Home Department: undeclared
Mentor: James K. Chen (Chemical & Systems Biology, Developmental Biology, and Chemistry)

“Developing ALDH1B1 Gene Inhibitors to Suppress Cancer Growth with Chemical Synthesis”

In the Chen lab, Jason is developing ALDH1B1 inhibitors that can suppress colorectal and pancreatic cancer growth. Jason’s primary goal is to develop ALDH1B1 inhibitors that are suitable for in vivo studies by optimizing their potency, selectivity, pharmacokinetics, metabolic stability, and safety. These studies will involve chemical synthesis, enzyme kinetics assays, and cell-based assays. Jason will also attempt to solve crystal structures of inhibitors bound to ALDH1B1, by using direct methods to determine atom positions within the unit cell.