Jennifer Legac

Papers

Total Citations

296

H-Index

About

Dr. Jennifer Legac is a structural biologist and medicinal chemist whose research focuses on the rational design of antiparasitic therapeutics, with a particular emphasis on targeting cysteine proteases. Her most cited work, "Vinyl Sulfones as Antiparasitic Agents and a Structural Basis for Drug Design" (2009, 296 citations), established a critical framework for developing covalent inhibitors against parasitic diseases. By solving the crystal structures of three major cysteine proteases from the papain superfamily—enzymes that serve as key virulence factors in pathogens like Trypanosoma and Leishmania—Legac provided the first detailed structural blueprint for designing vinyl sulfone-based drugs. This work directly bridged fundamental enzymology with translational drug discovery, offering a template for inhibitors that could disrupt parasite survival while sparing human homologs. Her contributions have been instrumental in validating cysteine proteases as druggable targets, influencing subsequent efforts to combat neglected tropical diseases. With a career marked by high-impact structural studies and a commitment to addressing global health disparities, Legac remains a leading voice in antiparasitic drug design, inspiring students to pursue structure-guided approaches against infectious diseases.