Skip to main content

Daniel Afosah

Title: Assistant Professor

Department: Chemistry

College: College of Science

Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae Link

Education

  • PhD, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2017
    Major: Pharmaceutical Sciences
    Specialization: Medical Chemistry

Current Scheduled Teaching

CHEM 6940.760Individual ResearchSpring 2025

Previous Scheduled Teaching

CHEM 6940.760Individual ResearchFall 2024
CHEM 4670.001Introduction to Medicinal ChemistryFall 2024 Syllabus SPOT
CHEM 5640.001Selected Topics in Organic ChemistryFall 2024 Syllabus SPOT

Published Intellectual Contributions

    Abstracts and Proceedings

  • Afosah, D. (2023). Simultaneous targeting of the PDZ1 and PDZ2 domains of MDA-9 inhibits melanoma metastasis.. 83 3394.
  • Afosah, D. (2022). Non-Saccharide Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics as Inhibitors of Cathepsin G. 32 1016-1017.
  • Afosah, D. (2021). Quantitative Analysis of Highly Sulfated, Lipid-conjugated Mimetics of Glycosaminoglycans in Human Plasma. 31 1753.
  • Afosah, D. (2020). Cholesterol modification enhances potency and pharmacokinetic properties of a selective cancer stem cell targeting agent. 80 6353.
  • Afosah, D. (2019). A small, synthetic glycosaminoglycan mimetic as an inhibitor of human heparinase.. FASEB Journal. 33 (Suppl 1) 675.12-675.12.
  • Afosah, D. (2019). Computational modeling of 2-O, 3-O-desulfated heparin interaction with p300 histone acetyl transferase.. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. 257
  • Afosah, D. (2019). Glycosaminoglycans and Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics as Human Neutrophil Elastase Inhibitors for Cystic Fibrosis Management. FASEB Journal. 33 (Suppl 1) 782.2-782.2.
  • Afosah, D. (2019). Lipophilic Modification of an Anti‐Cancer Stem Cell Agent Improves Pharmacokinetic and Anti‐Cancer Properties.. FASEB Journal. 33 (Suppl 1) 782.17-782.17.
  • Afosah, D. (2019). Many Apparently Non-Selective GAG – Protein Systems May Exhibit Interesting Selectivity Features: The Case of Human Neutrophil Elastase.. 29 953.
  • Afosah, D. (2019). Relationship between modified heparin-derived oligosaccharide non-polar surface areas and electrospray ionization response. 29 951.
  • Afosah, D. (2019). Selective Inhibition of a Panel of Cancer Stem Cell Lines by Novel Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics. FASEB Journal. 33 (Suppl 1) 675.11-675.11.
  • Afosah, D. (2017). Molecular Determinants of Neutrophil Elastase Inhibition By 2-O, 3-O Desulfated Heparin. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 195 A1287.
  • Afosah, D. (2017). Neutrophil Elastase Inhibition by DNA or Heparin is Polymer Length Dependent.. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 195 A1286.
  • Afosah, D. (2016). 2-O, 3-O Desulfated Heparin Blocks High Mobility Group Box1 Release from Macrophages by Inhibition of P300 Acetyltransferase Activity. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 193 A5566.
  • Afosah, D. (2016). Computational modeling of 2-O, 3-O-desulfated heparin interaction with p300 histone acetyl transferase.. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. 252
  • Afosah, D. (2016). Reducing bleeding risks of anticoagulants through a novel partial inhibition approach. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. 252
  • Book Chapter

  • Afosah, D., Morla, S., Campbell, C., Desai, U. (2021). Natural products for Cardiovascular Diseases Treatment.. 1 San Diego, Cognella.
  • Journal Article

