Current Members

Research Theme: Drug Resistance Diseases: HIV; HCV; Dengue; Cancer 
Proteins: HIV-1 protease; HCV NS3/4A protease; Dengue NS2B/NS3; APOBEC3's
Research Technique: Organic Chemistry

Office Location: LRB 840
Lab Location: LRB 840
Phone: 508-856-8873
  

Research Theme: Drug Resistance

Diseases: HIV; Cancer; SARS-CoV-2Proteins: HIV-1 protease; HTLV-1 protease; SARC-CoV-2 Main protease

Research Technique: Synthetic Organic and Medicinal Chemistry                                 

Research Interests: Synthesis of novel heterocycles as potential antiviral agents


Lab Location: LRB 840 E
Phone: 508-856-8873
  

Research Theme: Drug Resistance 
Disease: HIV, SARS-CoV-2
Proteins:  HIV-1 protease, SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Mpro, neutralizing nanobodies
Research Techniques: Machine learning, molecular dynamics simulations, Gaussian QM calculations, protein structure prediction, cryo-EM
Research Interest: Design computational tools to counter resistance in structure-based drug design and reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying protein inhibition.

Lab Location: LRB 970
Phone: 508-856-2636
  

Research Theme: Drug Resistance

Disease: Diabetes, Viral Infections   

Proteins: Renalase, HIV-1 Protease, SARS-CoV2 MPro

Research Techniques: Organic Chemistry Methodologies; Small Molecule Synthesis, Purification and Characterization; Enzyme Inhibition Assays

Research Interest: Design and synthesis of Small Molecule Viral Protease Inhibitors. Furthermore, evaluation of Enzyme Inhibition via Both Direct and Indirect Binding Assays, Employing Varied Approaches Such as ITC, UV-Vis, Fluorescence, and NMR Spectroscopy

Lab Location: LRB 970
Phone: 508-856-2636
  

Research Theme: Drug Resistance

Diseases: HIV; HCV; Cancer; Influenza; Dengue

Proteins: HIV-1 protease; HCV NS3/4A protease; APOBEC3's; Influenza neuraminidase; Dengue NS2B/NS3

Research Technique:  Enzyme Inhibition; Structural Analysis; Lab Managing

Office Location: LRB 919
Lab Location: LRB 907
Phone: 508-856-1867
  

Research Theme: engineering cytosine base editor   

Diseases: diverse genetic diseases

Proteins: APOBEC3's; Cas9; uracil glycosylase inhibitor; the components of CRISPR gene editing

Research Technique: protein engineering and biochemistry    

Research Interests: engineering proteins, nucleic acids, or nanomaterials with novel structures, dynamics, and functions for basic biology/biomedical applications and effective therapeutic approaches.

Lab Location: LRB 970B
Phone: 508-856-2636
  

Research Theme: Small molecule drug discovery against autoimmune disease   

Diseases: Type 1 Diabetes, Cancer Proteins: Human Renalase, APOBEC3 isoforms

Research Techniques: Protein Expression and Purification, molecular modelling, and molecular dynamics simulation. Structural analysis, virtual small molecule drug screening.

Research Interest: Utilizing computational methodologies, including molecular modeling and conventional molecular dynamics simulations to understand the relationship between the three-dimensional structures, dynamics and the biological functions of DNA-binding enzymes and proteins central to Type I Diabetes.

Lab Location: LRB 970
Phone: 508-856-2636
  

Learn more about Arooma in her department feature!

Research Theme: Viral Glycoproteins
Diseases: Influenza Virus
Research Technique: Cryo-ET                                  
Research Interests:  Using cryo-ET to study the structure of viral glycoproteins on influenza viruses.

Lab Location: LRB 970
Phone: 508-856-2636
  

Research Theme: Drug Resistance

Diseases: HIV; HCV; Cancer; Influenza; Dengue

Proteins: HIV-1 protease; HCV NS3/4A protease; APOBEC3's; Influenza neuraminindase; Influenza hemagglutinin; Dengue NS2B/NS3 protease

Research Technique: Everything

Office Location: LRB 927
Lab Location: LRB 970
Phone: 508-856-2251
  

Research Theme: Drug Resistance

Diseases: HIV; HCV; Cancer; Influenza; Dengue

Proteins: HIV-1 protease; HCV NS3/4A protease; Influenza neuraminidase; Dengue NS2B/NS3

Research Techniques: Lab Managing; Protein Expression; Protein Crystallization; Enzyme Inhibition

Research Interest: Using structural biology in conjunction with biochemistry and biophysics to design potent therapeutic candidates for human diseases. 

Office Location: LRB 970
Lab Location: LRB 970
Phone: 508-856-2636
  

Learn more about Al in his department feature!

Research Theme: Virus-Cell interactions, Antivirals, Drug Resistance

Diseases: HIV; Influenza; SARS-CoV2; Cancer

Proteins: Influenza hemagglutinin/neuraminidase; SARS-CoV2 Spike/Proteases; Ace2, TMPRSS2; APOBEC3's; HIV-1 protease

Research Technique: Molecular Virology; Cryo EM/ET; Virus lab

Lab Location: LRB 802
Phone: 508-856-4408
  

Learn more about Dr. Somasundaran's research focus here!

Research Theme: HIV maturation

Disease: HIV

Proteins: HIV-1 Gag and GagPol

Research Techniques: Molecular dynamics, Structure prediction and modeling

Research Interest: Using molecular dynamics simulations to probe the dynamics of HIV Gag and GagPol processing

Lab Location: LRB 970
Phone: 508-856-2636