This technology includes the identification of small molecule inhibitors of nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor-2 (Nrf2) as therapeutic anticancer agents. Multiple mechanisms lead to frequent dysregulation of Nrf2 activity in cancer cells, which promotes both tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance. Dysregulated Nrf2-Keap1 pathway is a novel determinant of chemoresistance/radioresistance and inhibition of Nrf2 signaling will enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutic and radiotherapy.

This technology includes mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1) inhibitors to be utilized as anticancer therapy. These potent inhibitors are aimed at lowering levels of the oncometabolite–2-hydroxyglutarate.

This technology includes a novel chemotype against mutant (R 132H) isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) enzyme to be utilized as an anticancer therapy. We have progressed the structure activity relationship (SAR) and optimized the compound to be low nanomolar inhibitor of the enzyme with low nanomolar inhibition of the target in cells. These compounds lower 2-hydroxyglutarate, which has been termed an 'oncometabolite' and is common in a subset of cancers including glioma, cholangiocarcinoma, chondrosarcoma and acute myeloid leukemia.

This technology includes a family of inhibitors of 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) which could be utilized as a treatment for cancer. These compounds are based on a carbiothioamide core and represent the first chemotype capable of inhibiting this enzyme. The compounds have in vitro IC50s of 1-5 uM and exhibit selective cytotoxicity towards PHGDH-overexpressing cell lines of ~10 uM. They exhibit at least an order of magnitude lower toxicity towards cell lines that do not express PHGDH.

This technology includes the identification and use of heterocyclic alcohol compounds, including RITA and N-BIC, for the treatment of SULT1A1-expression cancers. A high-throughput screen (qHTS) was performed using >1,000 caner cell lines identified a compound called YC-1 (also called Lificiguat) that is effective across cancer cell types that express the phase 2 detoxifying enzyme SULT1A1.

This technology includes selective inhibitors of the human enzyme galactokinase (EC 2.7.1.6), which may be useful for the treatment of Galactosemia and other diseases caused by aberrant galactose metabolism, including cancer. These compounds inhibit the first step in galactose metabolism, thereby eliminating the build-up of toxic metabolites during the aberrant metabolism of galactose, as well as inhibitor the entry of galactose into glycolysis and other downstream assays.

This technology includes the enablement of the nanoliter-scale transfer of biological liquids in array format from a microplate (source plate) containing cultured cells or other protein-containing mixtures onto a nitrocellulose membrane that has been mounted within a custom-designed target plate. Using this method and the prototype nitrocellulose target plate, reverse phase protein arrays can be generated in which protein levels from each well transferred onto the membrane can be detected and quantified.

This technology includes device and sensor selection for the detection of blood metabolites which can be used to diagnose and monitor diseases in real-time. Currently the monitoring of metabolite levels is performed with specialized mass spectrometry instrumentation, therefore patient quality-of-life and financial advantages exist to develop devices capable of detecting metabolites in real-time.

This technology includes inhibitors of the Eya phosphatase which can be utilized as anticancer therapy. The Eya proteins are essential co-activators of the Six1 transcription factor, a gene that is abnormally re-expressed in a large percentage of breast cancers. This over-expression plays a causal role in the initiation and metastatic development of breast cancers. The Eya family of proteins was also found to contain a unique haloacid dehalogenase phosphatase domain with protein Tyr phosphatase activity which can potentially play a role in Six1- mediated breast tumorigenesis.

This technology includes compounds that improve endoplasmic reticulum-lysosomal trafficking and normalizes the Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) phenotype in assays using NPC1 patient cells, which can be used for the treatment of NPC, other lysosomal storage disorders, and potentially other neurodegenerative disorders. NPC is a rare neurodegenerative lipidosis caused by mutations in NPC1 or NPC2 genes, and characterized by the accumulation of cholesterol and glycolipids in the late endosomes and lysosomes. Currently there is no FDA-approved treatment for this devastating neurodegenerative disease.