The Zhou Laboratory combines protein design, high-throughput biochemistry, and computational methods to interrogate and rewire how cells perceive their environment. By creating programmable proteins such as bispecific degraders, synthetic receptors, and biosensors, we aim to redirect protein fates and cell signaling pathways to uncover new approaches to target cancer and immune disorders.

We engineer the molecules of cellular communication:

Trafficking rewiring molecules and degrader designs: We develop bispecific antibody degraders that reprogram membrane protein trafficking to eliminate oncogenic and immune receptors.

Technology for cell-specific drug delivery: We engineer context-specific biomolecules that deliver therapeutic payloads precisely to cancer cells.

Technology to understand cancer metastasis: We build biosensors and recorders to interrogate tumor metastasis mechanisms.

Immune rewiring: We engineer synthetic pathways in immune cells to control their anti-tumor activity.

Cancer rewiring: We design programmable protein systems that redirect oncogenic pathways toward therapeutic outcomes.