Faculty Profile

Rudy Richardson

Rudy J. Richardson, ScD, DABT

  • Dow Professor Emeritus, Toxicology
  • Associate Professor Emeritus, Neurology

Dr. Richardson is interested in understanding how exposures to certain chemicals, bacteria, viruses, or fungi, alone or in combination, can trigger neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), or motor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He uses computational molecular modeling, molecular dynamics simulations, and data science to study interactions of potential etiologic agents with macromolecular targets and applies these approaches to the discovery and development of new medicines to treat or prevent these illnesses. In order to augment his computational results with experimental, clinical, and epidemiological methods, he engages in extensive collaborations with other research groups throughout the world.

  • ScD, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1974
  • ScM, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1973
  • PhD Candidacy, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 1970
  • BS magna cum laude, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, 1967

Research Interests:
Computational molecular modeling, molecular dynamics simulations, artificial intelligence, machine learning, mechanisms of neurotoxicity and neurodegenerative diseases, drug discovery

Research Projects:
  • Drug discovery for treatment and prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  • Drug discovery for treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • Prediction of risk factors for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
  • Mechanisms of neurotoxicity of organophosphorus (OP) and other compounds.
  • Model organisms for studies of neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration.

Makhaeva, G. F., Kovaleva, N. V., Boltneva, N. P., Rudakova, E. V., Lushchekina, S. V., Astakhova, T. Y., Serkov, I. V., Proshin, A. N., Radchenko, E. V., Palyulin, V. A., Korabecny, J., Soukup, O., Bachurin, S. O., Richardson, R. J. (2022). Bis-amiridines as acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors: N-functionalization determines the multitarget anti-Alzheimer's activity profile. Molecules 27, 1060.

Makhaeva, G.F., Lushchekina, S.V., Kovaleva, N.V., Astakhova T. Yu., Boltneva, N.P., Rudakova, E.V., Serebryakova, O.G., Proshin, A.N., Serkov, I.V., Trofimova, T.P., Tafeenko, V.A,. Radchenko, E.V., Palyulin, V.A., Fisenko, V.P., Korabecny, J., Soukup, O., Richardson, R.J. (2021). Amiridine-piperazine hybrids as cholinesterase inhibitors and potential multitarget agents for Alzheimer's disease treatment. Bioorg. Chem. 112, 104974.

Makhaeva, G.F., Kovaleva, N.V., Rudakova, N.P., Lushchekina, S.V., Faingold, I.I., Poletaeva, D.A., Soldatova, Y.V., Kotelnikova, R.A., Serkov, I.V., Ustinov, A.K., Proshin, A.N., Radchenko, E.V., Palyulin, V.A., and Richardson, R.J. (2020). New multifunctional agents based on conjugates of 4-amino-2,3-polymethylenequinoline and butylated hydroxytoluene for Alzheimer's disease treatment. Molecules 25, 5891.

Richardson, R.J., Fink, J. K., Glynn, P., Hufnagel, R. B., Makhaeva, G. F., and Wijeyesakere, S. J. (2020). Neuropathy target esterase (NTE/PNPLA6) and organophosphorus compound-induced delayed neurotoxicity (OPIDN). Adv. Neurotoxicol. 4, 1-78.

Makhaeva, G. F., Kovaleva, N. V., Boltneva, N. P., Lushchekina, S. V., Rudakova, E. V., Stupina, T. S., Terentiev, A. A., Serkov, I. V., Proshin, A. N., Radchenko, E. V., Palyulin, V. A., Bachurin, S. O., and Richardson, R.J. (2020). Conjugates of tacrine and 1,2,4-thiadiazole derivatives as new potential multifunctional agents for Alzheimer's disease treatment: Synthesis, quantum-chemical characterization, molecular docking, and biological evaluation. Bioorg. Chem. 94, 103387.

Gonzalez, T.L., Rae, J.M., Colacino, J.A., and Richardson, R.J. (2019). Homology models of mouse and rat estrogen receptor-a ligand-binding domain created by in silico mutagenesis of a human template: molecular docking with 17B-estradiol, diethylstilbestrol, and paraben analogs. Comput. Toxicol. 10, 1-16.

Email: rjrich@umich.edu 
Office: 734-936-0769
Fax: 734-763-8095

Address:
M6065 SPH II
1415 Washington Heights
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Areas of Expertise: Aging,  COVID-19,  Environmental Health,  Infectious Disease,  Modeling,  Toxicology