Dr. Trevor M. Penning's lab at the University of Pennsylvania focuses on the health impacts of air pollution, specifically studying nitroarenes—carcinogenic compounds found in diesel exhaust. The lab investigates how these chemicals are activated in human lung cells and their potential to cause DNA damage, which may lead to cancer. Through a mix of molecular biology techniques and cell models, the lab aims to uncover mechanisms of lung cancer initiation related to environmental exposures.

Dr. Michael K. Gilson's lab at UC San Diego focuses on innovative drug design through advanced computational methods. The team aims to deepen our understanding of how proteins interact with small molecules, which is crucial for developing new drugs. By mapping thermodynamic properties of proteins and their surroundings, they seek to reveal insights that can improve ligand design and identify potential new drug targets.

Dr. Francisco Jose Schopfer's lab at the University of Pittsburgh focuses on understanding how dietary fats, specifically conjugated linoleic acids, can enhance skin health and combat inflammatory skin diseases like psoriasis. The lab investigates how these dietary components interact with the body during phototherapy, a common treatment for psoriasis, to create beneficial compounds that reduce inflammation and protect skin tissues. Overall, this research aims to find nutritional strategies to improve treatments for autoimmune skin conditions.

Dr. Heng Zhu's lab at Johns Hopkins University focuses on understanding how DNA methylation affects brain development and neurological disorders. They are particularly interested in a less-studied type of DNA methylation known as CpH methylation, which occurs in the neurons of the brain. The lab combines innovative techniques to identify proteins that bind to this type of methylation, aiming to elucidate their roles in transcriptional regulation and potentially uncover new therapeutic targets for conditions like fragile X syndrome and ALS.

Dr. Angela K. Birnbaum's lab focuses on understanding how antiseizure medications affect pregnant women and their breastfeeding infants. By using advanced modeling techniques, the lab aims to determine the best drug dosages that are both safe for the developing fetus and effective for the mother's epilepsy treatment. Their research is critical for improving health outcomes for women with epilepsy during pregnancy and lactation.

Dr. Lisa Monteggia's research lab at Vanderbilt University focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms behind rapid and sustained antidepressant effects, particularly those induced by the drug ketamine. The lab investigates how brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) contribute to these antidepressant actions at the synaptic level. This research aims to uncover new treatment strategies for depression that could lead to faster and more effective therapies.

The lab led by Assaf Alon at Yale University focuses on understanding the roles of the EXPERA family of proteins in cholesterol and lipid metabolism. These proteins, including the sigma-2 receptor and TM6SF2, are significant in various diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, and metabolic disorders. The lab employs structural biology techniques to explore protein interactions and develop therapeutic strategies that could lead to novel treatments.

Dr. Samuel Lai's lab at the University of North Carolina focuses on developing innovative therapies for respiratory infections caused by viruses like parainfluenza and metapneumovirus. The lab is working on engineering antibodies that can trap these viruses in airway mucus, potentially offering new treatment options for children and immunocompromised adults who are vulnerable to severe respiratory illnesses. The research aims to enhance how antibodies work at mucosal surfaces to combat respiratory infections.

Dr. Babbette Lamarca's research focuses on understanding how preeclampsia (a pregnancy complication) affects women's health and their offspring. The lab investigates the role of B cells and autoantibodies in driving hypertension and related cognitive issues during and after pregnancy. By exploring how these factors differ based on the sex of the offspring, the lab aims to uncover new insights into improving outcomes for women experiencing preeclampsia, especially in the context of COVID-19.

Dr. Jatinder K. Lamba's lab at the University of Florida focuses on understanding pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a serious and often overlooked childhood cancer. The lab studies the molecular factors that influence prognosis and treatment outcomes in pediatric AML by examining the genomes, proteomes, and metabolomes of leukemic cells. Their research aims to improve risk assessment and establish better therapeutic strategies by integrating various biological data from clinical trials.

