Welcome to the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics

George Burslem, PhD 

George Burslem is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and Cancer Biology. The Burslem lab aims to bring the tools provided by synthetic chemistry to bear on problems in biomedical sciences, particularly in cancer biology and epigenetics. Specifically, we are interested in post-translational modifications, changes to a protein after it’s produced, which add an incredible level of diversity to the underlying proteins within a cell and can control a diverse array of processes, including protein stability, interactions, and activity. For example, some favorite modifications can lead to the protein being degraded which provides a mechanism to get rid of proteins which cause disease. Our hope is that through our work, we will not only provide insight into the processes underlying disease, but also provide new therapeutic strategies which can be used in a clinical setting to ultimately improve patient outcomes. For example, several of our projects have provided new drug-like molecules to address liabilities in lung cancers and leukemia. 

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