The research in our laboratory is focused on the expansion of interdisciplinary research at the interface of chemistry and biology to discover novel peptidomimetics and other small molecules that modulate protein-protein interactions involved in critical cellular processes.Understanding how these compounds interact with proteins will help to reveal mechanisms governing cell activities.We are particularly interested in developing compounds that lead to the design of novel therapeutics potentially targeting cancer, HIV, and Alzheimer’s disease, etc.

Awards & Honors
2020 2020 Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor Award, USF
2020 2020 Faculty Outstanding Research Achievement Award, USF
2020 2020 USF Preeminent Professor
2020 2020 Member, National Academy of Inventors, USF Chapter
2020 2020 Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC)
2018 2018 Faculty Outstanding Research Achievement Award, USF
2015-2017 Outstanding reviewer, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
2015 2015 Faculty Outstanding Research Achievement Award, USF
2015 2015 Biomatik Distinguished Junior Faculty Award, The Chinese-American Chemistry & Chemical Biology Professors Association (CAPA)
2014 2014 NSF CAREER Award
2014 2014 ChemComm Emerging Investigator
2012 2012 New Investigator award, Florida Bankhead Coley Cancer Research Program
2011 2011 Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, Oak Ridge Associated Universities

Professional Membership
Member, American Chemical Society (Organic Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry Division)
Member, American Peptide Society

Professional Services
Editorial Board member, ChemistrySelect, 2015-
Editorial Advisory Board member, ChemistryOpen, 2017-
Associate Editor, Molecules, 2018-
Associate Editor-in-Chief, Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, 2020-