Research

“Better Health through Discovery, De Novo Design and Targeted Delivery of Novel Drugs!"

Neurons

Astrocytes

Alzheimer's disease

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is one of the most significant risk factors for late-onset or sporadic Alzheimer's disease. ApoE has been shown to be critical in Aβ clearance from the brain and its ability to do that depends upon its lipidation status. Therefore, there is a growing interest in understanding the underlying mechanisms involved in ApoE lipidation and using these mechanistic understandings to discover drugs to enhance ApoE lipidation status.

Our laboratory is investigating potential involvement of abnormal glucose metabolism in poor ApoE lipidation, leading to decreased Aβ clearance from the Alzheimer's brain.

p53-MDM2

Cancer

The p53 protein plays a central role in protecting cells against carcinogenesis. It is inhibited in ~ 50% of human tumors, however, by interaction with the oncogenic Murine Double Minute 2 (MDM2) protein. Therefore, blocking the p53-binding pocket on MDM2 protein by small-molecule drugs, leading to activation of the tumor suppressor p53 protein presents a fundamentally novel strategy against variety of cancers related to different tissue types.

Our laboratory is involved in discovery and design of novel molecules that can mimic the p53 structural features involved in binding to the MDM2 pocket, with the ultimate aim of blocking p53-MDM2 interaction.

Fluspirilene docked into MDM2 binding pocket

MD simulation of fluspirilene-MDM2 complex

Our Research is supported by »

The Alzheimer's Association

W.W. Smith Charitable Trust

Gordon Charter Foundation

Atomwise Inc.

Merck Biopharma

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

The School of Engineering, Widener University

George I. Alden Trust

NVIDIA Corporation

Clinton Global Initiative University Network

Our Affiliations »

Widener University. learn more »

School of Engineering. learn more »

Department of Chemical Engineering. learn more »

Department of Biomedical Engineering. learn more »