Leslie M. Hicks

Leslie M. Hicks, PhD, serves as a Chancellor’s Science Scholar Term Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her research program develops innovative mass spectrometry-based proteomics approaches to study antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), host-microbiome interactions, and their implications in cancer biology.

Dr. Hicks' educational background includes:

• Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Marshall University, summa cum laude
• Doctor of Philosophy in Analytical Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, NSF Graduate Research Fellow

Her primary research areas focus on proteomics, mass spectrometry methodology development, antimicrobial peptide discovery, and redox biology. The Hicks Lab pioneered the PepSAVI-MS platform—a hybrid bioassay-guided/top-down mass spectrometry approach—for identifying novel bioactive peptides with anticancer and antimicrobial properties. Current investigations explore microbiome-produced AMPs' roles in host physiology, tardigrade stress response mechanisms, and reversible cysteine oxidation in photosynthetic organisms.

Analysis of Dr. Hicks' publication record shows consistent innovation in mass spectrometry applications across diverse biological systems—from plant-microbe interactions to extremophile organisms—with particular emphasis on peptide natural products discovery and oxidative stress responses. Her work bridges analytical chemistry, molecular biology, and translational medicine.

Dr. Hicks' scientific contributions have been recognized through significant honors:

• NSF CAREER Award (2015)
• Eli Lilly Young Investigator Award (2018)
• Robert J. Cotter New Investigator Award (2018)
• Agnes Fay Morgan Research Award (2019)
• ACS WCC Rising Star Award (2020)
• William C. Friday Teaching Excellence Award (2020)

As an educator and mentor, Dr. Hicks has received multiple teaching awards including the SfRBM Mentoring Excellence Award (2020) and developed innovative graduate-level analytical chemistry curricula. Her research program is supported by competitive grants including her NSF CAREER award and institutional funding from UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Hicks Lab maintains active collaborations across chemistry, biology, and medical research disciplines.

The Hicks Lab operates under a commitment to creating 'an equitable, inclusive, and welcoming' research environment. Current projects include developing optimized peptide libraries for AMP discovery, investigating resistance evolution mechanisms, and exploring connections between microbiome-derived peptides and cancer development through integrated proteomics approaches.