Associate Dean for Scholarship
Chair, Department of Chemistry
Margaret W. Kelly Endowed Professor
Telephone Number: 504-520-7377
Room Number: NCF Annex - Room 331
Email Address: cklein@xula.edu
webstite: http://www.xula.edu/chemistry/profiles/cstevens.php

Biographical Narrative

Dr. Cheryl L. Klein Stevens earned her B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Tampa in 1978 and the Ph.D. degree from the University of New Orleans in physical chemistry in 1982. She held a post-doctoral position in the area of X-ray crystallography for a short time before joining the chemistry faculty at Xavier University of Louisiana in 1982 where she is currently the Margaret W. Kelly Endowed Professor of Chemistry and Chair of the department. She has served Xavier as Program Director for the MBRS program (including the faculty research program, SCORE, and the student development program, RISE) for more than 20 years. In all, she has been PI on over $17 million worth of grants to Xavier. Her research is currently funded by the National Institutes of Health – MBRS/SCORE Program. She has mentored 53 undergraduate research students on projects related to X-ray crystallography and molecular modeling.

Research Interest

Dr. Stevens’ research interests involve structural studies of small molecule inhibitors of cytochrome P450 and tyrosine kinase. These inhibitors have been shown to block the initiation or progression of certain types of cancers. Structural studies involve the use of small molecule single crystal x-ray diffraction, molecular modeling, and experimental charge density analysis.

Publications

Zhu, N.; Liang, L.; Klein Stevens, C.L. “A CoMFA Study of Dopamine D2 Receptor Agonists and X-ray Crystal Structure of Quinelorane Dihydrochloride Dihydrate, R(-)-Apomorphine Hydrochloride, and R(-)-N-n-propylnorapomorphine Hydrochloride”, Structural Chemistry, 15(6), 553-565 (2004).

Zhu, N.; Klein Stevens, C. L.; Stevens, E. D. “An Experimental Charge Density Study of Mesulergine Hydrochloride, a Dopamine Agonist”, Journal of Chemical Crystallography, 35(1), 13-22 (2005).

Bowman, B.; Lightsey, D.; McKendall, M.; Smith, T.; Zhu, N.; Klein Stevens, C.L.; Foroozesh, M. “Synthesis of a Family of Biphenylpropargyl Ethers as Potential Inhibitors of P450 Enzymes. X-ray Crystal Structure of 2,2’-Biphenyldipropargyl Ether”, Journal of Undergraduate Chemistry Research, 2, 57-61 (2005).

Zhu, N.; Lightsey, D.; Foroozesh, M.; Alworth, W.; Chaudhary, A.; Willett, K.L.; Klein Stevens, C.L. “Naphthoflavone Propargyl Ether Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450”, Journal of Chemical Crystallography, 36(5), 289-296 (2006).

Zhu, N.; Tran, P.; Bell, N.; Klein Stevens, C.L. “Tyrphostin Tumor Growth Inhibitors of EGFR and ErbB2 Tyrosine Kinase”, Journal of Chemical Crystallography, 37(10), 679-683 (2007).

McKendall, M.; Smith, T.; Anh, K.; Ellis, J.; McGee, T.; Foroozesh, M.; Zhu, N.; Klein Stevens, C. L. “Methoxyflavone Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450”, Journal of Chemical Crystallography, 38, 231-237, (2008).

Zhu, N.; Lightsey, D.; Liu, J.; Foroozesh, M.; Morgan, K.M.; Stevens, E. D.; Klein Stevens, C.L. “Ethynyl and Propynyl Pyrene Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450”, Journal of Chemical Crystallography, DOI 10.1007/s10870-009-9659-0, (2009).
Sridhar, J.; Jin, P.; Liu, J.; Foroozesh, M.; Stevens, C.L.K., “In Silico Studies of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbon Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes 1A1, 1A2, 2A6, and 2B1” Chem. Res. Toxicol., Articles ASAP (As Soon As Publishable), Publication Date (Web): January 15, 2010 (Article).

Current funding

“RCMI at Xavier: Center for Cancer Research”, National Institutes of Health, Research Centers in Minority Institutions, National Center for Research Resources, PI – Gene D’Amour, 09/24/09-08/31/14, $10,200,000 (Total); Structure and Molecular Modeling Core Director – Cheryl L. Klein Stevens, $1,066,589 (direct costs).

“Xavier Space Grant Research Scholars”, Louisiana NASA EPSCoR, PI – C. L. Klein Stevens, 08/01/09-05/31/10, $25,000 (direct costs).

“Research Infrastructure Improvement Proposal Workshop”, Louisiana Board of Regents, PI – Dr. Cheryl L. Stevens, 04/18/09, $3,350 (direct costs).

“Aromatic Acetylenes as Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450, a Structural Study”. NIH/MBRS-SCORE program, PI - Dr. C. L. Klein Stevens, 08/01/08 – 07/31/12, $600,000 (direct costs).

Minority Biomedical Research Support Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (MBRS-RISE), National Institutes of Health, “MBRS RISE Program at Xavier University”, Program Director – Dr. Cheryl L. Klein Stevens, 02/01/08–1/31/11, $823,185 (direct costs).
“Development of a Nationally Recognized Model in Research Commercialization, Education and Workforce Development in Chemical Engineering and the Chemical Sciences through University and Community College Collaboration”, Louisiana Board of Regents RC/EEP Program, Co-PI – Dr. C. L. Klein Stevens, 09/01/07-06/30/11, $2,900,000 ($1,200,000 direct costs for Xavier).