The proposed center will be under the leadership of a diverse group of interdisciplinary investigators, complemented by a team of experienced senior collaborators who possess extensive expertise in clinical research, bioengineering, drug discovery, and biostatistics (Figure 3). This center has received full support from the Baylor College of Medicine Dan L Duncan Cancer Center, headed by Drs. Pavan Reddy and Xiang Zhang. The BCM Cancer Center will play a vital role as a strategic collaborator for SynthX.
Li Lab (ECE). Dr. Lei S. Li is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Bioengineering Department at Rice University. Dr. Li’s overarching research goal is to develop new biomedical imaging technology that combines light, sound, and artificial intelligence to visualize deep brain functions, diagnose early-stage cancer and navigate microrobots for internal surgery. The Li lab focuses on developing new photoacoustic (PA) and ultrasonic (US) technology and combining them with artificial intelligence to enable diverse biomedical applications, including novel whole-brain imagers visualizing brain functions and diagnosing brain disease, PA/US navigated robotic systems guiding and controlling microrobots inside the body for surgery or drug delivery, as well as wearable devices continuously monitoring early-stage cancer patients and detecting circulating tumor cells.
Gustavsson Lab (CHEM). Dr. Anna-Karin Gustavsson is an Assistant Professor and CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research in the Department of Chemistry, the Department of BioSciences, and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University. Her research group records detailed information about cellular nanoscale structures, dynamics, and molecular mechanisms by designing and applying innovative and versatile single-molecule super-resolution imaging tools. The goal of their research is to improve our understanding of cellular function and pathogenesis at the molecular level.
Kurti Lab (CHEM). Dr. Laszlo Kurti is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Rice University. The Kurti group focuses on the development of powerful new methods for the expedient enantioselective assembly of highly functionalized biaryls, heterocycles and carbocycles. His research program does not only seek to develop new and powerful transformations in organic chemistry and but also enable the synthesis of biologically relevant compounds to aid drug discovery.
Nicolaou Lab (CHEM). Dr. K. C. Nicolaou is Harry C. and Olga K. Wiess Professor of Chemistry and CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research in the Department of Chemistry. Dr. Nicolaou is a pioneer in the development of anti-cancer drugs and their analogues as payloads for antibody-drug conjugates for targeted personalized cancer therapies. He has published more than 800 papers and trained more than 600 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Renata Lab (CHEM). Dr. Renata is an Associate Professor and CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research in the Department of Chemistry at Rice University. Dr. Renata’s work has been defined by the development of cutting-edge enzyme-based technologies for the preparation and modification of bioactive small molecules and macromolecules. His lab is pioneering the synergistic combination of synthetic chemistry and synthetic biology for the efficient synthesis of a wide range of bioactive small molecules and their analogs to address outstanding questions in medicinal chemistry and chemical biology.
Phillips Lab (BCB). Dr. George N. Phillips is Ralph and Dorothy Looney Professor at the Departments of Biosciences at Rice University. The overall goal of his research is to relate the three-dimensional structure and dynamics of proteins to their biological functions. His lab uses techniques of X-ray crystallography, AI deep learning methodology, and other biophysical methods to elucidate the molecular structures, dynamics, and functions of proteins.
Wolynes Lab (CHEM). Dr. Peter Wolynes is Bullard-Welch Foundation Professor of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, BioSciences and Materials Science and Engineering at Rice University. The research in his group is broadly concerned with many-body phenomena in biology, chemistry and physics. A major theme is understanding systems where a large diversity of long-lived states is involved, necessitating the use of a statistical characterization of an energy or attractor landscape.
Ball Lab (CHEM). Dr. Zachary Ball is Professor of Chemistry at Rice University. Prof. Ball's work has focused on the development of novel reactivity for the construction of new chemical structure, with special emphasis on structural manipulation of protein and peptides. He has also led the development of metallo-inhibitors and metallo-reagents to interrogate, manipulate, and drug disease-relevant biological pathways.
Marti Lab (CHEM). Dr. Angel Marti is Professor of Chemistry, Bioengineering, Materials Science, and NanoEngineering at Rice University. His research group is interested in the design and synthesis of multifunctional molecular constructs for the treatment and diagnosis of amyloid forming diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, in addition to the development of sensors and the in vivo and in vitro detection of DNA and mRNA.
