu X, Li C, Ding Y, Cao S. “Waikikiamides A-C: Complex Diketopiperazine Dimer and Diketopiperazine-Polyketide Hybrids from a Hawaiian Marine Fungal Strain Aspergillus sp. FM242”. Org. Lett. 2020, 22, 4408-4412.
  • Zaman KHAU, Hu Z, Wu X, Hou S, Saito J, Kondratyuk TP, Pezzuto JM, Cao S. “NF-κB Inhibitory and Antibacterial Helvolic and Fumagillin Derivatives from Aspergillus terreus” Nat. Prod. 2020, 83(3), 730-737.
  • Zaman KHAU, Hu Z, Wu X, Cao S. “Tryptoquivalines W and X, two new compounds from a Hawaiian fungal strain and their biological activities” Tetrahedron Lett.2020, 61(14), Article 151730.
  • Sachan R, Kundu A, Dey P, Son JY, Kim KS, Lee DE, Kim HR, Park JH, Lee SH, Kim J-H , Cao S, Lee BM, Kwak JH, Kim HS.“Dendropanax morbifera Protects against Renal Fibrosis in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats” Antioxidants, 2020, 9(1), pii:84. doi:10.3390/antiox9010084
  • Li C, Wang F, Wu X, Cao* S. “A new 24-homo-30-nor-cycloartane triterpenoid from a Hawaiian endophytic fungal strain” Tetrahedron Lett. 2020, 61(7), Article 151508.
  • Cai Y, Xu J, Chen M, Wang D, Yang Y, Manavalan A, Wu X, Liu Y, Cao* S. “Compound Analysis of Jing Liqueur and nrf2 Activation by Jing Liqueur—One of the Most Popular Beverages in China.” Beverages 2020, 6(1), 1.
  • Cai Y, Wu Z, Zheng X-Q, Wang C, Wang J-R, Zhang X-X, Qiu G, Zhu K, Cao S, Yu J “Spiroalanpyrroids A and B, sesquiterpene alkaloids with a unique spiro-eudesmanolide–pyrrolizidine skeleton from Inula helenium” Chem. Front. 2020, 7, 303-309.
  • Wang F, Hu Z, Li C, Wu X, Cao* S. “Circumdatin M, a new benzodiazepine alkaloid with a unique pyrimidone-4-pyrone moiety from a Hawaiian marine fungus Aspergillus FM242.” Tetrahedron Lett.2019, 60, 1724-1726.
  • Wang Q, Hu Z, Luo X, Liu J, Li* G, Cao* S, Liu* Q. “Clavukoellians A-G, Highly Rearranged Nardosinane Sesquiterpenoids with Anti-angiogenic Activity from Clavularia koellikeri” Nat. Prod. 2019, 82(5), 1331-1337.
  • Li C, Sarotti AM, Wu X, Yang B, Turkson J, Chen Y, Liu Q, Cao* S. “An Unusual Benzoisoquinoline-9-one Derivative and Other Related Compounds with Antiproliferative Activity from Hawaiian Endophytic Fungus Peyronellaea sp. FT431.” Molecules. 2019 Jan 7;24(1). pii: E196. doi: 10.3390/molecules24010196.
  • Wang Q, Hu Z, Li X, Wang A, Wu H, Liu J, Cao* S, Liu* Q. “Salviachinensines A-F, New Anti-leukemic Phenolic Acids from Chinese Herbal Medicine Salvia chinensis Benth” Nat. Prod. 2018, 81(11), 2531-2538. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.8b00638.
  • Zhou SY, Zhou TL, Qiu G, Huan X, Miao ZH, Yang SP, Cao* S, Fan* F, Cai* Y-S. “Three New Cytotoxic Monoterpenoid Bisindole Alkaloids from Tabernaemontana bufalina.” Planta Med. 2018, 84(15), 1127-1133. doi: 10.1055/a-0608-4988.
  • Li C, Hu Z, Liu Q, Wu X, Cao* S. “Two new tricycloalternarenes from Hawaiian endophytic fungus Didymella FT433” Tetrahedron Lett. 2018, 59(36), 3381-3383.
  • Cai* Y-S, Sarotti AM, Zhou T-L, Huang R, Qiu Q, Tian C, Miao Z-H, Mándi A, Kurtán T, Cao* S, Yang* S-P. “Flabellipparicine, a Flabelliformide-Apparicine-Type Bisindole Alkaloids from Tabernaemontana divaricata.” Nat. Prod. 2018, 81(9), 1976-1983.
