Education
1973 Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley
1968 B.A. Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Research Interests
Prof. Hanson’s research group focuses on the application of contemporary organic chemistry to the design and synthesis of small molecules as therapeutic or diagnostic agents.  Synthetic techniques include the utilization of palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions to generate novel structures, “click chemistry” to ligate functionalized bio-molecules, and precursor preparation to introduce isotopes for radio-imaging.  Molecular modeling of small molecule-protein interactions is employed for structure-based drug design and to interpret biological mechanisms.  Conformational analysis is carried out with high field, one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques to complement computational studies.

The areas to which these methods are applied include synthesis of steroid hormone receptor modulators, therapeutic agents for drug addiction, anti-Parkinsonism agents, and receptor selective radio-imaging agents.  The development of therapeutic and diagnostic agents directed toward hormone-responsive cancer treatment, particularly for breast and prostate cancer, is an area of Prof. Hanson’s research currently receiving substantial support from external funding agencies.  These projects are multi-disciplinary and involve collaborators at local, national and international institutions.

Selected Publications

Hanson, Robert N .; Tongcharoensirikul, Pakamas; Dilis, Robert; Hughes, Alun; DeSombre, Eugene R. Synthesis and Evaluation of Isomeric (17-alpha ,20E)-11-beta -Methoxy-21-(trifluoromethylphenyl)-19-norpregna-1,3,5(10),20-tetraene-3,17-beta -diols as ER-alpha -Hormone Binding Domain Ligands: Effect of the Methoxy Group on Receptor Binding and Uterotrophic Growth. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 50, 472-479, 2007.

Nettles, Kendall W.; Bruning, John B.; Gil, German; O'Neill, Erin E.; Nowak, Jason; Hughs, Alun; Kim, Younchang; DeSombre, Eugene R.; Dilis, Robert; Hanson, Robert N .; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Greene, Geoffrey L. Structural plasticity in the oestrogen receptor ligand-binding domain. EMBO Reports (2007), 8(6), 563-568

Hanson, Robert N.; Friel, Carolyn J.; Dilis, Robert;Hughes, Alun; DeSombre, Eugene R.   Synthesis and Evaluation of (17-alpha ,20Z)-21-(4-Substituted-phenyl)-19-norpregna-1,3,5(10),20-tetraene-3,17-beta -diols as Ligands for the Estrogen Receptor-?  Hormone Binding Domain: Comparison with 20E-Isomers.    Journal of Medicinal Chemistry  (2005),  48(13),  4300-4311.