Professor Dawei Ma’s research interests currently focus on the development of new synthetic methodologies, the total synthesis of complex natural products and their SAR and action mode studies, as well as the discovery of small modulators for target proteins and special biological processes. One of his achievements is the discovery of two classes of ligands (amino acids and oxalamides) for promoting Cu-catalyzed arylation reactions, which provides reliable and inexpensive approaches for assembling the corresponding C-N, C-O, C-S and C-C bond formation products. His methods have been intensively applied in the synthesis of bioactive compounds and material molecules, and in the development of new methodologies, which can be seen in more than 2000 published articles and patents.

Total synthesis of complex natural products is another contributed area by Dr. Dawei Ma. His team has delivered more than forty highly creative total syntheses. Notably, he has developed a general protocol for elaborating spiro-indolines in which an intramolecular oxidative coupling between indoles and enolates was employed as the key step. This strategy has proved to be a powerful and versatile approach for assembling a variety of indoline alkaloids. Recently, his group developed a scalable and more economic approach for synthesizing Et-743 (only 26 total steps are required from (S)-tyrosine), which is being used for manufacturing Et-743 and related anti-tumor drugs.

Last but not least, Dawei Ma has done great contribution in creating novel biologically active molecules through organic synthesis in collaboration with biologists. His team has developed several potent modulators targeted at mGluRs and necroptosis process-related proteins. Noteworthy is that three of his compounds have entered phase I clinic trials for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, non-small-cell lung cancer and HIV infection, respectively.

Currently Professor Ma’s group is working on (1) total synthesis, SAR and action mode studies of natural products with highly potent bioactivities such as neuroprotective and analgesic functions. (2) design and synthesis of highly selective inhibitors for special protein kinases.