Shawn Owen

Dr. Shawn Owen is the Biological Chemistry Program Director at the University of Utah, where he also holds the position of Associate Professor of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering. His research focuses on protein engineering, bioconjugation, and therapeutic and diagnostic platforms for precision medicine.

• Education: B.S. and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Utah
• Departments: Molecular Pharmaceutics, Medicinal Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Owen’s research spans antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), biomaterials for cell-based therapies, and complementation-based diagnostic systems. His work aims to improve the pharmacokinetics of ADCs through self-amplifying designs and develop luminescent immunoassays for biomarker detection.

His recent publications (2025–2021) highlight advancements in T-cell immunotherapy, sirtuin activity assays, HER2-targeted therapies, and split-protein diagnostic systems. These studies emphasize applications in cancer treatment, metabolic vulnerabilities, and in vivo molecular imaging.

Dr. Owen leads a research laboratory at the University of Utah, utilizing polymeric micelles, hydrogels, and bioconjugation techniques to address challenges in drug delivery and diagnostics.