My research interests focus on the design and discovery of synthetic and natural product inspired small molecules, which can provide insight into biological mechanisms and disease targets. My laboratory employs the tools of synthetic medicinal chemistry, molecular modeling and chemical biology for translational research in drug discovery, development, imaging and radiation. The key aims of my research are (i) to design probe molecules that can be used to characterize the functions of particular proteins or drive specific cellular phenotypes, (ii) discover compounds that could be turned into drugs for human diseases and, (iii) educate the next generation of drug hunters.