Faculty

Chen, James K.
Contact Info:

jameschen@stanford.edu
650.725.3582
CCSR Room 3155C

Chen Lab:

650.725.4184
CCSR Room 3150

Executive Administrator:

Theresa Lee
talee13@stanford.edu
650.497.2168

CHEN LAB ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE:

Lisa Foo
lisafoo@stanford.edu
CCSR 3155

James K. Chen, Ph.D.

Professor and Chair

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

Developmental signaling pathways and their roles in embryonic patterning and oncogenesis; zebrafish models of tissue patterning and regeneration; synthetic chemistry and chemical biology.

Chistol, Gheorghe
Contact Info:

chistol@stanford.edu
650.498.1429
CCSR 3155B

Chistol Lab:

650.498.1429
CCSR 3130

Administrative Associate:

Jessica Nunez
j11nunez@stanford.edu 
CCSR 3155

Gheorghe Chistol , Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

Chistol Lab is using real-time single-molecule imaging to: (i) study how eukaryotes replicate/repair their DNA, (ii) dissect molecular mechanisms involved in maintaining large/complex genomes, and (iii) understand how massive multi-subunit molecular machines like the replisome are regulated.

Cimprich, Karlene
Contact Info:

cimprich@stanford.edu
650.498.4720
Clark W350

Cimprich Lab:

650.498.5011
Clark W350

Administrative Associate:
TBA

Karlene Cimprich, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

Genome stability pathways and their roles in cancer and other human diseases; DNA damage response pathways and DNA replication; the interface between RNA processing and transcription with genome stability.

Ferrell, James E.
Contact Info:

james.ferrell@stanford.edu
650.725.0765
CCSR 3155A

Ferrell Lab:

650.725.0793
CCSR 3160

Administrative Associate:

Lisa Foo
lisafoo@stanford.edu
CCSR 3155

James E. Ferrell, Jr., M.D., Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

Cell cycle regulation, especially M-phase regulation, in Xenopus embryos and mammalian cell lines; systems biology of signal transduction pathways.

Gray, Nathanael S.
CONTACT INFO:

nsgray01@stanford.edu
Office location: ChEM-H Room N327

GRAY LAB:Lab location: ChEM-H Room N335
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE:

Lauren Sandoval
lauren4s@stanford.edu
P: 650.736.0266

Nathanael Gray, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

The Gray Laboratory develops first-in-class chemical probes that are used to gain new biological insights into cellular processes that drive cancer and other diseases, and to pharmacologically validate potential clinically relevant targets. We take an integrative approach that combines medicinal chemistry, structural biology, biochemistry and molecular and cell biology to develop new therapeutic strategies. Our work has contributed to several approved and clinical stage drugs targeting BCR-ABL, Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor (S1PR), EGFR, EML4-ALK and CDK7. We have also developed numerous widely used chemical probes. Our lab also develops new technologies for targeting challenging targets include ‘proximity-based’ therapeutics such as ligase recruiting degraders and covalent inhibitors targeting cysteine, lysine, tyrosine and aspartic acid.

Grimes, Kevin
Contact Info:

kgrimes@stanford.edu
650.721.6185
CCSR 3145C

Administrative Associate:

Kathy Johnson
Kathyj1@stanford.edu
650.724.8098
CCSR 3145

Kevin Grimes, M.D.

Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

Translation of promising research discoveries into novel therapeutics and diagnostics; discovery and development of new drugs, biologics, and diagnostics; repurposing existing drugs against new targets for new clinical indications; developing novel therapeutics and diagnostics for neglected global health problems; the role of non canonical amino acids in human disease.

Jarosz, Daniel F.
Contact Info:

jarosz@stanford.edu
650.723.8457
Clark Center W350A

Jarosz Lab:

650.725.6859
Clark Center W350

Administrative Associate:

Jessica Nunez
j11nunez@stanford.edu 

Daniel F. Jarosz, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

Protein conformational switches in evolution, disease, and development; molecular mechanisms driving mutational robustness in pathogens and cancer in complex cellular systems; chemical biology, cell signaling, and quantitative genetics.

