Chapman University · PharmacologyMelanoma Therapeutics Laboratory
Sun Yang · Orange, California
Research Focus
Dr. Sun Yang's lab at Chapman University focuses on developing new treatments for cutaneous melanoma, the most aggressive type of skin cancer. The lab is particularly interested in small molecules that can selectively inhibit an enzyme called neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), which plays a critical role in melanoma progression and immune system evasion. By designing and testing novel nNOS inhibitors, the lab aims to improve treatment outcomes, especially for patients who do not respond to current therapies.
melanomanNOSimmune checkpoint inhibitorssmall molecule inhibitorscancer treatment
Research Aims
4AIM 01Develop more potent and selective nNOS inhibitors with improved oral bioavailability.
AIM 02Screen the new nNOS inhibitors for anti-melanoma activities.
AIM 03Investigate the molecular mechanisms of nNOS inhibition in diverse melanoma cell backgrounds.
AIM 04Explore the therapeutic utility of nNOS inhibitors in enhancing immunotherapy effectiveness.
Skills the Lab Values
structure-based drug designorganic synthesisin vivo tumor modelscell culturemouse modelsdrug screeningmechanistic studiesgenomic analysisimmunotherapy techniques
Output against the department
Publications62bottom 11% of dept.411th of 462
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations1.2kbottom 5% of dept.439th of 462
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.