Research
About Us
Our lab is housed on the third floor of the Fisch College of Pharmacy (WT Brookshire Building) at The University of Texas, Tyler. Our research is centered on the role of kinases in cell signaling with a focus on drug discovery, specially new allosteric agents that can be developed into novel medications. Current projects involve several targets involved in cancer and bacterial resistance. We use several techniques including virtual and high throughput screening of compound libraries, protein expression and purrification, in vitro enzymatic assays and catalysis, cell-based assays, microbiological assays, CRISPR-based genetic modifications, immunofluorescence, immunoblots, and biophysical assays.
Active Projects
Project 1: HER2 receptor is a clinically validated target implicated in many malignancies. A critical step in its activation is dimerization of its two kinase domains which starts the autophosphorlation and initiates the signaling cascade. Current therapies are effective with only a subset of patiesn in only limited cancers and emerging resistance is making them even less effective. This project's main goal is to discover allosteric inhibitors that target HER2 homodimerization via a novel mechanism of action by inhibiting dimerization of the receptor kinase domains.
Project 2: Studying the molecular underpinning of bacterial resistance is vital for prevention
of antibiotic resistance. Our lab is investigating signaling networks in Stephylococcus
aureus and how interactions and mutations cause antibiotic resistance. We want to
know how this "super bug" evade treatment and the human immune system.
Project 3: Studying the molecular underpinning of bacterial resistance is vital for prevention
of antibiotic resistance. Our lab, in collaboration with Dr. Aurijit Sarkar lab in
Creighton University, is working towards developing agents to target bacterial kinases
involved in pathogensis. We aim to decipher how new agents can be used as Resistance
Modifying Agents to curb antibiotic resistance and increase the efficacy of current
antibiotics.
