With this award, the Chemistry of Life Processes Program in the Chemistry Division is funding Dr. Thomas Minehan from California State University, Northridge to design and synthesize hybrid molecules that can recognize DNA sequences. Nucleic acid-like bases are attached to a protein-like (carbamate) polymer to create carbamate nucleic acid (CNA) hybrid molecules that can recognize the sequences of double-stranded DNA. Large dye molecules are added to one end of the CNAs to distinguish DNA from RNA. Finally, an organic molecule is added to the opposite end to create CNA-dye dimers that can recognize DNA sequences that are important in controlling the expression of genes that impact human health, such as cancer. This project trains undergraduate and masters-level graduate students at the host institution in organic synthesis as well as in the biophysical and biochemical techniques to assess the ability of synthetic molecules to affect gene expression. In addition, an outreach program introduces local high school students to summer research in STEM areas. This project explores the development of DNA major-groove binding compounds that can directly compete with transcription factors, activators, and repressors for their binding sites to regulate gene expression by small-molecule therapeutics. The objective of this project is to synthesize hybrid molecules containing carbamate nucleic acids (molecules capable of sequence-specific nucleic acid binding via triplex formation and r