Chang-Guo Zhan, Ph.D Endowed College of Pharmacy Professor in Pharmaceutical Sciences
The MMBC and CPRI work closely together to advance scientific initiatives. The CPRI provides services in computational modeling and design for small-molecule drug discovery and development efforts when the drug targets have been well-established, while the MMBC performs computational modeling and simulations that aim to understand detailed protein structures and mechanisms of potential drug target when the drug targets have not yet been established/confirmed. When a drug target has been well-established, the project often “graduates” from MMBC and advances to CPRI for further drug design and discovery efforts
Dr. Zhan’s unique structure-and-mechanism-based drug design and discovery efforts through integrated computational-experimental studies have led to the discovery of various novel, promising biopharmaceutical candidates. Two of the biopharmaceutical candidates designed in the Zhan Lab are currently in human clinical development; the Phase II clinical trials have been completed for both of the Investigational New Drugs, showing very positive results without any major adverse effects.
With state-of-the-art facilities, innovative computational modeling/design strategies and approaches, and unique expertise available, MMBC engages UK investigators and beyond with interests in biopharmaceutical design, discovery and development and/or in understanding detailed protein structures and mechanisms of potential drug targets to create unique opportunities of innovative research development and external funding.
Research Highlight: $6M Award to Further Develop Treatment for Cocaine Addiction
The main research interest in the Zhan Lab is drug design, discovery, and development through integrated computational-experimental studies. Drugs designed in the Zhan Lab are either small molecules (such as inhibitors of enzymes or agonists/antagonists of receptor proteins or DNA-binding molecules etc.) or biopharmaceutical agents including peptides/proteins and vaccines etc. A protein/peptide drug could be either a pure protein/peptide (such as a metabolic enzyme or antibody) or an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). In order to rationally design a drug, the Zhan Lab may perform whatever types of molecular modeling, simulation, calculation, analysis, and design that are necessary to achieve the goal for a project. The computational design is followed by wet experimental tests (chemical synthesis, site-directed mutagenesis, protein expression, purification, in vitro activity assays, and in vivo tests, etc.) These experiments are performed either in the Zhan Lab or in close collaboration with internal and/or external experimental laboratories. The unique structure-and-mechanism-based drug design and discovery efforts in the Zhan Lab through integrated computational-experimental studies (supported by NIH, NSF, and other organizations) have been very productive, leading to the discovery of novel, promising biopharmaceuticals, including two that have passed the Phase II clinical trials. The members of the Zhan Lab work in an interdisciplinary research environment.
Since 2005, the members of Zhan Lab have won the following recognitions:
In addition, multiple graduate students of the Zhan Lab have received national awards:
