Dr. Sherif Elshahawi

Dr. Sherif Elshahawi

Assistant Professor
School of Pharmacy
Office Location: Rinker Health Science Campus
Phone: 714-516-5496
Website: https://sites.chapman.edu/elshahawilab/
Scholarly Works:
Digital Commons
Education:
Cairo University, Bachelor of Pharmacy
University of Mississippi, Master of Science
Oregon Health & Science University, Ph.D.

Biography

Dr. Sherif Elshahawi is an Assistant Professor of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine at the Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP).

Dr. Elshahawi received his Bachelor in Pharmacy from Cairo University in Egypt (2000) and spent four years teaching Pharmacy students Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry and Herbal medicine.  To pursue his graduate education, he joined the School of Pharmacy at the University of Mississippi in Mississippi to earn his Master’s degree in Pharmacognosy (2006). There, he used natural products isolation, purification and structure elucidation techniques to compare the metabolic profiles of three soft coral species collected through a ten-year period to determine the effect of environmental and time changes on their secondary metabolism.

To increase his expertise in chemical biology, Dr. Elshahawi moved to Portland, Oregon to join the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Medicine in the lab of Professor Margo Haygood where he earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2012). During his Ph.D., Dr. Elshahawi combined the skills he learned from his Master’s research with the expertise he acquired in the Haygood lab towards the discovery and biosynthesis of bioactive secondary metabolites from marine symbionts. Following his Ph.D., he accepted a Postdoctoral Scholar position at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the lab of Professor Jon Thorson and the Center for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation (CPRI) at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky. There, he led multiple projects that involve the identification of natural product compounds from terrestrial bacteria from unique ecological niche in addition to the identification of gene clusters and the characterization and engineering of biocatalysts.

In 2017, Dr. Elshahawi joined Chapman University to lead a distinct research program in the discovery and development of natural product compounds and enzymes. His research interests include natural products discovery and biosynthesis, biocatalysis, drug development, synthetic biology, protein engineering, microbial genetics and chemical biology.

Dr. Elshahawi has authored 19 peer reviewed articles in high impact journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Nature Chemical Biology, Chemical Society Reviews, Angewandte Chemie and Organic Letters. He also serves as a reviewer in different journals and his research has been recognized in several national meetings and media coverage.

Research Interests 

Bacterial infections and tumor cells are proliferating due to rising levels of resistance against current drugs. The major focus of the Elshahawi lab is to discover and develop natural products-based drug therapeutics for the treatment of tumor cells and infectious diseases and modifying those therapeutics for improved activity and/or pharmacokinetic properties. Research in the Elshahawi lab lies at the interface of chemistry and biology and combines multiple disciplines including natural products chemistry, microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, bioinformatics, structural biology, synthetic chemistry and molecular biology. The goal is to utilize natural product compounds, genes and enzymes to provide new drug leads against bacterial infections and cancer to strengthen the drug discovery pipeline.

Dr. Elshahawi’s research is focused on four main areas: (i) Isolation of microorganisms from untapped environments capable of producing biologically active small molecules; isolation and structure elucidation of these compounds using various spectroscopic techniques (ii) Identification of the genes, enzymes and mechanisms involved in the biosynthesis of bioactive natural products (iii) Characterization and engineering of late stage tailoring enzymes for drug diversification for improvement of bioactivities and/or physicochemical properties (iv) Identification of the chemical arsenal of pathogenic organisms and their biosynthetic machinery. 

Main Publications

1. Elshahawi SI, Cao C, Shaaban KA,  Ponomareva LV, Subramanian T, Farman ML, Spielmann HP, Phillips GN Jr., Thorson JS, Singh S. Underground coal mine fire-associated microbes as a source for biocatalyst discovery. Nat. Chem Biol.2017, 13(4):366-368. [Pubmed]

2. Elshahawi SI*, Shaaban KA*, Kharel MK, Thorson JS. A comprehensive review of glycosylated bacterial natural products. Chemical Society Reviews. 2015, 44(21):7591-7697. [Pubmed]

3. Elshahawi SI, Ramelot TA, Seetharaman J, Chen J, Singh S, Yang Y, Pederson K, Kharel MK, Xiao R, Lew S, Yennamalli RM, Miller MD, Wang F, Tong L, Montelione GT, Kennedy MA, Bingman CA, Zhu H, Phillips GN Jr, Thorson JS. Structure-guided functional characterization of enediyne self-sacrifice resistance proteins, CalU16 and CalU19. ACS Chem Biol. 2014, 9(10):2347-2358. [Pubmed]

4. Elshahawi SI, Trindade-Silva AE, Hanora A, Han AW, Flores MS, Vizzoni V, Schrago CG, Soares CA, Concepcion GP, Distel DL, Schmidt EW, Haygood MG. Boronated tartrolon antibiotic produced by symbiotic cellulose-degrading bacteria in shipworm gills. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci (PNAS). 2013, 110(4):E295-304. [Pubmed] 

Recent Creative, Scholarly Work and Publications

Aoun AR, Mupparapu N, Nguyen DN, Kim TH, Nguyen CM, Pan Z, Elshahawi SI*. Structure-guided mutagenesis reveals the catalytic residue that controls the regiospecificity of C6-indole prenyltransferases. ChemCatChem. 2023 Jun 09; 15(11): e202300423. PMID: 37366495.
Alexander AK, Elshahawi SI*. Promiscuous enzymes for residue-specific peptide and protein late-stage functionalization. ChemBioChem. 2023 Sept 1; 24(17): e202300372. PMID: 37338668
Clinger JA, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Miller MD, Hall RE, Van Lanen SG, Phillips GN Jr., Thorson JS, Elshahawi SI. Structure and function of a dual reductase-dehydratase enzyme system involved in p-terphenyl biosynthesis. ACS Chem Biol. 2021 Dec 17;16(12):2816-2824. PMID: 34763417.
Mupparapu N, Brewster L, Ostrom KF, Elshahawi SI. Late-stage chemoenzymatic installation of hydroxy-bearing allyl moiety on the indole ring of tryptophan-containing peptides. Chemistry – A European Journal. 2022 Apr 6;28(20):e202104614. PMID: 35178791.
Mupparapu N, Lin Y-HC, Kim TH, Elshahawi SI. Regiospecific synthesis of calcium-independent daptomycin antibiotics using a chemoenzymatic method. Chemistry – A European Journal. 2021;27(12):4176-4182. PMID: 33244806, doi: 10.1002/chem.202005100
Elshahawi SI, Mupparapu N, Lin Y-HC. Generation of Lipopeptide Analogs Using Biocatalytic Methods. Part of the "New Investigator Award Recipient Poster Abstracts Presented at the 121st Virtual Annual Meeting of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, July 13-31, 2020". American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education June 2020, 84 (6) ajpe8231
Wang X, Abbas M, Zhang Y, Elshahawi SI, Ponomareva LV, Cui Z, Van Lanen SG, Sajid I, Voss SR, Shaaban KA, Thorson JS. Baraphenazines A-G, Divergent Fused Phenazine-Based Metabolites from a Himalayan Streptomyces. J Nat Prod. 2019, 82(6):1686-1693.
Wang X, Elshahawi SI, Ponomareva LV, Ye Q, Liu Y, Copley GC, Hower JC, Hatcher BE, Kharel MK, Van Lanen SG, She QB, Voss SR, Thorson JS, Shaaban KA. Structure Determination, Functional Characterization, and Biosynthetic Implications of Nybomycin Metabolites from a Mining Reclamation Site-Associated Streptomyces. J Nat Prod. 2019, 82(12):3469-3476.
Abbas M, Elshahawi SI, Wang X, Ponomareva LV, Sajid I, Shaaban KA, Thorson JS. Puromycins B–E, Naturally Occurring Amino-Nucleosides Produced by the Himalayan Isolate Streptomyces sp. PU-14G. J. Nat. Prod., 2018, 81(11): 2560–2566.
Shaaban KA, Saunders MA, Zhang Y, Tran T, Elshahawi SI, Ponomareva LV, Wang X, Zhang J, Copley GC, Sunkara M, Kharel MK, Morris AJ, Hower JC, Tremblay MS, Prendergast MA, Thorson JS. Spoxazomicin D and oxachelin C, potent neuroprotective carboxamides from the Appalachian coal fire-associated isolate Streptomyces sp. RM-14-6. J Nat Prod. 2017, 80(1):2-11.
Zhang J, Hughes RR, Saunders MA, Elshahawi SI, Ponomareva LV, Zhang Y, Winchester SR, Scott SA, Sunkara M, Morris AJ, Prendergast MA, Shaaban KA, Thorson JS. Identification of neuroprotective spoxazomicin and oxachelin glycosides via chemoenzymatic glycosyl-scanning. J Nat Prod. 2017, 80(1):12-18.
Wang X, Zhang Y, Ponomareva LV, Qiu Q, Woodcock R, Elshahawi SI, Chen X, Zhou Z, Hatcher BE, Hower JC, Zhan CG, Parkin S, Kharel MK, Voss SR, Shaaban KA, Thorson JS. Mccrearamycins A-D, geldanamycin-derived cyclopentenone macrolactams from an Eastern Kentucky abandoned coal mine microbe. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2017, 56(11):2994-2998.
