Ronald Kluger, University of Toronto

Research

Energy Supply Extended Organ Preservation Time Lung Transplantation Mitochondrial Function Normothermic Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion Organ Preservation Avodiance Of Circulatory Stress Avoidance Of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Scavenging

Latest papers

Transient adducts of CO2 with nucleophiles enhance rates of enzymic decarboxylation.
Bioorganic chemistry · 2026 · senior author
Conjugating Hemoglobin and Albumin by Strain-Promoted Azide- Alkyne Cycloaddition.
Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology · 2024 · senior author
Efficient conversion of hemoglobin to a non-vasoactive oxygen carrier by site-specific cross-linking with azido acyl methyl phosphates followed by bio-orthogonal CuAAC with a bis-alkyne.
Bioorganic chemistry · 2024 · senior author

All 58 publications

Latest funding

Harnessing Lung's Ability to Hibernate: Strategies to Achieve Multiday Organ Preservation
CIHR · 2025 · Principal investigator
$1,067,175
Bioorganic Reactivity: Patterns, Principles and Applications
NSERC · 2020 · Principal investigator
$288,000
MALDI mass spectrometer
NSERC · 2017 · Co-investigator
$150,000

All 22 grants and awards

58 publications.

01

Transient adducts of CO2 with nucleophiles enhance rates of enzymic decarboxylation.

Augustine J, Zambri MA, Kluger R

Bioorganic chemistry2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2025.109299 PMID: 41325688

02

Conjugating Hemoglobin and Albumin by Strain-Promoted Azide- Alkyne Cycloaddition.

Lee C, Chung HW, Kluger R

Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400206 PMID: 38837740

03

Efficient conversion of hemoglobin to a non-vasoactive oxygen carrier by site-specific cross-linking with azido acyl methyl phosphates followed by bio-orthogonal CuAAC with a bis-alkyne.

Kim Y, Huang LL, Wu N, Kluger R

Bioorganic chemistry2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107464 PMID: 38810483

04

Proton Transfer via π-Interactions from Pyridine Provides a Facilitated Route for Transfer of CO2 in Its Complex with a Carbanion.

Zambri MA, Kluger R

Journal of the American Chemical Society2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c10403 PMID: 38176895

05

Efficient formation of hemoglobin bis-tetramers via selective acetylation of α-subunit amino groups by methyl acetyl phosphate.

Kim Y, Kluger R

Organic & biomolecular chemistry2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1039/d2ob01372j PMID: 36205177

06

Rates of competing fluoride elimination and iodination from a thiamin-derived Breslow intermediate.

Wu N, Kluger R

Bioorganic chemistry2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105579 PMID: 35030479

07

Origin of Free Energy Barriers of Decarboxylation and the Reverse Process of CO2 Capture in Dimethylformamide and in Water.

Zhou S, Nguyen BT, Richard JP, Kluger R, Gao J

Journal of the American Chemical Society2021

DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c12414 PMID: 33375792

08

Competing Protonation and Halide Elimination as a Probe of the Character of Thiamin-Derived Reactive Intermediates.

Bielecki M, Howe GW, Kluger R

Biochemistry2019Senior author

DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00298 PMID: 31385510

09

Cross-linked hemoglobin bis-tetramers from bioorthogonal coupling do not induce vasoconstriction in the circulation.

Wang A, Singh S, Yu B, Bloch DB, Zapol WM, Kluger R

Transfusion2019Senior author

DOI: 10.1111/trf.15003 PMID: 30444016

10

Lead-Catalyzed Aqueous Benzoylation of Carbohydrates with an Acyl Phosphate Ester.

