Macromolecular Therapeutics

Our research focuses on the design of novel proteins/antibodies to explore their applications at the chem-bio interface. Our goal is to utilize these biological macromolecules to precisely regulate intracellular signaling pathways, eventually translating these toolkits into biotechnology platforms and therapeutic reagents (i.e., drugs).

Current research topics include:

• Chemical biology of intracellular degradation pathways

We develop engineered protein tools to reprogram intracellular degradation pathways, with a particular focus on selective autophagy. These approaches enable targeted clearance of proteins and other cellular contents that are difficult to eliminate through conventional degradation mechanisms.

• Macromolecular toolkits to control organelle dynamics

We design macromolecular tools to selectively manipulate the abundance and function of intracellular organelles. These systems allow us to investigate organelle quality control such as clearance and recovery.

• Biomolecular control of induced proximity

We construct proteins/antibodies to create or disrupt intracellular protein–protein interactions. These approaches enable programmable control of cellular machinery and signaling pathways.