Adam Renslo

Adam Renslo is a Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), School of Pharmacy. His research focuses on the interface of chemistry and biology, designing small molecules to treat diseases such as cancer, infectious diseases, and neurodegeneration. He co-leads the Small Molecule Discovery Center (SMDC) and is affiliated with the Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI). Renslo earned his PhD in Organic Chemistry from MIT and a BA in Chemistry from St. Olaf College.

His research expertise includes targeted drug delivery, modulation of labile iron pools, fragment-based drug discovery, and probe development for biological pathways. Notable projects include iron-targeted cancer therapies, antimalarials, and inhibitors of viral proteases. He has received continuous NIH funding, including grants for ferrous iron-dependent drug delivery, antimalarial lead discovery, and K2P channel research.

Renslo’s lab develops novel chemical probes like FeAL-1 for iron imaging and covalent inhibitors of caspases. His work bridges academia and industry, translating discoveries into clinical applications. Current projects include SARS-CoV-2 macrodomain inhibitors, KRAS-driven ferroptosis modulation, and neuroprotective agents for epilepsy.