The Dar laboratory explores cancer mechanisms and new approaches in chemical biology. Our research integrates genetics, biochemistry, structure, and small molecule discovery. Our primary goal is to develop tools that enable us to modulate cell signaling networks, allowing for in-depth mechanistic exploration of disease and potential therapeutic applications.
In our previous work, we successfully designed chemical switches and conformational modulators that selectively bind to specific targets of interest. By manipulating the conformational equilibrium, we can effectively influence the formation of specific states or complexes. Another area of research has been on molecular glues that operate at the interface of biomolecular complexes to regulate the assembly, lifetime, and fate of signal transduction events.
Overall, we are focused on the development of chemical tools and probes to target cancers driven by dysregulated enzymes, receptors, cellular communication pathways, and the tumor microenvironment.
