Members

Luis Marky, PhD:  A key part of drug design and development is the optimization of molecular interactions between a drug candidate and its binding target. Comprehensive thermodynamic characterization provides information about the binding process, such as binding affinities, and the enthalpy-entropy balance of the energetic forces driving binding interactions, which speed the development of drugs towards an optimal energetic interaction profile while retaining good pharmacological properties.

Janina Baranowska-Kortylewicz, PhD: The Baranowska-Kortylewicz group is interested in the design and development of theranostics for difficult to treat cancers and the identification and characterization of cancer-associated druggable biomarkers.

Jingjing Sun, PhD: Our research focuses on designing polymer-based nanomedicines for the precise co-delivery of multiple cancer therapeutics, enhancing treatment efficacy and reducing toxicity through synergistic combination therapy. By overcoming the challenges of co-delivering drugs with diverse properties, we aim to advance personalized and more effective cancer treatments.

Yazen Alnouti, PhD: Research in Dr. Alnouti's laboratory is involved in the multidisciplinary area of drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK). His research focuses on the application of Bioanalytical Chemistry (LC-MS), in vitro and in vivo animal models to support ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) and pharmacokinetic (PK) studies.

Joe Vetro, PhD: My research involves (i.) development and optimization of lead mononuclear phagocyte-selective peptide agonists of human C5aR1 as systemic and mucosal immunostimulants to improve the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases (ii.) development of polymer-based nanoscale dosage forms to improve the systemic therapy of pediatric and adult cancers with conventional and unconventional drugs and to improve the prevention of infectious diseases by mucosal and systemic vaccines.

Martin Conda-Sheridan, PhD: The goal of my group is to design small molecules and therapeutic nanocarriers to treat infectious diseases and cancer. We design and synthesis the molecules (using in silico tools) and study their biological effect including basic mechanism of action studies.