Dr. Bradley Moore Receives the Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award

Bradley Moore, Ph.D., who holds a joint appointment with the Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, recently received the 2012 Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award from the American Chemical Society. This award with associated research support is given to emerging leaders in organic chemistry. The historical listings of previous awardees show many that have gone on to positions of leadership and recognition in chemistry including Nobel Prizes. Dr. Moore’s research is directed to mechanisms and pathways employed by marine microorganisms that produce anti-infective antibiotics, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents. His work is intimately tied to marine genome characterization and identification of gene products resulting from species unique pathways and chemoenzymatic syntheses. Dr. Moore’s studies have centered on marine actinomycete bacteria that produce the salinosporin anticancer agents, the polyketide antibiotics, enterocin and marinpyrrole antibiotics, and the cyclomarin anti-inflammatory peptides. His studies are emblematic of the value of characterizing the genes, biosynthetic capabilities and gene products in marine genomes. Dr. Palmer Taylor, Dean of the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, noted: “This award is particularly significant for the selection committees have recognized the larger sphere of endeavor in organic chemistry, its importance in drug discovery and the value to society of well characterized marine natural products. To UC San Diego at its Pacific Rim location, this recognition underscores the value of the relationship between the School of Pharmacy and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.”