Michael D. Corbett, Ph.D.
Independent Consultant in Chemical Toxicology

 

RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS

Fundamental contributions to the fields of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry have been the discovery of two new chemical reactions. These new reactions were discovered during the course of experimentation designed to further understand how chemicals of the arylamine and nitroaromatic classes of organic chemicals might cause disease. The significance and value of these discoveries extend far beyond the field of Chemical Toxicology & Carcinogenesis alone.

The first discovery occurred in 1974 while on the Pharmacy Faculty of the University of Mississippi. The further study of this Bioorganic chemical reaction continued throughout my academic career. For lack of a better name, the reaction is now called:

The Nitroso-Shunt Pathway

which is simpler, but less descriptive than my original name for the discovery, which was:

The Adventitious Reaction of Nitrosoarenes with Intermediates of Thiamine-Dependent Enzymes.

Details (under construction)

Several years later, while doing additional research on the first discovery, another somewhat serendipitous discovery was made. This occurred during my tenure as an 'oceanographer' at the University of Miami. The result was a new organic chemical reaction now known as:

The Nitroso-Glyoxylate Reaction

Details (under construction)

Other Notable Contributions

Elucidation of the N-Oxygenase Action of Chloroperoxidase
     -a model for peroxidative activation of aniline-type chemicals
     -valuable tool for micro-scale syntheses of nitrosoarenes

Details (under construction)

Contribution of Human Granulocytic Cells to the Genotoxicity of Arylamine Chemicals
     -the 'respiratory burst'-dependent bioactivation of organic chemicals
     -measured by covalent binding to cellular DNA.      
     -a mechanistic pathway for DNA binding by acetaminophen (Tylenol)
                suggests that acetaminophen could be genotoxic in humans
     -hemopoietic DNA binding by chloramphenicol metabolites
                an explanation for its role in aplastic anemia and leukemia
     -development of the HL-60 leukemic cell line as a model for human granulocyte bioactivation

Details (under construction)

Methods Development in Analytical Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry
     -the "Desferal" method for the high pressure liquid chromatography of hydroxamic acids
     -the purification and structure analysis of Urushiol, the toxic constituent of Poison Ivy and Oak. 
              This work is cited by THE MERCK INDEX in its definition of Urushiol.

Details (under construction)

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