CTSA: BU-CMD Repository

The BU-CMD has established an open-access compound sharing network centered at Boston University, designed to bridge connections among scientists at Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) host institutions. The specific goal of the program is to improve upon existing CTSA infrastructure for the discovery and progression of small molecule therapies for disease. For frequently asked questions about the program, please see the links below:

FAQ For Providers

FAQ For Recipients

What we do:

  1. Curate. Our BU-CMD Repository is capable of intake and curation of diverse small molecule samples originating from synthetic organic chemists specializing in wide ranges of synthetic techniques, from natural product chemistry to asymmetric methodology to medicinal chemistry.
  2. Distribute. We deliver our curated collection of diverse molecules to screening biologists for the purpose of discovering new biological activities
  3. Foster. Beyond the creation of new collaborative connections between synthetic chemists and screening biologists, the BU-CMD is able to guide collaborative follow-up and connect translational scientists to the resource and expertise available to the NIH’s National Center for the Advancement of Translational Scientists (NCATS).

How this benefits chemists:

In synthetic organic chemistry, it is not unusual for a molecule to be synthesized, tested for a single purpose, and then stowed away or discarded if the desired activity is not observed. With this approach, the potential for new and unexpected findings is severely limited. This is unfortunate, because often the unanticipated discoveries have the most transformative impact in scientific research.

How this benefits translational scientists:

Many biological screening laboratories are hampered by a lack of real mechanism for follow-up: biological screens can identify a number of active compounds, but without a chemist possessing
the requisite know-how, biologists are often left without any means to develop their discoveries into therapies. Meaningful follow-on research requires a direct collaboration with experts who are able to make more of the active molecule, and other molecules like it.

Interested?

  • If you are interested in contributing small molecules to the BU-CMD Repository, please fill out this form.
  • If you are interested in accessing BU-CMD Repository compounds for screening, please fill out this form.

Funding Acknowledgment

Funding from NIH NCATS U01 TR002625 and support from Boston University’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (NIH NCATS 1UL1TR001430) is gratefully acknowledged.