# Project 3: Filamentous Fungi, Biological Testing

> **NIH NIH P01** · OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $306,848

## Abstract

There is a need for new anticancer drug leads, particularly for treating drug- resistant cancers. Fungi have been
the source of many drug leads, with penicillin and the statins as two of the most prominent examples. We
hypothesized by Project 3 that fungi harbor anticancer drug leads, and we are addressing this via a team with
expertise in mycology (Mycosynthetix, Inc./Pearce), natural products chemistry (UNCG/Oberlies), and chemical
biology (Columbia/Stockwell).
In the examination of thousands of fungal cultures from the Mycosythetix Inc.library, Project 3 has implemented
biological and chemical protocols to prioritize our efforts. In doing so, we have identified hundreds of fungal
metabolites with anticancer activity, approximately a third of which are new to the literature. Currently, we have
prioritized three of these leads for further preclinical development, and our team is optimizing the biosynthesis
of materials (targeting gram scale production) for pharmacology studies, PK/metabolism, and semi-synthetic
optimization. Of the three leads, the verticillins are the most advanced, with additional funding procured to further
examine a nanoparticle formulation in models of mesothelioma.
Project 3 has also developed methods to map fungal metabolites in situ, so that we can visualize the interaction
of fungi in co-culture, with the aim of stimulating cryptic biosynthesis. An additional goal for generating new
chemical diversity is the biosynthesis and/or semi-synthesis of non-natural natural products, via the incorporation
of fluorine atoms into the privileged fungal-derived scaffolds.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10165647
- **Project number:** 5P01CA125066-12
- **Recipient organization:** OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** NICHOLAS H. OBERLIES
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $306,848
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2007-07-01 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10165647

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10165647, Project 3: Filamentous Fungi, Biological Testing (5P01CA125066-12). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10165647. Licensed CC0.

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