Martinez, Nicole
CONTACT INFO:

nicolemm@stanford.edu
Office Phone Number: 650.724.8241
ChEM-H, W123

MARTINEZ LAB:

Lab Phone Number: 650.497.3190
ChEM-H, W127

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE:

Lisa Foo
lisafoo@stanford.edu
CCSR 3155

Nicole Martinez, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Chemical and Systems Biology and of Development Biology, ChEM-H Institute Scholar, and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator

Research Interests:

The Martinez lab studies RNA regulatory mechanisms that control gene expression. We focus on mRNA processing, RNA modifications and their roles in development and disease.

Mochly-Rosen, Daria
Contact Info:

mochly@stanford.edu
650.725.7720
CCSR 3145A

Mochly-Rosen Lab:

650.725.6026
CCSR 3140

Administrative Associate:

Kathy Johnson
kathyj1@stanford.edu
650.724.8098
CCSR 3145

SPARK Program

Daria Mochly-Rosen, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

Protein kinase C signaling in normal & disease states; mitochondrial function and dynamics in normal & disease states; oxidative stress and aldehydic load; protein-protein interaction; drug discovery.

Rogala, Kacper
Contact Info:

rogala@stanford.edu
Biomedical Innovations Building
Room 4555

Rogala Lab:

Biomedical Innovations Building
Room 4700

Administrative Contact:

Dorit Adar
650.725.5536
adar1@stanford.edu

Kacper Rogala, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

How are nutrients recognized by their protein sensors? How is their transport across cellular and intracellular membranes regulated? And, how is nutrient sensing integrated with other chemical signals, such as hormones, to determine cellular decisions, especially the decision: to grow or not to grow? We are a team of structural and chemical biologists aiming to answer these questions at the level of ångstroms, nanometers, and micrometers. Many proteins in these pathways are deregulated in cancer, and we are developing targeted chemical probes to modulate their activity in cells and organisms.

Wandless, Thomas J.
Contact Info:

wandless@stanford.edu
650.723.4005
CCSR 3145B

Wandless Lab:

650.736.9156
CCSR 3120

Administrative Associate:
TBA

Thomas J. Wandless, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

Cellular mechanisms responsible for protein quality control surveillance and degradation; invention of new technologies to enable biomedical research; synthetic chemistry and chemical biology.

Wysocka, Joanna
Contact Info:

wysocka@stanford.edu
650.736.0672
SIM1 Building G3078A

Wysocka Lab:

650.725.6063
SIM1 Building G3065

Administrative Associate:
TBA

Joanna Wysocka, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

Epigenetic regulation of development; cis-regulatory elements; chromatin modification and remodeling; stem cell self-renewal and differentiation; neural crest and formation of the human face.

Beachy, Philip
Contact Info:

pbeachy@stanford.edu
650.723.4521
SIM1 Building G3120A

Beachy Lab:

650.724.9116
SIM1 Building G3115

Administrative Associate:

Laura Dunkin-Hubby
lhubby@stanford.edu
650.736.8530
SIM1 Building G3120

Philip Beachy, Ph.D.

Professor

Departments of Biochemisty and Developmental Biology

Research Interests:

The Beachy lab studies the function of Hedgehog proteins and other extracellular signals in morphogenesis (pattern formation) and in injury repair and regeneration (pattern maintenance). They study how the distribution of such signals is regulated in tissues, how cells perceive and respond to distinct concentrations of signals, and how such signaling pathways arose in evolution. The lab also studies the normal roles of such signals in stem-cell physiology and their abnormal roles in the formation and expansion of cancer stem cells.