Dr. Steffen Wolff's lab investigates how different types of learning and memory interact within the brain, particularly focusing on the prefrontal cortex's role in coordinating these processes. The research explores how cognitive impairments affect learning and memory, and aims to develop better diagnostic tools and treatments. By conducting experiments with animals, the lab seeks to understand the neural mechanisms behind learning interactions and improve our understanding of cognitive disorders.

Dr. Norbert Leitinger's lab at the University of Virginia focuses on understanding how metabolic processes influence inflammation, particularly through the enzyme Acetyl CoA Carboxylase (ACC). The research aims to uncover how ACC affects immune cell function during inflammation and how metabolic dysregulation can lead to improper immune responses, especially in individuals with obesity and diabetes. By exploring the connection between lipid metabolism and inflammation, the lab seeks to identify new therapeutic targets for managing inflammatory diseases.

Dr. G Greg Wang's lab at Duke University focuses on understanding the complex mechanisms driving aggressive forms of leukemia. The lab is particularly interested in how specific proteins, like EZH2 and NUP98, contribute to cancer development and how these proteins can be targeted for better treatment strategies. Current research explores innovative techniques like PROTACs to degrade oncogenic proteins and investigates the role of phase separation in chromatin organization and gene activation that leads to leukemia.

Dr. Nicholas Levinson's lab at the University of Minnesota focuses on developing innovative drug discovery technologies, specifically for creating new cancer therapies. The lab is working on a cutting-edge platform that identifies allosteric kinase inhibitors, which can help overcome resistance to current treatments. Their research aims to provide novel therapeutic strategies for cancer patients, particularly targeting proteins involved in tumor growth.

Dr. Zhenyu Li's lab focuses on understanding the role of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) not just as a biomarker for cardiovascular diseases like heart failure, but also as an active participant in the development of these conditions. The research investigates how BNP contributes to thrombosis, a critical factor in cardiovascular events, by affecting platelet function. The ultimate goal is to reveal new therapeutic targets that can improve heart disease prognosis.

Dr. Hongmin Li's lab focuses on developing new antiviral drugs specifically targeting flaviviruses, which are viruses transmitted by insects like mosquitoes and are known to cause serious illnesses in humans. The lab investigates essential viral enzymes to find compounds that can inhibit the viruses' ability to replicate and evade the immune system. Through advanced techniques in medicinal chemistry and biochemistry, the lab aims to create effective treatments for infections such as dengue and Japanese encephalitis.

Dr. Lian Li's lab at Emory University focuses on understanding Alzheimer's disease (AD) through groundbreaking research aimed at identifying new biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The lab investigates the role of glycosylation, particularly sialylation, in AD pathology by analyzing human brain specimens to uncover critical molecular changes. Their work aims to improve diagnosis and develop potential new interventions for this complex disease.

Dr. Jiong Li's lab at Virginia Commonwealth University focuses on understanding how certain elements in cancer cells, called FOSL1-super-enhancers, drive cancer stem cell properties that contribute to resistance against chemotherapy in head and neck cancer. The lab is developing innovative techniques to target these super-enhancers to improve treatment outcomes. Their research aims to identify new strategies to combat chemotherapy resistance, providing hope for more effective cancer therapies.

Dr. Yanjun Li's lab at the University of Florida focuses on innovative drug discovery using artificial intelligence. The lab develops a unique platform that leverages generative AI to design small molecules based on cell appearance, or morphology, without the need for specific drug targets. This approach could lead to the creation of new medications for diseases that currently lack effective therapies.

The research lab led by Dr. Sarah Hoffmann Lindsey focuses on understanding how sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone affect cardiometabolic health in men and women. Their studies utilize innovative approaches to investigate the vascular responses to these hormones and aim to develop therapies that enhance cardiovascular protection while maintaining metabolic benefits. Through this work, they hope to improve treatment strategies for hormone therapy in patients.