Joseph Hajdu

With great sorrow we announce that Dr. Joseph Hajdu passed away on September 3, 2015. Dr. Hajdu was born in in 1941 in Budapest, Hungary and immigrated to Israel with his family in 1956. He earned his B.Sc. Chemistry and M.Sc. Biochemistry degrees from Hebrew University, Jerusalem in 1965 and 1967, respectively, and received his Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry from the State University of New York, Stony Brook. After a postdoctoral appointment in Bio-organic Chemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1973 to 1976, Dr. Hajdu began his academic career at Boston College as an Assistant Professor. In 1984, Dr. Hajdu joined the faculty in the Department of Chemistry (now the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry) at California State University, Northridge where he passionately taught, researched, and published. Dr. Hajdu’s research interests included the catalytic details of lipolytic enzymes particularly that of phospholipase A2, total synthesis of antitumor-active ether phosopholipid derivatives, and the mechanistic investigation of metal complex activity in streptonigrin. A memorial service was held for Dr. Hajdu on October 7, 2015 at the Orange Grove Bistro on the California State University, Northridge campus.

EDUCATION

B.Sc., Hebrew University, 1965
M.Sc., Hebrew University, 1967
Ph.D., State University of New York, Stony Brook, 1972

POSTDOCTORAL APPOINTMENT

Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California, Los Angeles, 1973-1976

COURSES TAUGHT

Chemistry 101, General Chemistry I
Chemistry 105, Principles of Chemistry
Chemistry 235 Introduction to Organic Chemistry
Chemistry 333L, Principles of Organic Chemistry I Laboratory
Chemistry 333 Principles of Organic Chemistry I
Chemistry 334 Principles of Organic Chemistry II
Chemistry 334L Principles of Organic II Chemistry Laboratory
Chemistry 365 Introduction to Biochemistry
Chemistry 365L Introduction to Biochemistry Laboratory
Chemistry 461, Biochemistry I
Chemistry 461L, Biochemistry I Laboratory
Chemistry 462, Biochemistry II
Chemistry 462L, Biochemistry II Laboratory
Chemistry 464 Principles of Biochemistry
Chemistry 464L Principles of Biochemistry Laboratory
Chemistry 465, Topics in Biochemistry
Chemistry 564 Bio-organic Chemistry

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Biochemistry Professor
Dr. Hajdu's research interests focused on elucidation of the mechanism of action of lipolytic enzymes with specific emphasis on phospholipase A2. 