  • Dumas, A., Goyal, N., Mottamal, M., Afosah, D., Al-Horani, R. (2024). Discovery of a New Lead Molecule to Develop a Novel Class of Human Factor XIIa Inhibitors.. 57 (8) 1308-1314. Springer Nature. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11239-024-03054-2
  • Vu, K., Kar, S., Mottamal, M., Afosah, D., Al-Horani, R. (2024). Discovery of Heparin Mimetic, Potent, and Selective Inhibitors of Human Clotting Factor XIIIa. ACS Omega. 9 (28) 31105-31119. Washington, DC, American Chemical Society. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.4c04518
  • Woodland, M., , A.T., , A.L., Goyal, N., Schexnaildre , J., Mottamal , M., Afosah, D., Al-Horani, R. (2024). New Triazole-Based Potent Inhibitors of Human Factor XIIa as Anticoagulants.. ACS Omega. 9 (9) 10694-10708. Washington, DC, American Chemical Society.
  • Pradhan, A., Modi, J., Maji, S., Kumar, A., Bhoopathi, P., Mannangatti, P., Gu, C., Afosah, D., Mochel, M., Mukhopadhya, N., Kirkwood, J., Wang, X., Desai, U., Sarkar, D., Emdad, L., Das, S., Fisher, P. (2023). Dual Targeting of the PDZ1 and PDZ2 Domains of MDA-9/Syntenin Inhibits Melanoma Metastasis. 22 (10) 1115-1127. Philadelphia, PA, American Association for Cancer Research. https://aacrjournals.org/mct/article/22/10/1115/729311/Dual-Targeting-of-the-PDZ1-and-PDZ2-Domains-of-MDA
  • Chiles, R., Afosah, D., Al-Horani, R. (2023). Investigation of the Anticoagulant Activity of Cyclic Sulfated Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics.. 529 108831. Amsterdam, Elsevier. https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0008621523000939
  • Afosah, D.K., Fayyadd, R., Puliafico, V., Merrell, S., Langmia, E., Diagne, S., Al-h, R., Umesh, D. (2023). Non-Saccharide Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics as Potent Inhibitors of Human Cathepsin G. 13 (5) 760. Basel, MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/5/760
  • Afosah, D., Abdelfadiel, E., Gunta, R., villuri, B., Sanakaranarayanan, N., Desai, U. (2023). Designing Smaller, Synthetic, Functional Mimetics of Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans as Allosteric Modulators of Coagulation Factors. 66 (7) 4503–4531. Washington, DC, American Chemical Society. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00132
  • Morla, S., Ongolu, R., O'Hara, C., Vera, A., Abdelfadiel, E., Fayadd, R., Afosah, D., Sharon, C., Fernandez, L., Shah, S., Patel, B., Desai, U. (2023). Designing Synthetic, Sulfated Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics That Are Orally Bioavailable and Exhibiting In Vivo Anticancer Activity. 66 (2) 1321-1338. Washington, DC, American Chemical Society. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01511
  • Al-Horani, R., Afosah, D., Kar, S., Aliter, K., Mottamal, M. (2023). Sulphated Penta-Galloyl Glucopyranoside (SPGG) Is Glycosaminoglycan Mimetic Allosteric Inhibitor of Cathepsin G. 2 (1) 1–9. Oxford, Oxford Press. https://academic.oup.com/rpsppr/article/2/1/rqad001/6972762
  • Al-Horani, R., Afosah, D., Mottamal, M. (2022). Triazol-1-Yl Benzamides Promote Anticoagulant Activity via Inhibition of Factor XIIa.. 21 (2) 108-119. Sharjah, Bentham Science Publishers. https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/127299
  • Boothello, R., Sankaranarayanan, N., Sisthla, J., Nagarajan, B., Sharon, C., Chittum, J., Niyaz, R., Roy, S., Nandi, A., O'Harra, C., Gangji, R., Afosah, D., Ongolu, R., Patel, B., Desai, U. (2022). Glycan Modulation of Insulin‐like Growth Factor‐1 Receptor. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 134 (49) e202211320. Weinheim, Wiley-VCH GmbH. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202211320
  • Afosah, D., Ofori, E., Mottamal, M., Al-Horani, R. (2022). Factor IX(a) Inhibitors: An Updated Patent Review (2003-Present). 32 (4) 381-400. Oxford, Taylor & Francis. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13543776.2022.2026926
  • Afosah, D., Kar, S., , R., Bankston, P. (2021). Lignosulfonic Acid Sodium Is a Noncompetitive Inhibitor of Human Factor XIa. 14 (9) 886. Basel, MDPI. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/14/9/886
  • Boothello, R., Sankaranarayanan, N., Afosah, D., Al-Horani, R., Karuturi, R., Desai, U. (2020). Studies on Fragment-Based Design of Allosteric Inhibitors of Human Factor XIa. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry. 28 (23) 1101-1105. Oxford, Elsevier.
  • Afosah, D., , R. (2020). Sulfated Non-Saccharide Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics as Novel Drug Discovery Platform for Various Pathologies. 27 (21) 3412-3447. Sharjah, Bentham Science Publishers.
  • Al-Horani, R., Abdelfadiel, E., Afosah, D., Morla, S., Sisthla, J., Mohammed, B., Martin, E., Brophy, D., Sakagami, M. (2019). A synthetic heparin mimetic that allosterically inhibits factor XIa and reduces thrombosis in vivo without enhanced risk of bleeding. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. 17 (12) 2110-2122. Philadelphia, PA, Elsevier.
  • Afosah, D., Morla, S., Sankaranarayanan, N., Kumar, M., Kummarapurugu, A., Voynow, J., Desai, U. (2019). On the Process of Discovering Leads that Target the Heparin‐Binding Site of Neutrophil Elastase in the Sputum of Cystic Fibrosis Patients. 62 (11) 5501 – 5511. Washington, DC, American Chemical Society.
  • Patel, N., Patel, D., Kanhed, A., Patel, S., Patel, K., Afosah, D., Desai, U., Karpoormath, R., Yadav, M. (2019). 2‐Aminobenzamide‐Based Factor Xa Inhibitors with Novel Mono‐ and Bi‐Aryls as S4 Binding Elements.. 4 (3) 802-809. Weinheim, Wiley-VCH.
  • Gangji, R., Sankaranarayanan, N., Elste, J., Al-Horani, R., Afosah, D., Joshi, R., Tiwari, V., Desai, U. (2018). Inhibition of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Entry into Human Cells by Non-Saccharide Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics.. 9 (8) 797-802. Washington, DC, American Chemical Society.
  • Kumarapurugu, A., Afosah, D., Sankaranarayanan, N., Gangji, R., Zheng, S., Kennedy, T., Rubin, B., Desai, U., Voynow, J. (2018). Molecular Principles for Heparin Oligosaccharide-Based Inhibition of Neutrophil Elastase in Cystic Fibrosis. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 293 (32) 12480 – 12490. Rockville, MD, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
  • Al-Horani, R., Afosah, D. (2018). Recent Advances in the Discovery and Development of Factor XI/XIa Inhibitors.. 38 (6) 1974-2023. Hoboken, NJ, John Wiley & Sons, Inc..
  • Afosah, D., Verespy, S., Al-Horani, R., Boothello, R., Karuturi, R., Desai, U. (2018). A Small Group of Sulfated Benzofurans Induce Steady-State Submaximal Inhibition of Thrombin.. 28 (6) 1101-1105. Oxford, Elsevier Ltd.
  • Afosah, D., Al-Horani, R., Sankaranarayanan, N., Desai, U. (2016). Potent, Selective, Allosteric Inhibition of Human Plasmin by Sulfated Non-Saccharide Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics. 60 641-657. Washington, DC, American Chemical Society.
  • Zheng, S., Kumarapurugu, A., Afosah, D., Sankaranarayanan, N., Boothello, R., Desai, U., Kennedy, T., Voynow, J. (2016). 2-O, 3-O Desulfated Heparin Blocks High Mobility Group Box 1 Release by Inhibition of p300 Acetyltransferase Activity. 56 (1) 90-98. New York, NY, American Thoracic Society.
  • Karuturi, R., Al-Horani, R., Lee, M., Afosah, D., Desai, U. (2016). Allosteric Inhibition of Factor XIIIa. Non-Saccharide Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics, but Not Glycosaminoglycans, Exhibit Promising Inhibition Profile.. PLOS One. 11 (7) e0160189. San Francisco, CA, Public Library of Science.
  • Verespy, S., Mehta, A., Afosah, D., Al-Horani, R., Desai, U. (2016). Allosteric Partial Inhibition of Monomeric Proteases. Sulfated Coumarins Induce Regulation, Not Just Inhibition, of Thrombin. Scientific Reports. 6 24043. London, Nature Publishing Group.
  • Manuscript

