Chemical Biology Program

The Derek Tan Lab

Derek Tan, PhD

Chair, Chemical Biology Program, SKI; Tri-Institutional Professor

Professor

The identification of small-molecule probes and therapeutic lead compounds to address novel biological targets is a significant current challenge in chemical biology and drug discovery. We are engaged in a two-pronged approach to this problem involving diversity-oriented synthesis and rational design as complementary approaches to ligand discovery. Our work in both of these areas is influenced at multiple levels by insights from natural products. At the core of these efforts is the development of new chemical methodologies to provide flexible, efficient, systematic access to these structures. We leverage multidisciplinary collaborations with biologists to evaluate these molecules to probe key biological processes and to explore new therapeutic opportunities in cancer and infectious diseases. Our group is strongly committed to promoting diversity and inclusion at all levels and welcomes scientists from all backgrounds!

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Research Projects

Research Projects

VIDEO | 02:08

Inside My Lab: Derek Tan

Go inside the lab of Derek Tan from SKI's Chemical Biology Program.

Video Details

Featured News

Sloan Kettering Institute Scientists Retool CAR T Cells to Serve as ‘Micropharmacies’ for Cancer Drugs

Thursday, December 30, 2021

These souped-up versions may help overcome some limitations of existing CAR T cells.

Science Spotlight: Experience the Drug Discovery Journey with Derek Tan, PhD

Monday, June 15, 2020

The June 15 edition of “MSK Science Spotlight,” features Derek Tan, PhD discussing “A Drug Discovery Journey from Tuberculosis to Cancer.”

In the Lab

New Chemical Biology Program Brings Power of Chemistry to Biomedical Research

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

A new Sloan Kettering Institute program will enhance the use of chemical principles to investigate biological processes.

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Publications

Engineering CAR-T cells to activate small-molecule drugs in situ.
Gardner, T. J.; Lee, J. P.; Bourne, C. M.; Wijewarnasuriya, D.; Kinarivala, N.; Kurtz, K. G.; Corless, B. C.; Dacek, M. M.; Chang, A. Y.; Mo, G.; Nguyen, K. M.; Brentjens, R. J.; Tan, D. S.; Scheinberg, D. A. Nat. Chem. Biol. 2022, 18, 216–225.
[ Abstract | PubMed ]
(Highlighted in Nat. Chem. Biol.)

Cheminformatic analysis of natural product-based drugs and chemical probes.
Stone, S.; Newman, D. J.; Colletti, S. L.; Tan, D. S. Nat. Prod. Rep. 2022, 39, 20–32.
[ Abstract | PubMed ]

Defining new chemical space for drug penetration into Gram-negative bacteria.
Zhao, S.; Adamiak, J. W.; Bonifay, V.; Mehla, J.; Zgurskaya, H. I.; Tan, D. S.* Nat. Chem. Biol. 2020, 16, 1293–1302.
[ Abstract | PubMed | PMC ]

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People

Derek Tan, PhD

Chair, Chemical Biology Program, SKI; Tri-Institutional Professor

Professor

Derek Tan’s lab studies diversity-oriented synthesis and rational drug design of probes and lead compounds for chemical biology and drug discovery.
BS, Stanford University
PhD, Harvard University

[email protected]: Email Address
Download CV: PDF File

Members

Derek Tan, PhD — Derek Tan
Member and Lab Head

Maxim Oleynikov

Pharmacology Rotation Student

Lab Alumni

Christopher Evans
Graduate Research Assistant

Sirkka Moilanen Stephan
Graduate Student

Alyssa Verano
Graduate Research Assistant

Kha Nguyen
Undergraduate Research Assistant

Yao Xu , PhD — Yao Xu
Postdoctoral Fellow

Shalini Balakrishnan
Postdoctoral Fellow

Maria Chiriac, PhD — Maria Chiriac
Postdoctoral Fellow

Tezcan Guney, PhD — Tezcan Guney
Postdoctoral Fellow

Jessica Hurtak, PhD — Jessica Hurtak
Postdoctoral Fellow

Shibin Zhao, PhD — Shibin Zhao
Postdoctoral Fellow

Campbell Echols
Administrative Assistant

Eleanor Allen
Pharmacology Rotation Student

Tran Hoang
Pharmacology Rotation Student

Chan Hee Choi
MD-PhD Rotation Student (2013)

Jarrod French

TPCB Rotation Student

Christina Maksymiuk
Pharm Rotation Student

Christopher Nieves-Escobar
TPCB Rotation Student

Jeremy Paige
Pharmacology Rotation Student

Julie Pickett
Pharmacology Rotation Student

Michael Stokes
Pharmacology Rotation Student

Svena Verma
Pharmacology Rotation Student

Isa Watson
Pharmacology Rotation Student

Lab Affiliations

Achievements

Development of salicyl-AMS, a novel antibacterial agent to treat tuberculosis and other infections
Louise and Allston Boyer Young Investigator Award for Basic Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2010)
Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences (2013)

Open Positions

To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center

Career Opportunities

Training opportunities in the Tan lab.

Apply now

Get in Touch

[email protected]

Lab Head Email
646-888-2228

Lab Phone

Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Derek Tan discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

Adjuvance Technologies
Intellectual Property Rights
Aflac Inc.
Ownership / Equity Interests
Amgen
Ownership / Equity Interests
Biogen Idec
Ownership / Equity Interests
CVS Caremark Corp
Ownership / Equity Interests
Cerner Corporation
Ownership / Equity Interests

Institute for Research of Barcelona
Provision of Services
Merck & Co Inc.
Ownership / Equity Interests
Moderna, Inc.
Ownership / Equity Interests
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Ownership / Equity Interests
United Health Group
Ownership / Equity Interests

The information published here is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.

This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2020 through disclosure submission in spring 2021). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].

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