Tom Bridges, B.S. Biology (Wheaton College), is a Pharmacology graduate student who joined the Conn/Lindsley laboratory in January 2007.  Tom’s research focuses on the optimization and characterization of novel positive allosteric modulators of the M1 and the M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR).  The M1 and M4 mAChR are potential drug targets for a variety of neurodegenerative and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s Disease and Schizophrenia.  Traditional muscarinic agonists lack subtype selectivity, which has precluded their market approval and utility in basic neuropharmacological research.  By screening for small molecules that bind to allosteric sites on the receptor, truly selective compounds have been discovered.  Using technology-enabled medicinal chemistry as well as in-vitro and in-vivo pharmacology methods, Tom seeks to optimize and characterize these compounds for their utility in research and treatment of the aforementioned CNS disorders.

Selected Publications

1. Kennedy JP, Williams L, Bridges TM, Daniels RN, Weaver D, Lindsley CW. (2008) Application of Combinatorial Chemistry Science on Modern Drug Discovery. J. Comb. Chem. (NEEDS UPDATE)
2. Lewis LM, Sheffler D, Williams R, Bridges TM, Kennedy JP, Brogan JT, Mulder MJ, Williams L, Nalywajko NT, Niswender CM, Weaver CD, Conn PJ, Lindsley CW. (2008) Synthesis and SAR of selective muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtype 1 (M1 mAChR) antagonists. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. (NEEDS UPDATE)
3. Bridges TM. (2007) Pharmaceutical aphrodisia. Curr Top Med Chem. 7(11):1152.