Carrie Haskell-Luevano
Professor
University of Minnesota
Talk Information
Peptide Therapeutics from Discovery to the Clinic
17 June 2025, 10:30am - 10:55am, in the Pacific Jewel Ballroom
L28 – Paradigms for the Discovery of Unknown Naturally Occurring GPCR Ligands in Chemical Neuroscience: Melanocortins and Opioids
Professor Carrie Haskell-Luevano holds the Philip S. Portoghese Endowed Chair in Chemical Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota's College of Pharmacy. She is a faculty member in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and is affiliated with the Department of Chemistry, the Medical School's Institute for Translational Neuroscience, and the Integrative Biology and Physiology Ph.D. Program. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on the neurochemical mechanisms underlying metabolic diseases, with an emphasis on peptide hormones and G protein-coupled receptors, GPCRs.
Academic Background
Dr. Haskell-Luevano earned her B.S. in Chemistry from California State University, Fresno, in 1990. She completed her Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Arizona in 1995. Following postdoctoral research, she joined the University of Minnesota, where she has established a distinguished career in chemical neuroscience and medicinal chemistry.
Research Focus
Professor Haskell-Luevano's laboratory investigates the role of peptide hormone endocrine systems in the brain, particularly their involvement in feeding behavior, exercise, diabetes, and obesity. Her team employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating organic and medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, physiology, and neuroscience. Key research areas include the design and synthesis of peptide and small molecule ligands, GPCR pharmacology, and the development of combinatorial chemistry libraries.
Notable Contributions
Dr. Haskell-Luevano has made significant contributions to understanding the structure-activity relationships of melanocortin receptors, particularly the melanocortin-4 receptor, MC4R, which plays a critical role in energy homeostasis. Her work has led to the development of selective ligands that serve as valuable tools for probing GPCR function and hold potential for therapeutic applications in metabolic disorders.
Awards and Honors
In recognition of her outstanding scientific achievements, Professor Haskell-Luevano was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS, in 2024. This honor reflects her significant contributions to pharmaceutical sciences and her impact on the broader scientific community.
Professional Engagements
Beyond her research, Dr. Haskell-Luevano is actively involved in mentoring graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. She contributes to the academic community through her participation in interdisciplinary programs and her commitment to advancing the field of chemical neuroscience.
Through her innovative research and dedication to education, Professor Carrie Haskell-Luevano continues to make significant contributions to our understanding of neurochemical pathways and their implications for metabolic health.
Paradigms for the Discovery of Unknown Naturally Occurring GPCR Ligands in Chemical Neuroscience: Melanocortins and Opioids
Department of Medicinal Chemistry and the Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are fundamental proteins within the body that mediate a plethora of physiological conditions such as feeding, obesity, and energy homeostasis (melanocortins) and pain (opioids). Extensive work has been performed identifying and studying the classical endogenous ligands for de-orphaned GPCRs.
However, using mixture-based positional scanning libraries, it is possible to discover new endogenous peptide fragments that are able to stimulate and regulate the melanocortin and opioid GPCRs specifically. The paradigm presented offers the opportunity for the identification of undesirable drug “off-target” mechanisms, as well as new chemical space for the optimization of potential therapeutics through medicinal chemistry efforts.