Bertozzi, Carolyn
Contact Info:

bertozzi@stanford.edu
650.721.4781
Keck Room 267

Bertozzi Lab:

650.721.4783
Keck Room 262

Administrative Associate:

Asia Avelino
aavelino@stanford.edu
650.721.4782

Carolyn Bertozzi, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Chemistry

Research Interests:

Cell surface interactions that contribute to human health and disease with specific projects in the areas of cancer, inflammation and bacterial infection. Use techniques of organic synthesis, genetics, and biochemistry as tools to study and manipulate complex cellular processes. Much of our research involves cell surface oligosaccharides, biopolymers that contribute to cell surface recognition and cell-cell communication.

Bogyo, Matthew
Contact Info:

mbogyo@stanford.edu
650.725.4132
Edwards R270

Bogyo Lab:

650.725.6981
Edwards R271

Administrative Associate:

Bryan Odom
bodom@stanford.edu
650.736.0062
CCSR 3255

Matthew Bogyo, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Pathology

Research Interests:

Proteolytic pathways involved in cancer, inflammation and infectious disease. Use of small molecules to image protease activity, design of protease inhibitors and therapeutic applications.

Brandman, Onn
Contact Info:

onn@stanford.edu
650.725.8986

Brandman Lab:

650.497.1795
Beckman Center B403

Administrative Associate:

Morgan Williams
Beckman Center B400
mwillia@stanford.edu
650.498.8009

Onn Brandman, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Biochemistry

Research Interests:

Stress responses, protein quality control, biophysics.

Corsello, Steven M.
CONTACT INFO:

corsello@stanford.edu 
Biomedical Innovations 4753

CORSELLO LAB:

Biomedical Innovations 4700

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE:

Suzette Rodriguez

P: 650-497-1582

suzetter@stanford.edu

Steven M. Corsello , M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Medicine (Oncology)

Research Interests:

The Corsello Laboratory operates at the intersection of functional genomics and chemical biology, with the goal of advancing novel molecular mechanisms of cancer inhibition to clinical use. Our research aims to 1) leverage functional genomics to determine new anti-cancer mechanisms of small molecules, 2) develop novel targeted therapies against solid tumors, and 3) develop the next generation of phenotypic assays and analysis methods to discover drug activities.

Covert, Markus
Contact Info:

mcovert@stanford.edu
650.725.6615
Shriram Room 15

Covert Lab:

650.498.6272
Shriram Room 62

Administrative Associate:

Kimberly Chin
kimchin@stanford.edu
650.724.1760
Shriram Room 91

Markus Covert, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Bioengineering

Research Interests:

Building computational models of complex biological processes to guide an experimental program and accelerate discovery.

Du Bois, Justin
Contact Info:

jdubois@stanford.edu
650.724.4557
Lokey Chemistry Room L234

Du Bois Lab:

650.724.4558
Lokey Chemistry Room 237

Administrative Associate:

Sippy Baniya
sbaniya@stanford.edu
650.723.4313
Mudd 185

Justin Du Bois, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Chemistry

Research Interests:

Voltage-gated ion channel trafficking and regulation; influence of glial cells on channel expression; molecular design, chemical synthesis, and homology modeling; electrophysiology and imaging.

Hung-Chieh Chou, Danny
Contact Info:

dannychou@stanford.edu
650.724.6080
1701 Page Mill Rd, Rm 253

Danny Chou Lab:

650.724.6080
1701 Page Mill Rd, Rm 270

Administrative Associate:

Jacqueline Sunderland
jacquies@stanford.edu
650.724.6080

Danny Hung-Chieh Chou, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Pediatrics - Endocrinology and Diabetes

Research Interests:

Protein and peptide therapeutics development. Using chemical biology tools to study insulin signaling pathways.

Lin, Michael Z
Contact Info:

mzlin@stanford.edu
650.721.1681
CCSR 2115

Lin Lab:

650.723.2874
CCSR 2110

Administrative Associate:

Pardip Kaur Chahal
pchahal@stanford.edu
650.721.1173
CCSR 2115

Michael Z. Lin, M.D., Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Departments of Neurobiology and Bioengineering

Research Interests:

Protein engineering applied to sensing or controlling cell biology, including fluorescent proteins, optogenetic actuators, synthetic signaling nodes, and drug-controlled production switches.

