Western Kentucky University
Department of Physics and Astronomy

Colloquium

Mayme Van Meveren

Department of biochemistry
Vanderbilt University

"A Biophysical Toolkit: Applications in Protein-Based Drug Discovery"

March 09, 2026 @ 4:00 pm in KTH 2038 (Zoom ID: 93595838321)

Abstract

Early-stage drug discovery is an iterative process driven by experimental data and informed hypotheses. We focus on cancer-associated proteins that have traditionally been considered “undruggable” due to their structural and conformational properties. Using a SAR-by-NMR approach (structure–activity relationship by NMR), we first identify small molecular fragments that bind weakly to the target protein. Medicinal chemists then iteratively optimize these fragments into larger, more potent compounds, guided by their performance across a suite of biochemical and cellular assays. This presentation will highlight the physical principles underlying several key assays used to measure molecular interactions and cellular response. These include fluorescence polarization anisotropy; time-resolved Förster resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET); AlphaScreen ternary complex assays; protein quantification and degradation analysis by Western blot and in-cell Western; and live-cell measurements of on-target transcriptional activity. In addition, I will introduce emerging technologies such as tissue-on-a-chip models and ensemble-based predictive protein modeling.