Hanjing Peng, PhD

Dr. Peng seeks to identify compounds that inhibit the proteasome, the protein degradation machinery in the cell that maintains the balance of cell growth and death. Inhibitors that regulate proteasome function are potential anticancer drugs. Inspired by the functional mechanism of a class of natural products that includes FK506 and rapamycin, she has designed and constructed a synthetic library of compounds (macrocyclic "rapafucin") in search of potent proteasome inhibitors. She hopes to discover new anticancer drug candidates with lower toxicity or side effects than current drugs.