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

1. "Synthesis of phospholipids on a glyceric acid scaffold: design and preparation of phospholipase A2 specific substrates" Rosseto R.; Hajdu J.  Tetrahedron (2014) 70, 3155-3165.
2. "Peptidophospholipids: Synthesis, phospholipase A2 catalyzed hydrolysis, and application to development of phospholipid prodrugs" Rosseto R.; Hajdu J., Chemistry and Physics of Lipids (2014) 183, 110-116.
3. "Synthesis of mixed-chain phosphatidylcholines including coumarin fluorophores for FRET-based kinetic studies of phospholipase A2 enzymes” Wang M.; Pinnamaraju S.; Ranganathan R; Hajdu J., Chemistry and Physics of Lipids (2013) 172, 78-85. 
4. "Surface dilution kinetics using substrate analog enantiomers as diluents: Enzymatic lipolysis by bee venom phospholipase A2” Singh J.; Ranganathan R; Hajdu J., Analytical Biochemistry (2010) 407, 253-260. 
5. “Synthesis of oligo(ethylene glycol) substituted phosphatidylcholines: Secretory PLA2-targeted precursors of NSAID prodrugs” Rosseto R.; Hajdu J., Chemistry and Physics of Lipids, (2010) 163, 110-116. 
6. "Kinetics of Bacterial Phospholipase C Activity at Micellar Interfaces: Effect of the Substrate Aggregate Microstructure and a Model for the Kinetic Parameters" Singh, J.; Ranganathan, R; Hajdu, J., J. Phys. Chem. B. (2008) 112, 16741-16751. 
7. "Characterization of Mixed Micelles of 1-2-Diheptanoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphocholine (DHPC) and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate, and DHPC and Dodecyl Trimethylammonium Bromide," Ranganathan, R.; Vautier-Giongo, C.; Bakshi, M.; Bales, B. L.; Hajdu, J., Chem. Phys. Lipids (2005) 135, 93-104. 
8. "A Rapid and Efficient Method for Migration-Free Acylation of Lysophospholipids: Synthesis of Phasphatidylcholines with sn-2-Chain-Terminal Reporter Groups," Rosseto, R.; Hajdu, J., Tetrahedron Lett. (2005) 46, 2941-2944. 
9. "Characterization of Mixed Micelles of 1-2-Diheptanoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphocholine (DHPC) and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate, and DHPC and Dodecyl Trimethylammonium Bromide," Ranganathan, R.; Vautier-Giongo, C.; Bakshi, M.; Bales, B. L.; Hajdu, J., Chem. Phys. Lipids (2005) 135, 93-104. 
10. "Effects of Interactions on the Formation of Mixed Micelles of 1-2,Diheptanoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphocholine with Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate and Dodecyl Trimethylammonium Bromide," Vautier-Giongo, C.; Bakshi, S.; Singh, J.; Ranganathan, R.; Hajdu, J.; Bales, B. L., J. Colloid Interface Sci. (2005) 282, 149-155. 
11. "A New Approach to the Synthesis of Lysophospholipids: Preparation of Lysophosphatidic Acid and Lysophosphatidylcholine From p-Nitrophenyl Glycerate," Rosseto, R.; Bibak, N.; Hajdu, J., Tetrahedron Lett. (2004) 45, 7371-7373. 
12. "A New Approach to the Synthesis of Lysophosphatidylcholines and Related Derivatives," Bibak, N.; Hajdu, J., Tetrahedron Lett. (2003) 44, 5875-5877.
13. "Recent Advances in Phospholipid Synthesis," Hajdu, J., Recent Res. Devel. Lipids Res. (1999) 3, 165-189. 
14. "A New Approach to the Stereospecific Synthesis of Phospholipids. The Use of L-Glyceric Acid for the Preparation of Diacylglycerols, Phosphatidylcholines and Related Derivatives," Roodsari, F. S., Wu, D., Pum, G. S. and Hajdu, J., J. Org. Chem. (1999) 64, 7727. 
15. "Stereospecific Synthesis of Functionalized Ether Phospholipids," Kazi, A. B.; Shidmand, S. and Hajdu, J., J. Org. Chem. (1999) 64, 9337. 
16. "The Structure of Streptonigrin Semiquinone in Solution," Soedjak, H. S.; Hajdu, J.; Raffetto, J. D.; Cano, R.; Bales, B. L.; Prasad, L. S. and Kispert, L. D. Biochim. Biophys. Acta (1997) 1335, 73. 
17. "Preparation and ESR Spectroscopic Characterization of the Zinc(II) and Cadmium(II) Complexes of Streptonigrin Semiquinone," Soedjak, H. S.; Cano, R.; Tran, L.; Bales, B. L. and Hajdu, J. Biochim. Biophys. Acta (1997) 1335, 305. 
18. "A New Synthetic Ether Aminophosphoglyceride Exhibits Partial Modulator Activity Towards the Glucocorticoid Receptor," Bodine, P.V.N., Hajdu, J. and Litwack, G.A., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. (1994) 203, 408. 
19. "Structure-Function Relationships of Alkyl-Lysophospholipid Analogs in Selective Antitumor Activity," Vogler, W.R., Olson, A.C., Hajdu, J., Shoji, S., Raynor, R. and Kuo, J.F., Lipids (1993) 28, 511. 
20. "Synthesis of Phospholipid Headgroups via Nucleophilic Ring Opening of 1,3,2-Dioxaphospholanes" Kim, U.T. and Hajdu, J., J. Chem. Soc., Chem Commun. (1993) 70. 
21. "Synthesis of Amino Acid Substituted Ether Phospholipids via 2,2,2-Trichloro-t-Butyl Phosphodichloridite Coupling," Kazi, A. B. and Hajdu, J., Tetrahedron Lett. (1992) 33, 2291. 
22. "Anticancer Activity and Effect on Protein Kinase C(PKC) of Synthetic Phospholipid Analogs," Vogler, W.R., Olson, A.C., Shoji, M., Kuo, J.F. and Hajdu, J., Dev. Oncol. (1991) 67, 453. 
23. "Stereospecific Synthesis of Antitumor Active PAF Analogs," Bhatia, S.K. and Hajdu. J., Lipids (1991) 26, 1424. 
24. "Comparison of Selective Cytotoxicity of Alkyl-lysophospholipids," Vogler, W.R., Olson, A.C., Okamato, S., Shoji, M., Raynor, R.L., Kuo, J. F., Berdel, W. E., Eible, H., J. and Nomura, H., Lipids (1991) 26, 1418. 
25. "Stereospecific Synthesis of Ether Phospholipids. Preparation of 1-O-(3'-Carboxypropyl-Glycero-3-Phosphoserine from Glyceric Acid," Srivastava, R.P. and Hajdu, J., Tetrahedron Lett. (1991) 32, 6525. 
26. "Stereospecific Synthesis of Ether Phospholipids. Preparation of 1-Octadecyl-2-Alkylaminodeoxyglycerophosphocholines," Kim, U.T., Bhatia, S.K. and Hajdu, J., Tetrahedron Lett. (1991) 32, 6521. 
27. "Phospholipids Containing Nitrogen and Sulphur Linked Chains: Kinetics of Cholesterol Exchange Between Vesicles," Kan, C.C., Bittman, T. and Hajdu, J., Biochem. Biophy. Acta (1991) 1066, 95.

