Dr. Elaine Schwartz

Teaching

General Chemistry CHEM 140/140L, 150/150L
General Chemistry CHEM 140 and CHEM 150
Organic Chemistry CHEM 230
Chemistry of Health CHEM 103
Introduction to Chemistry & Biochemistry Majors and Career Paths CHEM/BCHM 100

Employment

• Associate Dean of External Relations and Student Advancement, Chapman University, 2023-Present
• Professor, Department of Chemistry, Chapman University, 2023-Present 
• Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Chapman University, 2016-2022
• Assistant Dean of External Relations, 2015-2022
• Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Chapman University, 2011-2015
• Encore Pharmaceuticals, Inc., President 2012-Present
• Encore Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Vice President Research & Development, 2006-2011
• Encore Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Director of Research Operations, 2001-2006
• Assistant Research Professor, Department of Medicine, Laboratory of Chemical Endocrinology, 1998-2008, 1988-1992

Research

Discovery, pre-clinical, and clinical development of small molecules of medicinal importance. Synthesis and evaluation of analogs of gamma-carboxyethylhyroxychroman (CEHC) for the reversible inhibition of the apical 70 pS K+ channel in renal TAL and treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Pharmacologic studies of R-Flurbiprofen and other R-NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) for treatment of colon and prostate cancer and Alzheimer's Disease. Chiral control of branched fatty acid oxidation: prevention and treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases.

Publications

• Grammas, P., Hamdheydari, L., Benaksas, E.J., Mou, S., Pye, Q.N., Wechter, W.J., Floyd, R.A., Stewart, C.A., Hensley, K. (2004) Anti-inflammatory Effects of Tocopherol Metabolites.  BBRC319:1047-1052.
• Hensley, K., Benaksas, E.J., Bolli, R., Comp, P., Grammas, P., Hamdheydari, L., Mou, S., Pye, Q., Stoddard, M., Wallis, G., Williamson, K.S., West, M., Wechter, W.J. and Floyd, R.A. (2004)New Perspectives on Vitamin E: Gamma-Tocopherol and Carboxyethylhydroxychroman Metabolites in Biology and Medicine.  Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 36, 1-15.
• Benaksas, E.J., Murray, E.D., Jr., and Wechter, W.J. (1995)Natriuretic Hormones II.  Progress in Drug Research, 45, 245-288.
• Benaksas, E.J., Murray, E.D., Jr. Rodgers, C.L., Pham, T., Bigornia, A.E., DeWind, S.A., Geibel, R., Brubacher, E.S., and Wechter, W.J. (1993) Endogenous Natriuretic Factors 1: Sodium Pump Inhibition Does Not Correlate with Natriuretic or Pressor Activities from Uremic Urine.  Life Sci.  52, 1045-1054.
• Cram, Donald J., Benaksas-Schwartz, Elaine J., Knobler, Carolyn. (1992)Host-guest Complexation. 65. Six New Saddle Shaped Hosts Based on Fused Dibenzofuran Units.  J. Am. Chem. Soc.
• Wechter, W.J. and Benaksas, E.J. (1990)Natriuretic Hormones.  Progress in Drug Research 34, 231-257.
• Benaksas Schwartz, E.J. (1989)Dibenzofuran Cavitands:  Ribonuclease and Serine Protease Mimics and a New Method for Synthesizing 4-Aryl Imidazoles.  Ph.D. Dissertation.(University of California, Los Angeles, 228 pp. Diss. Abstr. Int. B. 1989, 50(2), 565.

Patents

• Wechter, W.J., Gutierrez, I., Benaksas Schwartz, E.J., Murray, E.D. Jr., USP Appl 20040152777, Therapeutically Active Compounds, Published October 5, 2004.
• Wechter, W.J., Murray, E.D. Jr., Benaksas Schwartz, E.J., Gutierrez, I., Quiggle, D.D., USP Appl 20040152146, Methods for Screening Compounds for Use in the Treatment of Disease, Published October 5, 2004.
• Wechter, W.J., Benaksas Schwartz, E.J., Murray, E.D. Jr., Gutierrez, I., USP Appl 20040151758, Fat Substitutes, Published October 5, 2004.
• Wechter, W.J., Benaksas Schwartz, E.J., USP Appl 20040067914, R-NSAID Esters and their Use, Published October 3, 2003.
• Wechter, W.J., Murray, Jr. E. D., Kantoci, D., Levine, B., Benaksas Schwartz, E.J., USP 6,150,402, Natriuretic Compounds, November 21, 2000.
• Wechter, W.J., Murray, Jr. E. D., Kantoci, D., Levine, B., Benaksas, E.J., USP 6,083,982, Natriuretic Compounds, July 4, 2000.
• Wechter, William J.; Murray, David E.; Kantoci, Darko; Levine, Barry H.; Benaksas, Elaine J., US 94-290430 940815; WO 95-US10411 950815, Natriuretic Cyclic Compounds. February 22, 1996.

Professional Associations

American Chemical Society

Awards, Grants and Fellowships

• Principal Investigator National Institutes of Health Grant SBIR Phase II grant, 2 R44 AG023519, Title: Novel CEHC Derivatives for Neuroinflammation, 2004-2008
• Co-investigator National Institutes of Health Grant SBIR Phase I grant, 1R43 AG023519, Title: Novel CEHC Derivatives for Neuroinflammation, 2003-2004
• Co-investigator National Institutes of Health Grant RO1 grant, HL56066, Title: Approaches to Natriuretic and Antihypertensive Agents, 1997-2003
• DuPont Teaching Award, University of California, Los Angeles, 1983