Michael Pollastri Professor and Interim Dean, College of Science m.pollastri@neu.edu 617.373.2703 Expertise chemical technology, green chemistry, medicinal chemistry Michael Pollastri in the Press How Disease Detectives Unearthed A Forgotten Drug To Fight A Lethal Illness Fexinidazole “is an excellent example of drug discovery scientists ‘rescuing’ a compound that was otherwise in the dustbin of a large drug company,” said Michael Pollastri, an associate processor in medicinal chemistry at Northeastern University who wasn’t involved with this research, in an earlier interview with HuffPost. “It’s a perfect example of how valuable it can be to […] A killer disease might be nearing the end of its deadly run “This drug seems likely to be approved for sleeping sickness, and is an excellent example of drug discovery scientists ‘rescuing’ a compound that was otherwise in the dustbin of a large drug company,” Michael Pollastri, an associate professor at Northeastern University, told HuffPost. What would happen if someone got Ebola in America? Let’s get one thing straight: You are not going to get Ebola. Donald Trump is not going to get Ebola. You are more likely to be killed by Batman, the ride. Ebola-like viruses have already breached our borders, and there were no secondary infections. There are airport workers whose job it is to identify passengers […] Nova Next What drug researchers can learn from a Kenyan clinic When I arrived at the remote clinic some 180 miles from Nairobi, it was near mid-day, and the Kenyan sun had pushed the thermometer to uncomfortable heights. Small insects buzzed in and out of the open windows of the low building—the only thing keeping them from landing on the patients were the insect nets draped […] Michael Pollastri for Northeastern Global News This tropical disease is second only to malaria as a parasitic killer. So why haven’t you heard of it? This tropical disease is second only to malaria as a parasitic killer. So why haven’t you heard of it? The deadly strain of leishmaniasis infects 300,000 people annually, causing 20,000 deaths. It's the second largest cause of parasitic death. Why you should care about rare tropical diseases Why you should care about rare tropical diseases They’re neglected, they’re tropical, and they affect mostly the poor—so why should Americans be concerned about tropical diseases? The science behind fireworks The science behind fireworks Have you ever wondered what makes a firework…work? We did. So we asked Michael Pollastri, associate professor and chair of the chemistry department, what’s happening inside those Fourth of July favorites—and which color fireworks are particularly challenging to create. Collaboration: ‘Where the magic starts happening’ Collaboration: ‘Where the magic starts happening’ Innovative minds and collaborative spirits came together for two featured events at the opening of Northeastern’s Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex: “NU Talks: Innovating Across Disciplines” and the panel discussion “The Future of Interdisciplinary Research.” ISEC, the speakers agreed, represents both. Northeastern’s research partnerships in Cuba open the doors to scientific exchange Northeastern’s research partnerships in Cuba open the doors to scientific exchange Northeastern faculty and administrators visited Cuba last week, with members of Congress, to expand upon the university’s academic and research partnerships there, which are paving the way for myriad research opportunities in areas such as coastal sustainability, tropical diseases, and the social sciences. This story is the fourth in our five-part series covering the visit. 3Qs: Four new elements added to periodic table 3Qs: Four new elements added to periodic table The seventh row of the periodic table is now complete after Monday’s announcement of four new chemical elements. Chemistry professor Michael Pollastri explains why this is an important milestone for science. Graduate researcher wins fellowship to design drugs to combat deadly disease Graduate researcher wins fellowship to design drugs to combat deadly disease Chemistry doctoral student Dana Klug makes possible drug options the way a chef makes a gourmet dish—adding an atom of hydrogen here, removing an atom of nitrogen there—to stop a deadly parasite in its tracks. New grant to advance sleeping sickness treatment research New grant to advance sleeping sickness treatment research Through this $2.5 million award, Pollastri’s Laboratory will develop and test compounds identified as options for treating sleeping sickness. New research offers hope in treating sleeping sickness New research offers hope in treating sleeping sickness The neglected tropical disease affects tens of thousands of people and is mostly fatal. Now, new research co-authored by Northeastern chemistry professor Michael Pollastri has identified hundreds of chemical compounds that could lead to a cure. Neglected for too long Neglected for too long During a panel discussion on Ebola earlier this month, Northeastern professors Michael Pollastri and Richard Wamai discussed other issues the Ebola outbreak is underscoring.
How Disease Detectives Unearthed A Forgotten Drug To Fight A Lethal Illness Fexinidazole “is an excellent example of drug discovery scientists ‘rescuing’ a compound that was otherwise in the dustbin of a large drug company,” said Michael Pollastri, an associate processor in medicinal chemistry at Northeastern University who wasn’t involved with this research, in an earlier interview with HuffPost. “It’s a perfect example of how valuable it can be to […]
A killer disease might be nearing the end of its deadly run “This drug seems likely to be approved for sleeping sickness, and is an excellent example of drug discovery scientists ‘rescuing’ a compound that was otherwise in the dustbin of a large drug company,” Michael Pollastri, an associate professor at Northeastern University, told HuffPost.
What would happen if someone got Ebola in America? Let’s get one thing straight: You are not going to get Ebola. Donald Trump is not going to get Ebola. You are more likely to be killed by Batman, the ride. Ebola-like viruses have already breached our borders, and there were no secondary infections. There are airport workers whose job it is to identify passengers […]
Nova Next What drug researchers can learn from a Kenyan clinic When I arrived at the remote clinic some 180 miles from Nairobi, it was near mid-day, and the Kenyan sun had pushed the thermometer to uncomfortable heights. Small insects buzzed in and out of the open windows of the low building—the only thing keeping them from landing on the patients were the insect nets draped […]