Daniel K. Nomura

Professor Daniel K. Nomura is a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, with dual appointments in the Molecular Therapeutics Initiative and the Innovative Genomics Institute. His research focuses on reimagining druggability through chemoproteomic platforms to develop transformative medicines targeting undruggable proteins. He leads the Nomura Research Group, which explores three major research directions: chemoproteomics-enabled covalent ligand discovery, expanding targeted protein degradation technologies, and discovering new induced proximity-based therapeutic modalities.

His work addresses challenges in drug discovery by identifying novel ligandable hotspots and developing covalent ligands for undruggable targets. Key projects include advancing molecular glue degraders, expanding E3 ligase recruitment strategies, and engineering protein localization through covalent interactions. The lab collaborates with industry partners such as Novartis and has spun out Vicinitas Therapeutics to commercialize protein stabilization therapies.

Professor Nomura’s team includes graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and staff scientists specializing in chemical biology, molecular therapeutics, and proteomics. His group actively publishes in top-tier journals like Journal of the American Chemical Society, Nature Chemical Biology, and Cell Chemical Biology, with a focus on translating fundamental research into clinical applications.

Current funding and partnerships include the Novartis-Berkeley Translational Chemical Biology Institute and grants from institutions like The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research. The lab emphasizes training the next generation of chemical biologists through interdisciplinary projects spanning chemistry, biology, and medicine.