Veronika Shoba, PhD

Dr. Shoba aims to develop a new class of small molecules that will target transcription factors, which regulate gene expression. These proteins are mutated in many cancers but are considered undruggable because current compounds fail to block the interaction between transcription factors and their binding partners. Dr. Shoba aims to disrupt these functional interactions by recruiting enzymes called kinases found in the human body to chemically modify the transcription factors and thus inhibit oncogenic activity. This strategy has the potential to diversify cancer-targeting approaches and become an essential tool in drug development.