Aaron Bart is the Drug Metabolism and Disposition Highlighted Trainee Author for the February 2020 issue. Dr. Bart is a post-doctoral trainee in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. His mentor is Prof. Emily Scott. The Drug Metabolism and Disposition article that earned his selection as a Highlighted Trainee Author is titled “Human Cytochrome P450 1A1 Adapts Active Site for Atypical Nonplanar Substrate” and available at https://doi.org/10.1124/dmd.119.089607.
Dr. Bart’s areas of research are in structural biology of drug metabolizing enzymes, namely human cytochrome P450 enzymes. One area Dr. Bart is working on is the structural and functional characteristics of human cytochrome P450 enzymes localized in tumor tissues. This information is guiding the engineering of tumor selective pro-drugs activated by these P450 enzymes.
The anticipated impact of Dr. Bart’s current research goal is to develop chemotherapeutics with high tumor selectivity and minimal toxicity to normal tissues, which could pave the way for cancer therapy that is better tolerated and with minimized side-effects.
When not working, Aaron enjoys cooking, cycling, watching films, brewing beer, and perfecting coffee.