Dr. Emily R. Derbyshire's lab at Duke University focuses on uncovering how malaria-causing parasites interact with their human hosts. They study specific proteins that the parasites hijack from human cells to survive and thrive, exploring potential new ways to target these interactions for drug development. The lab combines techniques in chemical biology and imaging to understand these complex relationships and ultimately advance treatment strategies against malaria.

Dr. Jiyong Hong's lab focuses on developing innovative cancer therapies that target specific DNA repair mechanisms in prostate cancer cells. They are investigating how to inhibit the Rev1 protein, which plays a crucial role in DNA damage tolerance, to make cancer cells more sensitive to treatments and improve patient outcomes. The lab's research aims to provide new strategies for overcoming drug resistance in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), a particularly aggressive form of prostate cancer.