School of Biomedical Sciences cordially invites you to join the following seminar:

Speaker: Professor Danny Chou, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Endocrinology and Diabetes), Stanford University
Talk Title: Structure-guided insulin analogs design for treating human diseases

Date: 3 July 2024 (Wednesday)
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre 1, G/F, William M.W. Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road
Host: Professor Jeff Ti

Biography

Danny Chou is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Endocrinology and Diabetes) at Stanford University. He received his PhD from Harvard University, working in the lab of Prof. Stuart Schreiber. He then moved to MIT, where he was a JDRF Postdoctoral Fellow in Department of Chemical Engineering. Danny started his independent career in Department of Biochemistry at University of Utah in August, 2014. At Utah, Danny's research focused on protein and peptide therapeutics for the treatment in Type 1 Diabetes and other human diseases. In 2020, Danny moved his research lab to Stanford University to continue their efforts in developing novel insulin therapeutics. His laboratory has received funding support from NIH, DoD, JDRF and American Diabetes Association. Danny has received recognitions including an American Peptide Society Early Career Lectureship, Boulder Peptide Society Young Investigator Award, JDRF Career Development Award, Vertex Scholar, JDRF Postdoctoral Fellow and ADA Junior Faculty Award.

Abstract

Since its discovery in 1921, insulin has been at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs. The surprising recent discovery that venomous snails evolved specialized insulins to capture fish demonstrated the nefarious use of this hormone in nature. Because of their streamlined role in predation, these repurposed insulins exhibit unique characteristics that have unraveled new aspects of the chemical ecology and structural biology of this important hormone. In this seminar, I will discuss our recent efforts in using these structural insights from non-natural insulin molecules to develop new insulin analogs for treating human diseases such as type 1 diabetes and congenital hyperinsulinism.

ALL ARE WELCOME
Should you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact Miss Crystal Chan at 3917 6830.