  • Afosah, D., Ongolu, R., Fayyadd, R., Hawkridge, A., Desai, U. (2025). A Robust Proteomics-Based Method for Identifying Preferred Protein Targets of Synthetic Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.23.634492v1

Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Research

    Grant - Research

  • Afosah, D. (Principal), Jagadeeswaran, P. (Supporting), "Synthetic glycosaminoglycan mimetics as regulators of megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis," sponsored by NIH-NHLBI, Federal, $682552 Funded. (2024 - 2027).
  • Afosah, D. (Principal), "Synthetic glycosaminoglycan mimetics as regulators of megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis," sponsored by NIH-NHLBI, Federal, $358776 Funded. (2022 - 2024).
,
Overall
Summative Rating
Challenge and
Engagement Index
Response Rate

out of 5

out of 7
%
of
students responded
  • Overall Summative Rating (median):
    This rating represents the combined responses of students to the four global summative items and is presented to provide an overall index of the class’s quality. Overall summative statements include the following (response options include a Likert scale ranging from 5 = Excellent, 3 = Good, and 1= Very poor):
    • The course as a whole was
    • The course content was
    • The instructor’s contribution to the course was
    • The instructor’s effectiveness in teaching the subject matter was
  • Challenge and Engagement Index:
    This rating combines student responses to several SPOT items relating to how academically challenging students found the course to be and how engaged they were. Challenge and Engagement Index items include the following (response options include a Likert scale ranging from 7 = Much higher, 4 = Average, and 1 = Much lower):
    • Do you expect your grade in this course to be
    • The intellectual challenge presented was
    • The amount of effort you put into this course was
    • The amount of effort to succeed in this course was
    • Your involvement in course (doing assignments, attending classes, etc.) was
CLOSE