Kevan Shokat studies two of the most critical types of regulatory enzymes in the body – kinases and GTPases – both of which are key to directing cell activity. Shokat develops novel chemical tools to decipher how these enzymes interact with other proteins and contribute to cell signaling networks, under both normal and diseased conditions. A deeper understanding of kinases and GTPases and how they coordinate cell-cell communication may lead to more effective therapeutics for diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s, and other forms of immune dysfunction.
HHMI Investigator Kevan Shokat and his lab are charting new therapies to outmaneuver drug resistance and better target common cancer cell mutations. A map of interactions between the novel coronavirus and human proteins is helping scientists identify drugs that might work as therapeutics. The crystal structure of a G protein commonly mutated in pituitary tumors could help researchers develop anti-cancer drugs. HHMI scientists have designed a potential cancer therapy that uses a unique strategy to block a molecule that drives the growth of cancer. HHMI researchers identify a potential Achilles heel in the oncogene K-Ras. Scientists have discovered that an active ingredient in an over-the-counter skin cream slows or stops the effects of Parkinson’s disease on brain cells. Ten scientists affiliated with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences.