Kit S. Lam

Kit S. Lam is a Distinguished Professor and Chairman Emeritus in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the University of California Davis School of Medicine. He also serves as Professor of Hematology & Oncology and holds the Sue Jane Leung Presidential Chair in Cancer Research. Dr. Lam is a board-certified medical oncologist and laboratory investigator who pioneered the field of combinatorial chemistry.

• B.A. in Microbiology (1975) - University of Texas at Austin
• Ph.D. in Oncology (1980) - McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin
• M.D. (1984) - Stanford University School of Medicine
• Internal Medicine residency and Medical Oncology Fellowship - University of Arizona

Dr. Lam's research spans combinatorial chemistry, chemical biology, drug development, molecular imaging, and nanotheranostics. He is renowned for inventing the 'one-bead-one-compound' (OBOC) combinatorial library method published in Nature in 1991, which has been cited over 2,500 times. His laboratory focuses on developing revolutionary methods for disease treatment at the nano-scale, including cancer targeting ligands for imaging and therapy, nanotheranostic agents, and exosome diagnostics. Recent work includes developing tumor-targeting nanoparticles, membrane-active peptides, and novel platforms for cancer immunotherapy.

Analysis of Dr. Lam's recent publications (2021-2023) reveals a strong focus on nanomedicine applications in cancer therapy, particularly in targeted drug delivery, immunotherapy enhancement, and diagnostic imaging. His work consistently integrates combinatorial chemistry approaches with nanotechnology to address challenges in cancer treatment, including drug resistance, tumor microenvironment modulation, and precision targeting. Key themes include bispecific nano-immunoengagers, tumor-associated macrophage imaging, and metabolic pathways in cancer radioresistance.

Dr. Lam has received numerous prestigious awards throughout his career:

• Sue Jane Leung Presidential Chair in Cancer Research (2018)
• American Peptide Society's Vincent du Vigneaud Award (2013)
• Harold Albin Johnson Endowed Chair in Biomedical Research (2010-2021)
• Award of the Society of Combinatorial Sciences (2007)
• UC Davis Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring (2007)
• Leukemia Scholar of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

As co-director of the Cancer Therapeutic Program at the UC Davis NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Lam has secured significant grant funding for his research. He served on the NCI Board of Scientific Counsellor from 2016-2022 and serves on the External Advisory Boards of multiple cancer centers. His laboratory has developed numerous patented technologies including the OBOC combinatorial library method, with over 37 issued US patents to his name.

The Lam Lab is a multidisciplinary research team comprising chemists, biologists, engineers, and clinicians working collaboratively on nanomedicine and combinatorial chemistry projects. The lab maintains strong collaborations with the UC Davis Veterinary School of Medicine for translational research in canine and feline patients. Their state-of-the-art facilities include capabilities for combinatorial library synthesis, nanoparticle formulation, in vitro and in vivo cancer models, and advanced imaging techniques.