Myles Smith, Ph.D. Titles and Appointments Assistant Professor Endowed Title W.W. Caruth, Jr. Scholar in Biomedical Research School Medical School Department Biochemistry Graduate Programs Organic Chemistry, Biological Chemistry Biography Myles Smith is a synthetic organic chemist and native of Cape Town, South Africa. He obtained his BSc (Hons) degree at the University of Cape Town in 2006, and subsequently undertook graduate studies at Columbia University under the direction of Scott Snyder, obtaining his PhD in 2015. Following postdoctoral work at The Scripps Research Institute and Stanford University with Phil Baran and Noah Burns, respectively, he began his independent career at UT Southwestern in 2019. Dr. Smith’s laboratory focuses on the synthesis of complex, bioactive molecules, as well as the development of novel tools for accessing complex chemical space. Core goals include using chemical synthesis to optimize these natural compounds for medical applications, exploring their mechanism of action, and developing catalyst platforms to provide chiral small molecules of medicinal value. Research Interest Development of new methods to access complex chemical space. Synthesis and biology of complex, bioactive natural products. Publications Featured Publications Total Synthesis of (-)-Rauvomine B via a Strain-Promoted Intramolecular Cyclopropanation. Aquilina JM, Banerjee A, Morais GN, Chen S, Smith MW, J Am Chem Soc 2024 Jul Total Synthesis of Psammaplysins A, M, O, and Q and Ceratinamide A. Morrow AP, Smith MW, J Am Chem Soc 2024 Jan Symmetry-Driven Total Synthesis of Myrioneurinol. Aquilina JM, Smith MW, J Am Chem Soc 2022 Jun 144 25 11088-11093 A general approach to 2,2-disubstituted indoxyls: total synthesis of brevianamide A and trigonoliimine C. Xu F, Smith MW, Chem Sci 2021 Oct 12 41 13756-13763 Total synthesis of (+)-spiroindimicin A and congeners unveils their antiparasitic activity. Zhang Z, Ray S, Imlay L, Callaghan LT, Niederstrasser H, Mallipeddi PL, Posner BA, Wetzel DM, Phillips MA, Smith MW, Chem Sci 2021 Aug 12 30 10388-10394 Synthesis of (+)-Tacamonine via Stereoselective Radical Cyclization. Smith MW, Ferreira J, Hunter R, Venter GA, Su H, Org. Lett. 2019 Oct A convenient C-H functionalization platform for pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloid synthesis. Smith, M. W.; Falck, I. D.; Ikemoto, H.; Burns, N. Z. Tetrahedron 2019 75 3366?3370 A 7-Step Formal Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Strictamine via an Asymmetric Propargylation and Metal-Mediated Cyclization. Smith MW, Zhou Z, Gao AX, Shimbayashi T, Snyder SA, Org. Lett. 2017 03 19 5 1004-1007 Fe-Catalyzed C-C Bond Construction from Olefins via Radicals. Lo JC, Kim D, Pan CM, Edwards JT, Yabe Y, Gui J, Qin T, Gutiérrez S, Giacoboni J, Smith MW, Holland PL, Baran PS, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017 02 139 6 2484-2503 Chemical Synthesis and Self-Assembly of a Ladderane Phospholipid. Mercer JA, Cohen CM, Shuken SR, Wagner AM, Smith MW, Moss FR, Smith MD, Vahala R, Gonzalez-Martinez A, Boxer SG, Burns NZ, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016 12 138 49 15845-15848 Results 1-10 of 14 1 2 Next Last Honors & Awards Thieme Journal Award (2022) Fourman Fellowship (2010) Van Staveren Scholarship (2009-2010) NRF Scarce Skills Honours Scholarship (2006) Faculty Scholarship (2005) Merck Prize (2005) Cameron Entrance Scholarship (2003-2004) James O. Brunt Entrance Scholarship (2003-2004) UCT Entrance Scholarship (2003-2004) Professional Associations/Affiliations American Chemical Society (2014) Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center (2019)
