Department of Chemical Biology

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Chemical Biology is excellence in teaching and research in basic biological processes and their interactions with chemicals such as drugs. Through our teaching and research, we hope to contribute to the health of the general population.

Our department teaches two major courses to the Pharm D. students: “Molecular Biology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology” and “Pharmaceutical Microbiology.”  We also teach an elective course on “Diet, Nutrition and Disease Prevention in Pharmacy Practice.”  We continue updating our courses so that students have a solid knowledge in these subjects as well as an ability to access and understand the latest developments in biological sciences and their application to the practice of pharmacy.

Chung S. Yang, PhD John L. Colaizzi Endowed Chair in Pharmacy and Chair of the Department

The strength of our teaching derives from the strong research programs of our faculty.  Dr. Suzie Chen is studying the chemical biology of metabotropic glutamate receptors. She has created an exciting transgenic mouse model for melanoma and the research has provided a new approach for the treatment of melanoma.  Dr. Renping Zhou’s research on ephrins and Eph receptors helps to understand nerve regeneration.  His novel ephrin-A5 null mouse model for cataract formation brought new light to the possible etiology of this eye disease.  Dr. Audrey Minden’s research on PAK proteins are generating fundamental information on the role of these proteins in learning, motor activity, and aggression as well as in cancer.  Dr. Fang Liu is studying the basic functions of the TGFβ/Smad signal transduction system and its role in breast cancer.  Dr. Paul E. Thomas’s research is on drug metabolism and on factors influencing mammary cancer.  Dr. Nanjoo Suh is studying cancer prevention by vitamin D and nonhypercalcemic analogs, tocopherols (vitamin E), triterpenoids, and stilbenes from blueberries.  Dr. C.S. Yang studies inflammation-induced esophageal and colon cancer as well as the prevention of lung, oral, esophageal and colon cancer by tea polyphenols, tocopherols, and their combinations with therapeutic agents in animal models and in collaborative human trials.  Dr. Allan H. Conney is a world-renowned researcher on drug metabolism as well as cancer causation and prevention.  His recent research on the prevention of skin and prostate cancer by caffeine, exercise, and combinations of statins and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs has major public health implications, and this research received a great deal of media attention.

Our faculty work together to make fundamental discoveries on key biological processes and related diseases; these provide the basis for our studies on disease prevention with cancer prevention as a major focus.  Through these activities as well as the training of PharmD and graduate students we aim to benefit society as a whole.