Mark Mercola
CONTACT INFO:

mmercola@stanford.edu
240 Pasteur Drive, Room 3351

MERCOLA LAB:

Stanford Biomedical Innovations Building

RESEARCH ADMINISTRATOR:

Kari K Costa

kcosta@stanford.edu

LAB MANAGER:

Michelle Vu

vumi@stanford.edu 

Mark Mercola, PhD

Professor

Department of Medicine (Cardiovascular) and, by courtesy, of Chemical and Systems Biology

Skotheim, Jan M.
Contact Info:

skotheim@stanford.edu
650.721.1160
Bass Biology Room 404

Skotheim Lab:

650.721.6401
Bass Biology Building (4th Floor)

Administrative Associate:

Lisa Pereira
lpereira@stanford.edu
650.723.0419

Jan M. Skotheim, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Biology and, by Courtesy, of Chemical and Systems Biology

Research Interests:

Cell cycle control, maternal to zygotic transition, cell size control, MAPK signaling, systems and quantitative biology.

Straight, Aaron F.
Contact Info:

astraigh@stanford.edu
650.723.2941
Beckman 409A

Straight Lab:

650.723.7718
Beckman 409

Aaron F. Straight, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Biochemistry

Research Interests:

Chromosome segregation, chromosome structure, centromeres and kinetochores, chromatin dynamics and remodeling, noncoding RNA, cell division, zygotic genome activation, microscopy.

Wender, Paul
Contact Info:

wenderp@stanford.edu
650.723.0208
Lokey Chemistry Room 206

Wender Lab:

650.723.3898
Lokey Chemistry Room 207-216

Administrative Associate:

Kathi Robbins
krobbins@stanford.edu
650.723.1359
Lokey Chemistry Room 204

Paul Wender, Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Chemistry

Research Interests:

Chemical biology, synthesis, computer-based drug design, drug delivery, medicinal chemistry, imaging, HIV/AIDS eradication, cancer immunotherapy, Alzheimer’s disease.

Wernig, Marius
Contact Info:

wernig@stanford.edu
650.721.2495
SIM1 Building G3141

Wernig Lab:

650.721.2495
SIM1 Building G3145

Administrative Associate:

Rachelle Riley
rachelle.riley@stanford.edu
650.736.9693
SIM1 Building G3141

Marius Wernig, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor

Department of Pathology

Research Interests:

Direct lineage reprogramming into neural cell types; Pluripotent stem cells; Human models of disease and gene function; Molecular mechanisms and clinical applications of reprogramming techniques.

Leon Chen, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Leon Chen, Ph.D., is a Venture Partner with OrbiMed. Prior to joining OrbiMed, Dr. Chen was the co-founder of KAI Pharmaceuticals where he built the company as the first employee. He held responsibilities research, intellectual property and business development before Amgen acquired KAI in 2012. He was previously an Entrepreneur in Residence at Venrock and most recently was a Partner at Skyline Ventures where he served on the board of a number of biotech and diagnostic companies. Dr. Chen has a B.A. in Biochemistry from U.C. Berkeley, a Ph.D in Molecular Pharmacology from Stanford and an M.B.A from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Rami Hannoush, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Rami Hannoush, Ph.D., joined the Early Discovery Biochemistry department at Genentech in 2006 after completing his postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard and his Ph.D. degree at McGill University. His current role includes leading interdisciplinary teams in lead discovery and research biology, with the overarching goal of developing therapeutics for the treatment of diseases with unmet medical need. He has a deep and broad interest in science and translational research, and Genentech offers him a unique opportunity to conduct ground-breaking science and at the same time translate our discoveries into the clinic.

