Jay Schneekloth Lab

We leverage chemical approaches to develop small molecules that target nucleic acids, with the goal of advancing both basic science discoveries and novel therapeutics for diseases with no cure.

The Schneekloth laboratory focuses on the discovery and development of small molecules that target protein functions and cellular pathways relevant to human disease.

Our efforts integrate medicinal chemistry, synthetic organic chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences and chemical biology approaches, as well as biophysical and biochemical methods to investigate molecular actions and interactions.

Jay Schneekloth standing in front of a chemical hood

John 'Jay' Schneekloth

Research Professor, U-M Life Sciences Institute
Professor of Biological Chemistry, U-M Medical School
Co-Director, U-M Program in Chemical Biology

Publication Highlights

“Structure-informed design of an ultrabright RNAactivated fluorophore

Yang M, Prestwood PR, Passalacqua LFM, Balaratnam S, Fullenkamp CR, Arney JW, Weeks KM, Ferre-D'Amare A, Schneekloth JS Jr,  Nature Chemistry (2025)

Harnessing molecular recognition for small-molecule-mediated reversible photochemical control over mRNA translation

Parmar S, Tenney L, Liang X, Routzahn JT 4th, Sibley CD, Schneekloth JS Jr, Angew Chem Int Ed Engl (2025)

Mechanistic analysis of Riboswitch Ligand interactions provides insights into pharmacological control over gene expression

Parmar S, Bume DD, Connelly CM, Boer RE, Prestwood PR, Wang Z, Labuhn H, Sinnadurai K, Feri A, Ouellet J, Homan P, Numata T, Schneekloth JS Jr, Nature Communications (2024)

Investigating the NRAS 5' UTR as a target for small molecules

Balaratnam S, Torrey ZR, Calabrese DR, Banco MT, Yazdani K, Liang X, Fullenkamp CR, Seshadri S, Holewinski RJ, Andresson T, Ferré-D'Amaré AR, Incarnato D, Schneekloth JS Jr, Cell Chem Biol (2023)

Machine learning informs RNA-Binding chemical space

Yazdani K, Jordan D, Yang M, Fullenkamp CR, Calabrese DR, Boer R, Hilimire T, Allen TEH, Khan RT, Schneekloth JS Jr, Angew Chem Int Ed Engl (2023)

Administrative Support

Nancy Polderdyke
Life Sciences Institute
Mary Sue Coleman Hall
210 Washtenaw Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2216