Until recently, a researcher with a major Chinese pharmaceutical company, Feng Wang brings both his academic and industrial experience in medicinal chemistry to the Chou Lab to assist in the development of small molecule inhibitors of p97/VCP and its mutations. Previously working to develop treatment therapies for diabetes and liver disease, Feng is thrill with the opportunity to join Dr. Chou to address cancer and rare genetic disease.

Dr Wang holds patents in preparation and application of anti-thrombus oligo peptides and curcumin derivatives. His proficiency in compound synthesis, mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography will greatly assist the lab's efforts to diminish cancer resistance to therapy.

Past Work/Training:

Post-doc in Molecular Biology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China

Beijing Sun Capital Pharmatech Co.,Ltd

Education:

Ph. D., Medicinal Chemistry, Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China

M.A., Medicinal Chemistry, Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China

B.S., Pharmacy, Capital Medical University, Beijing, P.R. China

My primary research interests are related to the area of drug development with an emphasis on clinical translation. During my Ph.D., my research focus was to develop a bacterial b-glucuronidase (bG)-specific inhibitor as a chemotherapy adjuvant and chemoprevention drug for colorectal cancers. Bacterial bG enzyme activated drugs or carcinogens are detoxified through hepatic glucuronidation, thus promoting intestinal toxicity and carcinogenesis. In another project, we developed a platform in which human mAgs were expressed in native form on cell adjuvants made with membrane-bound cytokines. These were then used to immunize syngeneic mice directly for anti-membrane protein antibody production.

I joined Dr. Tsui-Fen Chou’s laboratory as a postdoctoral fellow in February 2019. My major research projects here will involve optimizing protein expression and purification for enzyme replacement therapy in the treatment of a rare genetic disease.

Past Work/Training:

Postdoctoral fellow, Center for Biomarkers and Biotech Drugs, Kaohsiung Medical University

Postgraduate student, Center for Biomarkers and Biotech Drugs, Kaohsiung Medical University

Education:

Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

M.S., Cancer Immunology and Biotechnology, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

M.S., Oral Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

B.Sc., Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Gang’s research interest is focused on discovery of active small molecules in cancer and tuberculosis. He could design and synthesize target molecules by molecular modeling and organic synthesis. He could also construct plasmid and express recombinant protein in E Coli. During his doctoral study, Gang participated in discovery of TBI-166 against tuberculosis, which is in phase I clinical trial in China. Thereafter, he discovered the first bi-substrate inhibitor of N-terminal methyltransferase 1, which is a druggable anticancer target. To date, he holds three licensed patents.

Gang joined Chou lab in March 2019. His current project is discovery of RUVBL1/2 complex inhibitor as anti-cancer agents.

Past Work/Training:

Associate Professor, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China

Postdoctoral Reserch Fellow, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA

Education:

Ph.D., Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China

M.S., Medicinal Chemistry, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China

M.S., Clinical Pharmacy, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China

Nallely Ruiz-Lopez has a B.S in Biology with a concentration in Microbiology from California State University Dominguez Hills in spring of 2016. Before joining the Chou team, Nallely worked as a research assistant at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center where she studied orphan childhood neurological diseases and Alzheimer's Disease. Her work involves using Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIID patient derived hiPSC to generate isogenic cell lines using CRISPR Cas9.

Currently in Dr. Chou’s lab, Nallely serves as Lab manager.

Past Work/Training:

Research Assistant at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

Education:

B.S.,Biology, California State University, Dominguez Hills

Rod Carlo Columbres graduated from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in spring of 2018 with a BS in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology. Before graduating from UCLA, Rod gained clinical and research experience both on and off campus. Rod has worked as research assistant at UCLA Cardiovascular Research Laboratory and Seizure Disorder Center where he performed molecular genetics techniques, behavioral experiments and reviewed epileptic brain Electroencephalograms in mice. As a laboratory support technician at UCLA, Rod prepared chemical reagents and managed laboratory supplies in lower and upper division chemistry laboratory courses. He has also served as a Project Coordinator for Pilipino Transfer Student Partnership where he co-spearheaded a peer advising program at El Camino Community College.

Currently in Dr. Chou’s lab, Rod is studying the p97/p47 mediated golgi re-assembly pathway. He also focuses on mammalian and bacterial overexpression and protein purification of: WT and mutant p97, and VCIP135. Outside of the lab, Rod teaches gifted students through Institute for Educational Advancement and Saturday Science Academy II at Charles Drew University, while also taking time to hike, bike and go to the movies.

Past Work/Training:

Staff Research Associate II Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

Research Assistant Neonatal/ Congenital Heart Laboratory

Research Assistant Seizure Disorder Center

Support Technician UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Education:

B.S., Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA

• Past Work/Training:

Research Assistant at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

• Education:

B.S.,Biology, California State University, Dominguez Hills

M.S.,Biology, California State University, Dominguez Hills