Elshahawi SI, Cao C, Shaaban KA, Ponomareva LV, Subramanian T, Farman ML, Spielmann HP, Phillips GN Jr., Thorson JS, Singh S. Underground coal mine fire-associated microbes as a source for biocatalyst discovery. Nat. Chem Biol. 2017, 13(4):366-368.
Wang X, Elshahawi SI, Cai W, Zhang Y, Ponomareva LV, Chen X, Copley GC, Hower JC, Zhan CG, Parkin S, Rohr J, Van Lanen SG, Shaaban KA, Thorson JS. Bi- and Tetracyclic Spirotetronates from the Coal Mine Fire Isolate Streptomyces sp. LC-6-2. J Nat Prod. 2017, 80(4):1141-1149.
Wenlong C, Wang X, Elshahawi SI, Ponomareva LV, Liu X, McErlean M, Cui Z, Arlinghaus A, Thorson JS, Van Lanen SG. Antibacterial and cytotoxic actinomycins Y6-Y9 from Streptomyces sp. strain Gö-GS12.J Nat Prod. 2016, 79(10):2731-2739.
Elshahawi SI*, Shaaban KA*, Kharel MK, Thorson JS. A comprehensive review of glycosylated bacterial natural products. Chemical Society Reviews. 2015, 44(21):7591-7697.
Wang X, Reynolds AR, Elshahawi SI, Shaaban KA, Ponomareva LV, Saunders MA, Elgumati IS, Zhang Y, Copley GC, Hower JC, Sunkara M, Morris AJ, Kharel MK, Van Lanen SG, Prendergast MA, Thorson JS. Terfestatins B and C, new p-terphenyl glycosides produced by Streptomyces sp. RM-5-8. Org Lett. 2015, 17(11):2796-2799.
Shaaban KA, Elshahawi SI, Wang X, Horn J, Kharel MK, Leggas M, Thorson JS. Cytotoxic indolocarbazoles from Actinomadura melliaura ATCC 39691. J Nat Prod. 2015, 78(7):1723-1729.
Shaaban KA, Singh S, Elshahawi SI, Wang X, Ponomareva LV, Sunkara M, Copley GC, Hower JC, Morris AJ, Kharel MK, Thorson JS. The native production of the sesquiterpene isopterocarpolone by Streptomyces sp. RM-14-6. Nat Prod Res. 2014, 28(5):337-339.
Wang X, Elshahawi SI, Shaaban KA, Fang L, Ponomareva LV, Zhang Y, Copley GC, Hower JC, Zhan C-G, Kharel MK, Thorson JS. Ruthmycin, a new tetracyclic polyketide from Streptomyces sp. RM-4-15. Org. Lett. 2014, 16(2):456-459.
Wang X, Shaaban KA, Elshahawi SI, Ponomareva LV, Sunkara M, Copley GC, Hower JC, Morris AJ, Kharel MK, Thorson JS. Mullinamides A and B, new cyclopeptides produced by the Ruth Mullins coal mine fire isolate Streptomyces sp. RM-27-46. J. Antibiot. 2014, 67(8):571-575.
Elshahawi SI, Ramelot TA, Seetharaman J, Chen J, Singh S, Yang Y, Pederson K, Kharel MK, Xiao R, Lew S, Yennamalli RM, Miller MD, Wang F, Tong L, Montelione GT, Kennedy MA, Bingman CA, Zhu H, Phillips GN Jr, Thorson JS. Structure-guided functional characterization of enediyne self-sacrifice resistance proteins, CalU16 and CalU19. ACS Chem Biol. 2014, 9(10):2347-2358.
Elshahawi SI, Trindade-Silva AE, Hanora A, Han AW, Flores MS, Vizzoni V, Schrago CG, Soares CA, Concepcion GP, Distel DL, Schmidt EW, Haygood MG. Boronated tartrolon antibiotic produced by symbiotic cellulose-degrading bacteria in shipworm gills. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci (PNAS). 2013, 110(4):E295-304.
Wang X, Shaaban KA, Elshahawi SI, Ponomareva LV, Sunkara M, Zhang Y, Copley GC, Hower JC, Morris AJ, Kharel MK, Thorson JS. Frenolicins C-G, pyranonaphthoquinones from Streptomyces sp. RM-4-15. J Nat Prod. 2013, 76(8):1441-1447.
Shaaban KA, Wang X, Elshahawi SI, Ponomareva LV, Sunkara M, Copley GC, Hower JC, Morris AJ, Kharel MK, Thorson JS. Herbimycins D-F, ansamycin analogues from Streptomyces sp. RM-7-15. J Nat Prod. 2013, 76(9):1619-1626.
Shaaban KA, Singh S, Elshahawi SI, Wang X, Ponomareva LV, Sunkara M, Copley GC, Hower JC, Morris AJ, Kharel MK, Thorson JS. Venturicidin C, a new 20-membered macrolide produced by Streptomyces sp. TS-2-2. J. Antibiot. 2013, 67(3):223-230.
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