Specializations
- Addiction
- Anxiety
- Autism
- Epilepsy
Overview
Professor Booth leads research programs aimed at drug discovery and development for central nervous system disorders. Dr. Booth’s laboratory is on track to an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application regarding drug(s) that target brain serotonin receptors for treatment of neuropsychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurological disorders, including, autism spectrum disorder, fragile X syndrome (most common known genetic cause of autism), anxiety, epilepsy, and substance use disorder. Development continues to proceed under the auspices of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Boston-based pharmaceutical industry partners, including the Northeastern start-up biotech, Seropeutics. In addition to receptor structure-based design and synthesis of new chemical entities, laboratory drug discovery and development technology includes computational chemistry and molecular modeling, molecular neuropharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and preclinical in vivo behavioral methodologies for development of drug candidates.
Courses Taught
- Concepts in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PHSC 5100)
- Principles of Drug Design (PHSC 5400)
- Chemistry and Biology of Drugs of Abuse (PHSC 6262)
- Bioorganic Chemistry (CHEM 5676)
Awards
2023 – Appointed to the Programmatic Panel for Autism Research, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
2021 – Appointed to the Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute on Drug Abuse
2017 – Appointed Chair of the Panel on New Molecular Entities to Treat Substance Use Disorder, National Institute on Drug Abuse
Grants
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse T32 Training Program
Title: “Medications Development for Substance Use Disorder”
Role: PI
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse R01 Research Grant
Title: “Delineating the role of serotonin 5-HT2 receptors in opioid use disorders: Development of novel 5-HT2 modulators with translational studies in rodents and primates”
Role: PI
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse R01 Research Grant
Title: “Functionally-Selective Serotonin 5HT2 Drugs for Amphetamines Abuse Disorder”
Role: PI
Source: National Institute on Mental Health R01 Research Grant
Title: “Serotonin 5HT2C Agonist Ligands with 5HT2A/B Antagonist Activity”
Role: PI
Source: Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program Medical Research Program
Title: “Development of Novel Drugs Targeting Serotonin Receptors to Treat Motor, Social, Cognitive, and Sensory Domains of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Mouse Models”
Role: PI
Patents
Patent Application Publication US 2023/0348358A1: Serotonin Receptor Modulators. November 2, 2023.
Booth, RG (Inventor), Northeastern University (Applicant).
International Patent Application Publication WO2023/288027A1: Serotonin 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT2C Receptor Inverse Agonists. January 19, 2023.
Booth, RG (Inventor), Northeastern University (Applicant).
US 11,021,435B2: Serotonin Receptor-Targeting Compounds and Methods. Granted June 1, 2021.
Booth, RG (Inventor), Northeastern University (Applicant).
US 10,548,856 B2: Compounds and Methods of Modulating Serotonin Receptors. Granted February 4, 2020
Booth, RG (Inventor), Northeastern University (Applicant).
US 10,017,458 B2: Therapeutic Tetrahydronaphthalene Compounds. Granted July 10, 2018
Booth, RG (Inventor), University of Florida (Applicant).
US 10,548,856 B2: Compounds and methods for modulating serotonin receptors in the periphery. Granted February 4, 2020. Booth, RG (Inventor), Northeastern University (Applicant).
US 9,862,674 B2: Therapeutic Compounds and Methods of Use. Granted January 9, 2018.
Booth, RG (Inventor), University of Florida (Applicant).
US 9,422,229 B2: Therapeutic Compounds 3. Granted August 23, 2016.
Booth, RG (Inventor), University of Florida (Applicant).
US 9,024,071 B2: Therapeutic Compounds 2. Granted May 5, 2015. Booth, RG (Inventor), University of Florida (Applicant).
US 8,586,634 B2: Therapeutic Compounds. Granted November 19, 2013 Booth, RG (Inventor), University of Florida (Applicant).
Publications
de Moura FB, Booth RG, Kohut SJ. Oxycodone self-administration and reinstatement in male and female squirrel monkeys: Effects of alternative reinforcer availability. bioRxiv. 2023 Jan 16:2023.01.12.523850. doi: 10.1101/2023.01.12.523850. PMID: 36711610.
McGlynn RP, Cui M, Brems B, Holbrook O, Booth RG. Development of 2-Aminotetralin-Type Serotonin 5-HT1 Agonists: Molecular Determinants for Selective Binding and Signaling at 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT1D, and 5-HT1F Receptors. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2024 Jan 17;15(2):357-370. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00658. Epub 2023 Dec 27. PMID: 38150333.
Fragola NR, Brems BM, Mukherjee M, Cui M, Booth RG. Conformationally Selective 2-Aminotetralin Ligands Targeting the alpha2A- and alpha2C-Adrenergic Receptors. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2023,14(10):1884-1895. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00148. Epub 2023 Apr 27. PMID: 37104867.
Saraf TS, McGlynn RP, Bhatavdekar OM, Booth RG, Canal CE. FPT, a 2-Aminotetralin, Is a Potent Serotonin 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, and 5-HT1D Receptor Agonist That Modulates Cortical Electroencephalogram Activity in Adult Fmr1 Knockout Mice. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2022 Dec 21;13(24):3629-3640. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00574. Epub 2022 Dec 6. PMID: 36473166.
Casey AB, Mukherjee M, McGlynn RP, Cui M, Kohut SJ, Booth RG. A new class of 5-HT2A /5-HT2C receptor inverse agonists: Synthesis, molecular modeling, in vitro and in vivo pharmacology of novel 2-aminotetralins. Br J Pharmacol. 2022, 179:2610-2630.
Saraf TS, Felsing DE, Armstrong JL, Booth RG, Canal CE. Evaluation of lorcaserin as an anticonvulsant in juvenile Fmr1 knockout mice. Epilepsy Research 2021, 175:106677.
Armstrong JL, Casey AB, Saraf TS, Mukherjee M, Booth RG, Canal CE. (S)-5-(2′-Fluorophenyl)-N,N-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen2-amine, a Serotonin Receptor Modulator, Possesses Anticonvulsant, Prosocial, and Anxiolytic-like Properties in an Fmr1 Knockout Mouse Model of Fragile X Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder. ACS Pharmacol. Transl. Sci. 2020, 3, 509−523.
Perry CK, Casey AB, Felsing DE, Vemula R, Zaka M, Herrington NB, Cui M, Kellogg GE, Canal CE, Booth RG. Synthesis of novel 5-substituted-2-aminotetralin analogs: 5-HT1A and 5-HT7 G protein-coupled receptor affinity, 3D-QSAR and molecular modeling. Bioorg Med Chem. 2020 Feb 1;28(3):115262. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.115262. Epub 2019 Dec 12. PMID: 31882369.
Booth RG, Fang L, Huang Y, Wilczynski A, Sivendran S. (1R, 3S)-(–)-Trans-PAT: A novel full-efficacy serotonin 5-HT2C receptor agonist with 5-HT2A and 5-HT2B receptor inverse agonist/antagonist activity. European Journal of Pharmacology 615: 1-9 (2009).
Moniri NH, Covington-Strachan D, Booth RG. Ligand-directed functional heterogeneity of histamine H1 receptors: Novel dual-function ligands selectively activate and block H1-meditated phospholipase C and adenylyl cyclase signaling. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 311:274-281 (2004).
