Wei-Jen Tang Laboratory

Lab Members

Wei-Jen Tang, PhD

Wei-Jen Tang, PhD

Professor of Ben May Department of Cancer Research

My laboratory focuses on applying integrated structural and biochemical approaches to elucidate the molecular basis of protein-protein interactions and protein-ligand/drug interactions that are relevant to human health and diseases. Armed with such knowledge, we then apply chemical and pharmacological approaches to develop therapeutic innovations. I am part of the Biophysical SciencesCommittee on Cancer Biology, Committee on Microbiology, and Committee on Neurobiology graduate programs. 

wtang@uchicago.edu | Learn more

Jordan Mancl, PhD

Jordan Mancl, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow, NIH F32

Jordan is interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying protein activation and function as they relate to human health and disease. Towards this end, Jordan employs a diverse methodological approach that integrates a range of structural, biochemical, and cellular techniques.

jmancl@uchicago.eduGoogle Scholar

Katherine Yao

Katherine Yao

Research Technician

Katherine’s primary research focus involves characterizing PreP and human presequences using structural, biophysical, and biochemical analyses. By better understanding how PreP recognizes and degrades presequences, she hopes novel drug therapies may be developed for a variety of human diseases (For more information, see her google scholar and linkedin page).

Jessica Martinez Martinez

Jessica Martinez Martinez

Undergraduate Researcher

Wen-Hsin Lee

Postdoctora scholar

Past Members

Shuizhong Yan, PhD
Shuizhong Yan, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Current Position: Group Leader, Hospira, Inc. 

Yuequan Shen, PhD
Yuequan Shen, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Current Position: Professor, Nankai University

Qing Guo, PhD
Qing Guo, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Brian Bishop, PhD
Brian Bishop, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Enrico Malito, PhD
Enrico Malito, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Wenguang (Vinson) Liang, PhD
Wenguang (Vinson) Liang, PhD

Postdoctoral fellow

Chester Lee Drum, MD PhD
Chester Lee Drum, MD PhD

PhD, Neurobiology

Jeff Beeler, PhD
Jeff Beeler, PhD

PhD, Neurobiology

Natalia Zhukovskaya, PhD
Natalia Zhukovskaya, PhD

PhD, Neurobiology

Current Position: Researcher, University of Pennsylvania

Darren Liu
Darren Liu

Rotation student, Biophysics program 2023

Current Position:

Maria Evers
Maria Evers

Rotation Student, Cancer Biology

Current Position:  Graduate researcher, Shannon Elf Lab

Nick Bayhi
Nick Bayhi

Graduate student, biophysics

Nick is using coarse-grained and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to understand how cryptidase enzymes interact with their various substrates. This understanding then guides his efforts to engineer substrate-selective variants of these enzymes.

Ray Bourdeau, PhD
Ray Bourdeau, PhD

Research Technician

Marika Manolopoulou, MD
Marika Manolopoulou, MD

Research Technician

Current Position: Nephrology, Cookeville Regional Medical Center

Yao Bian, PhD
Yao Bian, PhD

Research Technician

Current Position: Director, Scientific Communications at Vaniam Group

Lauren McCord

Research Technician

Current Position:

Julia T. Warren, MD
Julia T. Warren, MD

Undergraduate Researcher

Julie Lynn Tsay, MD
Julie Lynn Tsay, MD

Undergraduate Researcher

Current Position: Cardiologist, Mayo Clinic

John King, PhD
John King, PhD

Undergraduate Researcher

Mary Lin, PhD
Mary Lin, PhD

Undergraduate Researcher

Mara Farcasanu, MD
Mara Farcasanu, MD

Undergraduate Researcher

Andrew Wang

MSTP, University of Chicago

Vasilios Kalas, MD PhD
Vasilios Kalas, MD PhD

Undergraduate Researcher

Teresa Chen, MD
Teresa Chen, MD

Undergraduate Researcher

Current Position: Resident, UCLA Stein Eye Institute

Swansea Mo

Undergraduate Researcher

Michelle Nguyen
Michelle Nguyen

Undergraduate Researcher

Current Position: