Derek S Tan

Derek S. Tan is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Weill Cornell Medical College, holding a Tri-Institutional Professor position effective from 2025. His research integrates chemical synthesis with biological applications, focusing on drug discovery, enzyme mechanisms, and therapeutic engineering. He maintains an active research program with continuous NIH funding.

Education:

• Ph.D., Harvard University (2000)
• B.S., Stanford University (1995)

Research Focus: Professor Tan's work spans chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, and microbiology. He designs bioactive molecules targeting bacterial permeability, enzyme inhibition, and cellular therapeutics. Key areas include ubiquitin pathway biochemistry, antibiotic development against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Plasmodium falciparum, and engineered T-cell therapies for cancer. His interdisciplinary approach bridges synthetic chemistry with translational applications.

Publication Trends: Recent articles (2021-2024) demonstrate three primary themes: 1) Development of mechanistic probes for enzyme systems (ubiquitin pathway, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases), 2) Antibacterial/antiparasitic agent design leveraging bacterial permeability studies, and 3) Cellular engineering strategies including CAR-T micropharmacies for targeted drug activation. The work consistently combines synthetic chemistry innovation with biological validation.

Grants: As Principal Investigator of the Tri-institutional PhD Program in Chemical Biology (NIH/NIGMS funded), he leads initiatives spanning 2020-2025 and 2025-2030. This underscores sustained commitment to interdisciplinary training at the chemistry-biology interface.