Samy Meroueh

Samy Meroueh is a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, affiliated with the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology and the Department of Biochemistry. He holds the Phil and Ann Sharp Scholar in Cancer Drug Discovery title. His research focuses on developing small molecules to target undruggable proteins involved in cancer and immune responses, including RAS and Rho GTPases, TEAD·YAP1 interactions, and HPV oncogenes. Meroueh's work employs fragment-based drug design and covalent inhibition strategies to modulate protein interactions, with applications in cancer therapy and neurobiology.

Key research interests include:

• Targeting protein-protein interactions for cancer drug discovery
• Covalent inhibitors of RAS and Rho GTPases
• Small molecules modulating TEAD·YAP1 signaling
• Anti-viral strategies against HPV
• Structural biology and chemical biology approaches

Recent publications highlight advancements in KRAS inhibition via covalent bonds, TEAD·YAP1 antagonists, and Ral GTPase modulation. Meroueh collaborates with the Cancer Center at Illinois and maintains an active lab offering positions for students, postdocs, and technicians in biochemistry and structural biology.

His lab’s work has led to several patents, including methods targeting uPAR-uPA interactions and compounds inhibiting cancer metastasis. Meroueh is committed to translating discoveries into clinical applications through interdisciplinary approaches.