M. S. THESES

• Synthesis Of Fluorescent Phospholipase A2 Substrates (2015) Trinh, D.
• Synthesis of Fluorescent Phospholipid Analogs for Kinetic and Mechanistic Studies of Phospholipase A2 enzymes (2014) Keshavarz, A.
• Synthesis and Characterization of Functionalized Ether Phospholipids with Fluorescent Chain-terminal Reporter Groups (2011) Kaur, J. 
• Kinetic Studies of Bee-venom Phospholipase A2 Acting on Fluorescently Labeled Phosphatidylcholine Analogue (2011) Pinnamaraju, S. 
• Stereospecific Synthesis and Characterization of Phosphatidylcholines with Fluorescent Chain-Terminal Reporter Groups (2006) Wang, M. 
• Chemistry of Quinolinequinone-Cadmium Complexes (2004) Siddiq, A. 
• A New Stereospecific Synthesis of Lysophosphatidycholine Derivatives (2004) Shah, T. 
• Stereospecific Synthesis of Functionalized Phosphatidylcholines (1996) Wu, D. Chemiluminescence Immunoassay for Pregnenolone (1996) Curtin, W. D., Jr. 
• ESR Studies on Streptonigrin Semiquinone and Its Metal Complexes (1995) Cano, R. 
• Kinetic Studies of Phospholipase A2 Toward Mixed Micelles (1994) Qureshi, A. 
• Synthesis of Structurally Modified Phospholipids (1991) Kim, U. T. 
• Catalytic Mechanisms of Acyl Transfer Reactions in Dipolar Aprotic Media (1990) Hyun, C. M. 
• Electron Spin Resonance Investigation of 5,8-Quinoline Semiquinone (1989) Raffetto, J. D. 
• Stereospecific Synthesis of Phospholipids (1989) Roodsari, F. S. 
• Generation and Electron Spin Resonance Characterization of 5,8-Quinoline Semiquinone Radicals (1988) Soedjak, H. S.