Therapeutic Development in Ophthalmology
Therapeutic Development in Opthalmology Laboratory
Jie Zheng, PhD, Director
Research Areas
Chemical biology, computational biology, structural biology, systems biology, and therapeutic development, structure-based drug repositioning
Description
Our current research is at the interface of chemical biology, computational biology, structural biology, systems biology, and therapeutic development. To better understand the biological functions of different signaling pathways in the visual system and to explore the therapeutic potential of targeting abnormal signaling pathways. The current focus of our laboratory is structure-based drug discovery with an emphasis on developing proteins and small molecules that can systematically modulate signal transduction pathways. In an effort of translational research, our laboratory is also interested in structure-based drug repositioning.
Currently, the Wnt pathway is one of the focuses in our laboratory. Wnt signaling plays an essential role in embryonic development and regulation of cell growth. Inappropriate activation of the Wnt pathway has been shown to lead to different eye diseases, including glaucoma, degenerative retinal disorders, and corneal diseases. Aiming to develop potential novel pharmaceutical agents, we have taken a systems biology approach and are working on the development of small-molecule inhibitors that target different protein-protein interactions along the Wnt signaling pathways.
Contact Information
Phone: (310) 206-2173
Email:
Location Address
Stein Eye Institute
100 Stein Plaza, UCLA
Los Angeles, CA 90095
Office Address
CHS BH-973B
Los Angeles, CA 90095