Program Leaders

John H. Bushweller, PhD, Program Leader
Professor, Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
Structural and functional studies of proteins that are causative in cancer, with a primary focus on leukemia. Small-molecule inhibitors targeting well-validated interactions of these proteins with other proteins or DNA.

Kevin R. Lynch, PhD, Program Co-Leader
Professor, Department of Pharmacology
Chemical biology of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), and their roles in cancer. Development of novel small molecules that inhibit the synthetic enzymes of these mediators.

Full Members

Jay C. Brown, PhD
Professor of Microbiology
Structures of herpes viruses and their roles in cancer initiation.

David S. Cafiso, PhD
Professor of Chemistry
Mechanisms of reversible associations of proteins with membrane surfaces in membrane trafficking, cell signaling, and cancer.

Linda Columbus, PhD
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Biophysical methods to investigate the function, structure and dynamics of membrane proteins involved in pathogen-host interactions. Use of molecular understanding of Opa ¬mediated liposome: cellular interactions to design functionalized targeted liposomes for drug delivery and cell manipulation.

Zygmunt S. Derewenda, PhD
Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
Structural biology of Rho small GTPases and Neurofibromatosis. Development of new methods for protein crystallization.

Edward H. Egelman, PhD
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
Protein-DNA complexes involved in genetic recombination and repair, and in DNA segregation.

Cassandra L. Fraser, PhD
Professor, Department of Chemistry
Functional hypoxia imaging nanotechnology for cancer detection and assessment of disease progression and treatment effectiveness.

Jiang He, PhD
Professor, Department of Radiology
Novel radiotraces for molecular imaging and biological nanoparticles for imaging and treatment.

Donald F. Hunt, PhD
Professor, Departments of Chemistry
State-of-the-art mass spectrometry methods for the identification of post-translational modifications of proteins, especially in cancer signaling and immunology.

Kimberly A. Kelly, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering
Development of imaging agents capable of the early detection and monitoring of therapeutic response in vivo of colon, pancreatic, lung, and prostate cancers.

Alexander L. Klibanov, PhD
Associate Professor, Medicine, School of Medicine
Targeted imaging and image-guided therapy with a focus on ultrasound. Use of ultrasound contrast agents (microbubbles) to target imaging and detection of single contrast particles.

John Lazo, PhD
Professor, Pharmacology

Mechanism of action and of resistance to novel and existing pharmacological agents, particularly natural products, and on the fundamental biological role of protein tyrosine phosphatases.

Timothy L. Macdonald, PhD
Professor, Department of Chemistry
Synthesis of LPA and S1P analogs for manipulating signaling by these bioactive lipids. In the context of neoplastic disease, emphasis is on interdicting signaling by inhibition of synthesis or receptor antagonism.

Wladek Minor, PhD
Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
Structural biology of proteins important for cell growth and metabolism; development of tools that are critical for drug discovery.

Cameron Mura, PhD
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Structure and function of Sm proteins in RNA metabolism and cancer.

Robert K. Nakamoto, PhD
Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
Molecular mechanisms of active transporters, including the human-multiple-drug-resistance transporter, P-glycoprotein.

Richard J. Price, PhD
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering
Focused ultrasound-targeted delivery of drug-bearing nanocarriers across the blood-brain barrier for treating brain tumors.

Avril V. Somlyo, PhD
Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
Signaling pathways that regulate the contractile proteins in smooth muscle tissues and migrating cells.

James R. Stone, MD, PhD
Professor, Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging
Hepatocellular carcinoma and therapeutic microspheres.

Lukas K. Tamm, PhD
Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
Viral fusion proteins that are responsible for gaining entry of influenza, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and the Ebola virus into cells. SNARE and accessory proteins that control fusion in neuronal exocytosis.

Michael C. Wiener, PhD
Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
Novel approaches to the production and crystallization of membrane proteins.

Associate Members

Jason J. Chruma, PhD
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Development of new synthetic methodology for construction of biologically active small molecules that will modulate normal and aberrant cellular differentiation and apoptosis.

Salem Faham, PhD
Assistant Professor, Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
Structural and functional analysis of cancer-related drug transporters.

James P. Landers, PhD
Professor, Department of Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering
Development of microfluidic systems for clinical diagnostics with rapid, sample-to-answer capabilities.

Ira G. Schulman, PhD
Associate Professor, Pharmacology
Regulation of cell proliferation and metabolism by nuclear hormone receptors.

Jochen Zimmer, PhD
Assistant Professor, Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics
Biophysical and biochemical methods to characterize the synthesis and membrane translocation of Hyaluronan, an extracellular polysaccharide involved in cell differentiation, migration, and adhesion.