Ryan Watts, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Ryan Watts, Ph.D., is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Denali Therapeutics. He has led efforts to advance therapeutic candidates into clinical testing for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS and rare neurodegenerative disease. Under Dr. Watts leadership, Denali has invented a proprietary blood-brain barrier platform for delivery of biotherapeutic proteins to the brain. Dr. Watts previously served as Director of the Department of Neuroscience at Genentech. During his tenure there, he led the company’s re-entry into neuroscience. The Watts laboratory focused on drug discovery for cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, with an emphasis on understanding mechanisms of neurodegeneration guided by human genetics. His lab also studied various aspects of blood-brain barrier biology and delivery. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Department of Biological Sciences at Stanford University and his B.S. in Biology from the University of Utah.

Steven Schow, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Steven R. Schow, Ph.D. has been a SPARK advisor for the past 8 years. He served as Vice President, Research since March 2000 at Telik and as Senior Director of Medicinal Chemistry from March 1998 until March 2000. Prior to joining Telik, Dr. Schow served as a Director of Medicinal Chemistry at CV Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company, from May 1995 to March 1998. He served as a Senior Group Leader at Lederle Laboratories, a division of American Cyanamid, from November 1991 until May 1995. Dr. Schow was a post-doctoral fellow in organic chemistry at the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Schow holds a Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry from the University of California at San Diego and a B.S. degree in chemistry from California State University, Los Angeles.

Kim, Stuart
Contact Info:

stuartkm@stanford.edu
650-867-3189
Beckman 346

Stuart Kim, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus

Department of Developmental Biology

Dr. Stuart K. Kim, Ph.D. is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Developmental Biology at Stanford University. Dr. Kim has been a Markey Scholar, a Searle Scholar and an Ellison Scholar for his research on the genetics of aging. He is an Editor of PLOS Genetics, on the National Science Advisory Council for the American Federation for Aging Research and the Scientific Advisory Board for the Buck Institute for Age Research. He has produced DNA microarrays for C. elegans and used them to profile gene expression during development and aging. Before working on functional genomics, he worked on cell polarity in epithelial cells and Ras signaling in C. elegans. Dr. Kim served as Member of Anti-aging Scientific Advisory Board at Nu Skin Enterprises Inc., since January 2010. Dr. Kim received bachelors’ degrees in chemistry and philosophy from Dartmouth College in 1979. He then moved to biology at Caltech and received a doctorate in 1984. He spent five years as a post-doctoral fellow at MIT.

Mitchell, Beverly
Contact Info:

bmitchell@stanford.edu
650.725.9621
Lokey Stem Cell G2167

Administrative Associate:

Leigh Wang
lzwang@stanford.edu
650.736.7716
Lokey Stem Cell G2167

Beverly Mitchell, M.D.

Professor

Department of Medicine

Research Interests:

Hematopoiesis, trafficking of nucleolar proteins, regulation of ribosomal RNA synthesis, autophagy, leukemogenesis, development of novel therapeutics for leukemias.

Richard Roth, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus

Department of Chemical and Systems Biology

Insulin is one of the primary regulators of rapid anabolic responses in the body. Defects in the synthesis and/or ability of cells to respond to insulin results in the condition known as diabetes mellitus. To better design methods of treatment for this disorder, Richard Roth’s research was focused on how insulin elicits its various biological responses.

James Whitlock, M.D.

Professor Emeritus

Department of Molecular Pharmacology

James Whitlock’s research consisted of analyzing the mechanism by which the environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, dioxin) induces gene transcription. TCDD binds to an intracellular protein (the Ah receptor) which then dimerizes with a second bHLH/PAS protein (Arnt) to form a heterodimeric, DNA binding transcription factor. The AhR/Arnt complex interacts with a dioxin-responsive transcriptional enhancer located upstream of the target CYP1A1 gene. The receptor-enhancer interaction disrupts the nucleosomal structure of the regulatory region, increasing the access of the transcription factors to the CYP1A1 promoter in vivo.