Kun Yang

Kun Yang serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Biology & Medicinal Chemistry at the College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin.

His research centers on DNA-protein cross-links (DPCs), highly cytotoxic and mutagenic DNA lesions induced by endogenous sources, radiation, environmental contaminants, and chemotherapeutic agents like platinum compounds. The Yang Lab employs integrated methodologies spanning biochemistry, molecular/cellular biology, organic synthesis, and mass spectrometry to investigate DPC formation, biological consequences, and repair mechanisms. This work aims to elucidate DPC-related disease etiologies—including cancer—and develop strategies to inhibit DPC repair pathways for enhancing chemotherapy efficacy.

Current projects encompass chemical synthesis of biologically relevant DPCs, characterization of their cellular impacts, molecular dissection of repair mechanisms, development of small-molecule repair inhibitors, and novel biochemical applications. The lab actively recruits postdoctoral fellows and graduate/undergraduate students with expertise in biochemistry, molecular biology, and organic synthesis.