The Tao laboratory develops chemical strategies to discover and study small-molecule interactions with proteins that have been difficult to address using conventional drug-discovery approaches. We integrate medicinal chemistry, covalent ligand discovery, and quantitative chemical proteomics to identify ligandable sites across the proteome and convert initial discoveries into selective, cell-active chemical probes.
A central goal of the laboratory is to understand how small molecules can modulate protein function through nontraditional binding sites and mechanisms. Our research typically begins with proteome-wide ligand discovery and progresses through target validation, structure–activity relationship studies, target-engagement profiling, and mechanistic evaluation in cells. Through this work, we aim to generate first-in-class research tools, reveal previously unrecognized mechanisms of disease biology, and establish starting points for future therapeutic development.
The laboratory welcomes students and collaborators interested in chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, chemoproteomics, cancer biology, and small-molecule probe development. More details can be found in lab website https://sites.google.com/view/