Joel Kawakami, Ph.D.

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Courses

Chemistry

Biography

Before coming to Chaminade, Dr. Kawakami formed the company Kawakami, LLC, of West Milford, NJ, to provide a rapid lead/drug optimization technology service for clients utilizing novel molecular descriptors that are highly predictive of a compound’s affinity for a molecular target of interest. From 2001-2005, Dr. Kawakami was employed by Imclone Systems Inc., New York, NY, as an Associate Director, for the Chemistry Department. Dr. Kawakami was employed by the Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corp., Paramus, NJ as a Senior Scientist, Discovery Chemistry (2000-2001). Dr. Kawakami thus brings real-world experience in the pharma industry to his general chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology courses. He is the adviser for Chemistry minors and is an investigator on a funded NIH R01 grant for his research work in molecular dynamic modeling for protein kinases. He is an affiliate member of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center and a past Chair of the ACS Hawaii Chapter. He has previously been an NIH INBRE investigator and is an avid supervisor of undergraduate research internships.

Education

B.S. in Chemistry and Ph.D. in Organic Synthetic Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Academic Degrees

Ph.D., Organic Synthetic Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Manoa
B.S., Chemistry, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Awards and Honors

• Extraordinary Effort Award, ImClone Systems Incorporated, February 2005
• NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship for Minority Individuals, August 1997
• Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, American Chemical Society, 1994
• Research Corporation of University of Hawaii Scholarship, 1991-1992
• American Institute of Chemists Award, 1989

Selected Publications

Duncton, M.A., Piatnitski, E.L., Katoch-Rouse, R., Smith II, L.M., Kiselyov, A.S., Milligan, D., Balagtas, C., Wong, W., Kawakami, J., Doody, J.F. (2006). Arylphthalazines, Part 2. 1-(5-Isoquinolin)-4-aminoaryl Phthalazines as Potent Inhibitors of VEGF Receptors I and II. Manuscript submitted to Biorg & Med Chem Letters.

Piatnitski, E.L., Duncton, M.A., Kiselyov, A.S., Katoch-Rouse, R., Sherman, D., Milligan, D., Balagtas, C., Wong, W., Kawakami, J., Doody, J.F. (2005). Arylphthalazines, Part 1. Identification of a New Phthalazine Chemotype as Inhibitors of VEGFR. Manuscript submitted to Biorg & Med Chem Letters.

Ouyang, S., Chen, X., Pattaropong, V., Tuma, C., Kiselyov, A., Kincaid, J., He, H., & Kawakami. J.K. (2005) (ImClone Systems Incorporated, USA, WO 2005004818, 2005). Heterocyclic Compounds and their use as anticancer agents.

Kawakami, J., Pytowski, B., Duncton, M., Sherman, D., He, H., & Kiselyov, A. (ImClone Systems Incorporated, USA, WO 2005007099, 2005). PKB Inhibitors as anti-tumor agents.

Boteju, L.W., Konkel, M.J., Kawakami, J., Wetzel, J. (Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corporation, USA). 2003. US 2003144310. Preparation of N-sulfonyl dipeptides specific for NPFF receptors.

Boteju, L.W., Konkel, M.J., Kawakami, J., Wetzel, J. (Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corporation, USA). 2003. WO 2003026575. Preparation of N-sulfonyl dipeptides specific for NPFF receptors.

Forray, C., Kawakami, J., Konkel, M., Boteju, L., Wetzel, J., Noble, S., Wan, H. (Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corporation, USA). 2003. US 2003176314. Preparation of quinazolinylguanidines, quinolinylguanidines, and N-sulfonyl argininylphenylalaninamides for the treatment of pain.

Forray, C., Craig, D., Kawakami, J., Konkel, M., Boteju, L., Wetzel, J., Nobel, S., Wan, H. (Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corporation, USA). 2003. WO 2003026657. Preparation of quinazolinylguanidines, quinolinylguanidines, and N-sulfonyl arginylphenylalaninamides for the treatment of pain.

Kawakami, J., Konkel, M., Boteju, L., Wetzel, J., Noble, S., Wan, H. (Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corporation, USA). 2003. WO 2003026667. Preparation of quinazolino and quinolinoguanidines as ligands for neuropeptide FF (NPFF) receptors.

Kawakami, J., Wetzel, J., Boteju, L., Konkel, M., Wan, H., Noble, S. (Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corporation, USA). 2003. US 2003139431. Preparation of quinolyl- and quinazolinylguanidines as neuropeptide FF (NPFF) agonists/antagonists for treatment of urge incontinence.

Selected Conferences, Talks and Speaking Engagements

“Identification and biological characterization of novel small molecule inhibitors of PKB/Akt,” (Poster) The Annual Cell Signalling Symposium in West Park Centre, Dundee, UK, June 6-9, 2004.

Tius, Marcus A.; Hu, Huaping; Kawakami, Joel K.; Busch-Petersen, Jakob. Synthesis of 15-deoxy-12-hydroxy-10-trifluoromethyl-7-PGA1 methyl ester. Book of Abstracts, 216th ACS National Meeting, Boston, August 23-27, 1998.

“Selectivity in aromatic fluorination. Introduction of fluorine probes into nabilone,” (Oral Presentation) The 1995 International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies, Dec 18, 1995.

“Total Synthesis of Sarcophytol A, a Chemopreventive Agent,” (Oral Presentation) The 1995 International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies, Dec 18, 1995.

“Fluorination of Vinyl Stannanes with Xenon Difluoride and Silver Triflate,” (Poster Presentation). The 1995 International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies, Dec 19, 1995.

Professional Affiliations

• American Chemical Society
• Division of Organic Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry