John E. Moses
Professor
Cancer Center Member
Ph.D. (DPhil), University of Oxford, 2004
moses@cshl.edu | 516-367-5560
My group uses click chemistry to study biological systems at the molecular level. We develop and exploit powerful bond-forming click reactions that enable the rapid synthesis of small functional molecules, including cancer drugs and chemical probes. We apply these novel molecular tools in multidisciplinary discovery projects spanning the fields of biology and chemistry.
John Moses’ lab specializes in click chemistry, a powerful discovery method that relies upon the most robust chemical reactions to synthesize functional molecules. Small molecules are important because Nature’s machinery, including proteins, enzymes, and receptors, evolved to interact selectively with molecular ligands, similar to how a key fits a lock.
Using click chemistry, we create molecular probes for studying biological systems that may lead to new treatments for deadly diseases, including cancer. For example, we developed a new class of therapeutic DNA binding ligand that interacts selectively with telomeric regions of the genome involved in cellular maintenance. Several of these telomere binding ligands show remarkable selectivity and potency against cancer cells and tumours.
Further developing click chemistry, we recently described a discovery method called Diversity Oriented Clicking, which exploits a focussed group of reliable click chemistry reactions to achieve structural diversity. Our Diversity-Clicking approach led to the discovery of a new group of antibiotics with activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria, including MRSA.
Through the application of click chemistry, the Moses group is committed to developing Chemistry For Biology at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Winner: 2021 Organic Division Horizon Prize: Robert Robinson Award in Synthetic Organic Chemistry
Member of the American Chemical Society; 2019
Chartered Member of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (MRACI CChem); 2018
Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC); 2015
Thieme Chemistry Award; 2011
UK & ROI Lilly Award: Excellence in Organic Chemistry; 2011
King Saud University, Award; 2011
William Boland Award; University of Bath; 2001
Moses elected Fellow of Learned Society of Wales
April 29, 2025
The Welshman immigrated to the U.S. in 2020. He uses a revolutionary process called click chemistry to identify and test potential cancer treatments.
Deciphering brain diseases with click chemistry
February 18, 2025
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Professors John Moses and Hiro Furukawa speak at the CSHL Association’s 2025 Annual Meeting.
At the Lab Season 1 Research Rewind: Cancer
October 8, 2024
As the first season of our new podcast winds down, we’re revisiting all of our episodes with a focus on CSHL’s cutting-edge cancer research.
At the Lab Episode 13: A more sustainable chemistry
July 2, 2024
For this week’s podcast, CSHL Professor John Moses bridges the gap between chemistry and biology in less than three minutes.
Wrexham University awards John Moses Honorary Fellowship
June 13, 2024
CSHL Professor John Moses returned to his hometown of Wrexham, Wales, where he was recognized for his contributions to science.
Nobel laureate honored at CSHL chemistry symposium
April 15, 2024
“The Future of Click Chemistry” brought together two-time Nobelist K. Barry Sharpless with his former apprentices John Moses and David Tuveson.
Click, click, boom—150 new molecules
April 4, 2024
CSHL Professor John Moses premieres an expansive line of new click chemistry products, uncovering leads for better antibiotics and cancer drugs.
Cocktails & Chromosomes: Molecules to change the world
March 14, 2024
What is CSHL’s John Moses doing with that glowing liquid? Watch our expert chemist get a reaction from the crowd at Industry bar in Huntington, NY.
Test your breast cancer awareness
October 18, 2023
Awareness is key to prevention and potential future treatments. Take this quiz to find out about the latest in breast cancer research at CSHL.
CSHL makes a splash with Swim Across America
August 21, 2023
Since 1987, the charity swim has raised over $100 million for cancer research. Here, CSHL Assistant Professor Semir Beyaz voices his support.
All Publications
Phosphorus Fluoride Exchange (PFEx) Click Chemistry: 2-Substituted-Alkynyl-1-Cyclotriphosphazene (SACP) Hubs for Diversity Oriented Clicking
7 Jan 2025 | Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis
Wang, Z; Vishwakarma, D; Sun, S; Huang, Q; Pati, S; Johnson, R; Rufrano, M; Gembicky, M; Homer, J; Moses, J;
Strategic re-engineering of antibiotics
15 Oct 2024 | Nature Reviews Bioengineering
Homer, Joshua; Johnson, Robert; Koelln, Rebecca; Moorhouse, Adam; Moses, John;
Catalyst: Click chemistry: A catalyst for the democratization of synthesis
12 Sep 2024 | Chem | 10(9):2615-2619
Moorhouse, Adam; Homer, Joshua; Moses, John;
Benzene‐1,3‐disulfonyl fluoride and Benzene‐1,3,5‐trisulfonyl fluoride: Low‐Cost, Stable, and Selective Reagents for SuFEx‐Driven Deoxyazidation
23 Jul 2024 | Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis
Vishwakarma, Dharmendra; Moses, John;
Modular synthesis of functional libraries by accelerated SuFEx click chemistry
13 Mar 2024 | Chemical Science | 15(11):3879-3892
Homer, Joshua; Koelln, Rebecca; Barrow, Andrew; Gialelis, Timothy; Boiarska, Zlata; Steinohrt, Nikita; Lee, Erinna; Yang, Wen-Hsuan; Johnson, Robert; Chung, Taemoon; Habowski, Amber; Vishwakarma, Dharmendra; Bhunia, Debmalya; Avanzi, Charlotte; Moorhouse, Adam; Jackson, Mary; Tuveson, David; Lyons, Scott; Lukey, Michael; Fairlie, W; Haider, Shozeb; Steinmetz, Michel; Prota, Andrea; Moses, John;
Protocol for producing phosphoramidate using phosphorus fluoride exchange click chemistry
12 Jan 2024 | STAR Protocols | 5(1):102824
Homer, Joshua; Sun, Shoujun; Koelln, Rebecca; Moses, John;
Sulfur fluoride exchange
1 Dec 2023 | Nature Reviews Methods Primers | 3(1)
Homer, J; Xu, L; Kayambu, N; Zheng, Q; Choi, E; Kim, B; Sharpless, K; Zuilhof, H; Dong, J; Moses, J;
The certainty of a few good reactions
10 Aug 2023 | Chem | 9(8):2063-2077
Moorhouse, A; Homer, J; Moses, J;
Phosphorus fluoride exchange: Multidimensional catalytic click chemistry from phosphorus connective hubs
10 Aug 2023 | Chem | 9(8):2128-2143
Sun, S; Homer, J; Smedley, C; Cheng, Q; Sharpless, K; Moses, J;
Ethene-1,1-disulfonyl Difluoride (EDSF) for SuFEx Click Chemistry: Synthesis of SuFExable 1,1-Bissulfonylfluoride Substituted Cyclobutene Hubs
24 Jul 2023 | Angewandte Chemie International Edition | 62(30):e202303916
Smedley, Christopher; Giel, Marie-Claire; Fallon, Thomas; Moses, John;