Xiao Lab (CHEM). Dr. Han Xiao is an Associate Professor and CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research in the Departments of Chemistry, BioSciences, and Bioengineering at Rice University. His research focuses on the development of chemical biology tools (including novel antibody drugs) for novel cancer therapy. In 2016, he was the first to prepare the Glyco-Immune Checkpoint inhibitor, an antibody-sialidase conjugate that enables blocking of immunoinhibitory receptors/sialic acid interactions by selective desialylation of the breast cancer cells. His group developed the first platform (BonTarg) to deliver antibodies to the bone cancer niche for the treatment of bone metastases in vivo in 2021. These pioneering investigations, situated at the intersection of chemistry and biology, aim to precisely explore and manipulate natural biological systems while driving the development of new medications and diagnostics that enhance human health.
Hartgerink Lab (CHEM). Dr. Jeffrey D. Hartgerink previously served as Associate Chair of Chemistry for Graduate Studies and Associate Chair of Chemistry for Undergraduate studies. He is currently Vice Chair of Chemistry. Hartgerink’s research focuses on the folding and self-assembly of peptides into designed nanostructured materials and is funded by the NIH, NSF and Welch Foundation. The peptide materials made by the Hartgerink lab help to reveal fundamental design principles in Nature in addition to serving as sophisticated biomedical materials.
McHugh Lab (BIOE). Dr. Kevin McHugh is an Assistant Professor and CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research in the Bioengineering and Chemistry Departments at Rice University. Dr. McHugh is a leader in the development of innovative drug delivery platforms that increase drug efficacy, reduce drug toxicity, or make drug formulations more accessible. In particular, his lab employs elements from materials science, chemistry, and microfabrication to precisely control the spatial and temporal distribution of drugs for applications ranging from cancer to infectious disease.
Mikos Lab (BIOE). Dr. Antonios G. Mikos is the Louis Calder Professor of Bioengineering and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Rice University. He is the Director of the National Institutes of Health Center for Engineering Complex Tissues, the Director of the Center for Excellence in Tissue Engineering, and the Director of the J.W. Cox Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering at Rice University. Dr. Antonios Mikos is a leader in the field of synthesis, processing, and evaluation of new biomaterials for use as scaffolds for tissue engineering, as carriers for controlled drug delivery, as non-viral vectors for gene therapy, and as platforms for disease modeling. He will collaborate with us on molecule design and the development of models for testing new biologic drugs.
Veiseh Lab (BIOE). Dr. Omid Veiseh is an Associate Professor and CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research in the Departments of Bioengineering at Rice University. His laboratory utilizes advanced nano, micro, and macro fabrication techniques in combination with molecular engineering and cellular and molecular biology, to develop platforms of implantable devices tailored for in vivo chemical sensing and delivery of therapeutics. The Veiseh laboratory is particularly interested in developing technologies for the improved management of cancer, Type-1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases.
Tour Lab (CHEM). Dr. James Tour is the T.T. and W.F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Smalley-Curl Institute, NanoCarbon Center, and Rice Advanced Materials Institute. Professor Tour has made extraordinary contributions to the Chemistry of Materials and for expanding its power and scope into numerous real-world applications in important areas such as high-capacity energy storage, water purification, carbon-dioxide capture, reinforced building materials, wearable microelectronics, nanomachines against bacterial infections, healing spinal cord injuries, recovering precious metals from electronic waste and rare earth elements from industrial by-products.
Strategic Collaborator: Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center (BCM). The Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, under the leadership of Dr. Pavan Reddy, is an esteemed cancer center recognized by the National Cancer Institute. Its purpose is to unite all our cancer research and treatment capabilities, providing a centralized platform for excellence in cancer care. The center has over 450 members in both research and clinical areas, and established seven research programs, namely Tumor Biology, Chromatin Biology, Breast Cancer Program, Cancer Cell and Gene Therapy Program, Pediatric Cancer Program, and Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Program. These programs aim to foster collaboration among investigators and facilitate advancements in cancer research. Over the years, the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center has experienced significant growth in its research endeavors. In 2021, the center secured over $180 million in annual funding for cancer-related research, a remarkable increase from the initial funding of less than $100 million in 2007. Since 2022, an exciting strategic partnership has been forged between the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center and SynthX. This collaboration aims to foster synergy between Rice University and BCM through a series of initiatives. These include a monthly workshop called "Unlocking the Clinical Translation Potential of SynthX," an annual conference titled "Synthetic Innovations towards a Cure for Cancer (SICC)," and strategic collaboration meetings aimed at developing a comprehensive plan. Further details can be found in the "Previous and Current Collaborations" section. Together, the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center and SynthX are committed to advancing cancer research, promoting innovative solutions, and ultimately working towards a cure for cancer.