Shizhong is a chemical biologist. During his PhD, he discovered a series of novel macrocyclic peptide inhibitors that target the previously ‘undruggable’ proteins KRas and Gαs, which are the leading causes of pancreatic cancer.
As a Schmidt Science Fellow, Shizhong will pivot from Chemistry to Biological Engineering with Professor Alice Ting at Stanford University to decode the mechanisms behind cell-cell communications contributing to brain disease progression. He plans to develop the next generation molecular recorders for in vivo characterization of protein signals in the brain.
Shizhong’s ultimate goal is to create innovative chemical biology tools that can improve our understanding and treatment of brain diseases. In addition to research, he is deeply devoted to mentoring and empowering the next generation of scientists. He aims to establish an inclusive and supportive environment where a diverse group of team members can excel and make contributions to the scientific community.