Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery
The Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (CBDD) cluster supports a hands-on cross-disciplinary learning environment for students interested in therapeutic discovery and related molecular sciences with a focus on the modulation of biological systems. Trainees from both the life and chemical sciences leverage informal acquisition of skills and knowledge in these diverse topics, while delving more deeply into their respective disciplinary education and area of research interest.
Areas of CBDD research interest include the application of molecular sciences to the development of small molecules for use in complex biological systems, the identification of molecular targets in signal transduction, or disease progression pathways amenable to therapeutic intervention.
Getting Involved
This cluster does not have required coursework; however, to augment formal classroom instruction, students should participate in cluster activities, including:
- Annual Drug Discovery Symposium: Features a keynote speaker from academic or industrial drug discovery research fields, a poster session, and networking reception.
- Seminars: Students have the opportunity to meet with visiting lecturers, who speak on research methods, breakthrough discoveries, and the therapeutic research process.
- Workshops: Cluster students are periodically offered hands-on training on advanced instrumentation and effective research techniques.
Travel Funding
Each year four travel stipends for up to $500 each are available for students who will be traveling to chemical biology or drug discovery related national conferences to present their research. Award recipients are expected to present their research at CMIDD’s Annual Drug Discovery Symposium.
For the most up-to-date cluster information, stipend application and event list visit the Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery website HERE.
Cluster Directors
- Karl Scheidt, PhD, Director, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, Dow Chemical Company Research Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, and Professor in Pharmacology (courtesy) in the Feinberg School of Medicine
Drug Discovery Faculty Members
* Denotes IBiS and DGP Training Faculty
- Irina Budnova*, MD, PhD (DGP)Glucocorticoid receptor in carcinogenesis and stem cell maintenance, development of GR-targeted therapies in skin
- Paul Burridge*, PhD (DGP)Pharmacogenomics of chemotherapy off-target toxicity and efficacy in human induced pluripotent stem cells
- Christine DiDonato*, PhD (DGP) Molecular basis of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)
- John Disterhoft, PhD (NUIN) Neurobiology of associative learning
- Alfred George, Jr.*, MD (DGP)Structure, function, pharmacology and molecular genetics of ion channels and channelopathies
- Neil L. Kelleher*, PhD (IBiS and DGP) Nuclear Signaling and Natural Products
- William Klein*, PhD (IBiS) Molecular basis of Alzheimer's disease
- Robert A. Lamb*, PhD, ScD (IBiS) Viral Glycoproteins, Ion Channels, and RNA-Binding Proteins
- Yong-Chao Ma*, PhD (DGP) Regulation of Motor Neuron and Dopaminergic Neuron Differentiation in Development and Disease
- Marek-Marsel Mesulam, MD (NUIN) Networks that mediate spatial attention
- Daniela Matei*, MD (DGP) Mechanisms of ovarian cancer metastasis and novel therapeutics for ovarian cancer
- Stephen Miller*, PhD (DGP) Immunoregulation of T Cell-Mediated Autoimmune and Virus Diseases
- Alfonso Mondragon*, PhD (IBiS) DNA topoisomerases, catalytic RNA molecules, and the molecular basis of spectrin flexibility
- Richard Morimoto*, PhD (IBiS) Chaperone Networks and Mechanisms of Protein Conformational Disease
- Minoli Perera*, PharmD, PhD (DGP)Pharmacogenomics in minority patient populations
- Murali Prakriya*, PhD (DGP) Intracellular Calcium Signaling
- Amy Rosenzweig*, PhD (IBiS) Structural biology and bioinorganic chemistry, metal uptake, transport and storage
- Karl Scheidt*, PhD (IBiS) Drug discovery, bioorganic chemistry, and small molecule-driven chemical biology
- Teepu Siddique*, MD (DGP) Molecular basis of neurodegeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Richard Silverman*, PhD (IBiS) Bioorganic, medicinal, and enzyme chemistry: investigations of the molecular mechanisms of action, rational design, and syntheses of potential medicinal agents, particularly for neurodegenerative diseases
- Alexander Stegh*, MD, PhD (DGP)Defining and targeting the oncogenome of Glioblastoma
- D. James Surmeier, Jr., PhD (NUIN) Neuromodulators and the excitability of basal ganglia and frontal cortex neurons
- C. Shad Thaxton*, MD, PhD (DGP) Translational nanotechnology
- Regan Thomson, PhD (Chemistry) Total synthesis of topologically complex polycyclic natural products
- Keith Tyo*, PhD (IBiS) Microbial engineering
- Robert Vassar*, PhD (DGP) Molecular Mechanisms of Alzheimer's Disease
- D. Martin Watterson*, PhD (DGP) Signal Transduction, Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery
- Gayle Woloschak*, PhD (DGP) DNA-TiO2 nanoparticles; Radiosensitivity/motor neuron disease
- Phyllis Zee, MD, PhD (NUIN) Effects of age on sleep and circadian rhythms