Li Y, Kluger R

The Journal of organic chemistry2018Senior author

DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.7b03142 PMID: 29368510

Harnessing Lung's Ability to Hibernate: Strategies to Achieve Multiday Organ Preservation

Principal investigatorCIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Cypel, Marcelo; Kluger, Ronald H; Wang, Aizhou

Keywords: Energy Supply; Extended Organ Preservation Time; Lung Transplantation; Mitochondrial Function; Normothermic Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion; Organ Preservation

$1,067,175

Bioorganic Reactivity: Patterns, Principles and Applications

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Kluger, Ronald

$288,000

MALDI mass spectrometer

Co-investigatorNSERC2017Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Woolley, Andrew

$150,000

Mechanisms and Designs in Biological Organic Chemistry

Principal investigatorNSERC2015Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Kluger, Ronald

$295,000

Pilot Study: Creating Antibody-Drug Linkages

Principal investigatorNSERC2013Engage Grants Program

Principal investigators: Kluger, Ronald

$25,000

Design and Implementation of Circulatory Oxygen Therapeutics Derived from Human Hemoglobin by Improved Systematic Chemical Coupling and Cross-Linking

Nominated PICIHR2013Operating Grant - Priority Announcement: Blood Utilization and Conservation

Principal investigators: Kluger, Ronald H

Keywords: Avodiance Of Circulatory Stress; Avoidance Of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Scavenging; Circulating Oxygen Carrier; Coupling Of Hemoglobin And Protective Enzymes; Design For Minimizing Vasoactivity; Improved Specific Protein Modification; Specific Cross-Links In Hemoglobin; Sterile Oxygen Transport Solutions; Universal Red Cell Alternative; Use Of Materials From Expired Red Cells

Refrigerated high speed centrifuge facility

Principal investigatorNSERC2010Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Kluger, Ronald

$44,723

Mechanisms in bioorganic and biological chemistry

Principal investigatorNSERC2008Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Kluger, Ronald

$616,000

MALDI mass spectrometer

Co-investigatorNSERC2006Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Nitz, Mark

$89,890

Oxygen therapeutics: Designs and tests

Principal investigatorNSERC2005Strategic Projects - Group

Principal investigators: Kluger, Ronald

$380,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Aizhou Wang

Thoracic Surgery

3 shared papers, latest 2019

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2025

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Energy Supply Dear Professor Kluger, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Transient adducts of CO2 with nucleophiles enhance rates of enzymic decarboxylation." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Harnessing Lung's Ability to Hibernate: Strategies to Achieve Multiday Organ Preservation" (2025), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]

Ronald Kluger

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

Transient adducts of CO2 with nucleophiles enhance rates of enzymic decarboxylation.

Conjugating Hemoglobin and Albumin by Strain-Promoted Azide- Alkyne Cycloaddition.

Efficient conversion of hemoglobin to a non-vasoactive oxygen carrier by site-specific cross-linking with azido acyl methyl phosphates followed by bio-orthogonal CuAAC with a bis-alkyne.

Proton Transfer via &#x3c0;-Interactions from Pyridine Provides a Facilitated Route for Transfer of CO2 in Its Complex with a Carbanion.

Efficient formation of hemoglobin bis-tetramers via selective acetylation of &#x3b1;-subunit amino groups by methyl acetyl phosphate.

Rates of competing fluoride elimination and iodination from a thiamin-derived Breslow intermediate.

Origin of Free Energy Barriers of Decarboxylation and the Reverse Process of CO2 Capture in Dimethylformamide and in Water.

Competing Protonation and Halide Elimination as a Probe of the Character of Thiamin-Derived Reactive Intermediates.

Cross-linked hemoglobin bis-tetramers from bioorthogonal coupling do not induce vasoconstriction in the circulation.

Lead-Catalyzed Aqueous Benzoylation of Carbohydrates with an Acyl Phosphate Ester.

Harnessing Lung's Ability to Hibernate: Strategies to Achieve Multiday Organ Preservation

Bioorganic Reactivity: Patterns, Principles and Applications

MALDI mass spectrometer

Mechanisms and Designs in Biological Organic Chemistry

Pilot Study: Creating Antibody-Drug Linkages

Design and Implementation of Circulatory Oxygen Therapeutics Derived from Human Hemoglobin by Improved Systematic Chemical Coupling and Cross-Linking

Refrigerated high speed centrifuge facility

Mechanisms in bioorganic and biological chemistry

MALDI mass spectrometer

Oxygen therapeutics: Designs and tests

Frequent collaborators

Aizhou Wang

Proton Transfer via π-Interactions from Pyridine Provides a Facilitated Route for Transfer of CO2 in Its Complex with a Carbanion.

Efficient formation of hemoglobin bis-tetramers via selective acetylation of α-subunit amino groups by methyl acetyl phosphate.