  • Nilubol N, Yuan Z-Q, Paciott GP, Tamarkin L, Sanchez C, Gaskins K, Freedman EM, Cao S, Zhao J, Kingston DGI, Libutti SK, Kebebew E. “A Novel Dual-Action Targeted Nanomedicine Effective in Mouse Models of Endocrine Cancers” J Natl Cancer Inst. 2018, 110(9), 1019-1029. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djy003
  • Li C, Sarotti AM, Wesley Y, Cao S. “Two new polyketides from Hawaiian endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis FT172” Tetrahedron Lett. 2018, 58, 42-45.
  • Cai Y-S, Sarotti AM, Gündisch D,. Kondratyuk TP, Pezzuto JM, Turkson J, Cao*, S. “Heliotropiumides A and B, new phenolamides with N-carbamoyl putrescine moiety from Heliotropium foertherianum collected in Hawaii and their biological activities” Med. Chem. Lett. 2017, 27, 4630-4634.
  • Li C-S, Sarotti AM, Huang P, Dang UT, Hurdle J, Kondratyuk TP, Pezzuto JM, Turkson J, Cao, S. “NF-κB inhibitors, unique γ-pyranol-γ-lactams with sulfide and sulfoxide moieties from Hawaiian plant Lycopodiella cernua derived fungus Paraphaeosphaeria neglecta FT462” Rep. 2017, 7(1):10424.
  • Li C, Sarotti AM, Yang B, Turkson J, Cao S. “A New N-methoxypyridone from the Co-Cultivation of Hawaiian Endophytic Fungi Camporesia sambuci FT1061 and Epicoccum sorghinum FT1062” Molecules 2017, 22(7), 1166.
  • Li C, Sarotti AM, Turkson J, Cao S. “Verbenanone, an octahydro-5H-chromen-5-one from a Hawaiian-Plant Associated Fungus FT431” Tetrahedron Lett., 2017, 58, 2290–2293.
  • Li C, Yang B, Turkson J, Cao* S. Anti-proliferative ambuic acid derivatives from Hawaiian endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis FT172 Phytochem. 2017, 140, 77–82.
  • Wyche TP, Ruzzini AC, Beemelmanns C, Kim KH, Klassen JL, Cao S, Poulsen M, Bugni TS, Currie CR, Clardy J. “Linear peptides are the major products of a biosynthetic pathway that encodes for cyclic depsipeptides” Org Lett. 2017, 19(7), 1772–
  • Huang P, Li C, Sarotti AM, Turkson J, Cao S. “Sphaerialactonam, a γ-lactam-isochromanone from the Hawaiian endophytic fungus Paraphaeosphaeria FT462” Tetrahedron Lett., 2017, 58, 1330–1333.
  • Beemelmanns C, Ramadhar TR, Kim KH, Klassen JL, Cao S, Wyche TP, Hou Y, Poulsen M, Bugni TS, Currie CR, Clardy J. “Macrotermycins A-D, Glycosylated Macrolactams from a Termite-Associated Amycolatopsis M39.” Org Lett. 2017, 19(5), 1000–1003.
  • Paciotti GF, Zhao J, Cao S, Brodie PJ, Tamarkin L, Huhta M, Myer LD, Friedman J, Kingston* DGI. “Synthesis and Evaluation of Paclitaxel-Loaded Gold Nanoparticles for Tumor-Targeted Drug Delivery” Chem. 2016, 27 (11), 2646–2657
  • Senger DR, Cao S. “Diabetic Wound Healing and Activation of Nrf2 by Herbal Medicine” Nat. Sci. 2016, 2(11):e247
  • Briggs KJ, Koivunen P, Cao S, Backus KM, Olenchock BA, Patel H, Zhang Q, Signoretti S, Gerfen GJ, Richardson AL, Witkiewicz AK, Cravatt BF, Clardy, Kaelin* WG. Jr. “Paracrine Induction of HIF by Glutamate in Breast Cancer: EglN1 Senses Cysteine” Cell 2016, 166(1), 126-139.
  • Senger DR, Hoang MV, Kim KH, Li C, Cao* S. “Anti-inflammatory activity of Barleria lupulina: Identification of active compounds that activate the Nrf2 cell defense pathway, organize cortical actin, reduce stress fibers, and improve cell junctions in microvascular endothelial cells” Ethnopharmacology 2016, 193, 397-407.
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