Chemical Biology Program

The Derek Tan Lab

Research

Derek Tan, research lab head
Derek Tan, PhD
Chair, Chemical Biology Program, SKI; Tri-Institutional Professor; Eugene W. Kettering Chair

The identification of small-molecule probes and therapeutic lead compounds to address novel biological targets is a significant current challenge in chemical biology and drug discovery. We are engaged in a two-pronged approach to this problem involving diversity-oriented synthesis and rational design as complementary approaches to ligand discovery. Our work in both of these areas is influenced at multiple levels by insights from natural products. At the core of these efforts is the development of new chemical methodologies to provide flexible, efficient, systematic access to these structures. We leverage multidisciplinary collaborations with biologists to evaluate these molecules to probe key biological processes and to explore new therapeutic opportunities in cancer and infectious diseases. Our group is strongly committed to promoting diversity and inclusion at all levels and welcomes scientists from all backgrounds!

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Research Projects

VIDEO | 02:08
Go inside the lab of Derek Tan from SKI's Chemical Biology Program.
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Tan Group 2019

Featured News

SKI scientists David Scheinberg and Derek Tan
Sloan Kettering Institute Scientists Retool CAR T Cells to Serve as ‘Micropharmacies’ for Cancer Drugs
These souped-up versions may help overcome some limitations of existing CAR T cells.
Derek Tan, PhD
Science Spotlight: Experience the Drug Discovery Journey with Derek Tan, PhD
The June 15 edition of “MSK Science Spotlight,” features Derek Tan, PhD discussing “A Drug Discovery Journey from Tuberculosis to Cancer.”
In the Lab
Test tubes and glass vials and beakers sit on a desk in a laboratory.
New Chemical Biology Program Brings Power of Chemistry to Biomedical Research
A new Sloan Kettering Institute program will enhance the use of chemical principles to investigate biological processes.

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Publications Highlights

Structural basis for transthiolation intermediates in the ubiquitin pathway.
Kochańczyk, T.; Hann, Z. S.; Lux, M. C.; Delos Reyes, A. M. V.; Ji, C.; Tan, D. S.* ; Lima, C. D.* Nature 2024, 633, 216–223.
[ Abstract | PubMed | PMC ]

Activation of N-formyldipeptide-masked prodrugs by human peptide deformylase.
Geißen, R.; Yildirim, O.; Köhn, M.; Scheinberg, D. A.; Tan, D. S.* ACS Chem. Biol. 2025, 2171–2179.
[ Abstract | PubMed | PMC ]

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People

Derek Tan, research lab head

Derek Tan, PhD

Chair, Chemical Biology Program, SKI; Tri-Institutional Professor; Eugene W. Kettering Chair

  • Derek Tan’s lab studies diversity-oriented synthesis and rational drug design of probes and lead compounds for chemical biology and drug discovery.
  • BS, Stanford University
  • PhD, Harvard University
tand@mskcc.org
Email Address
Download CV
PDF File

Members

Derek Tan, PhD
Derek Tan
Member and Lab Head
Kristin Hulsaver
Assistant to Chair
Yaritza Molina
Yaritza Molina
Administrative Assistant
Christian Cook
Research Technician
Fabian Krutzek
Postdoctoral Fellow
Elijah Mugabe
Graduate Student
Christopher Nieves-Escobar
Graduate Student
Pooja Pandya
Graduate Student
Kun Ho Park
Postdoctoral Fellow
Nicholas Duran
Research Technician
Niklas Rauscher
Postdoctoral Fellow
Renato Bauer
Graduate Student
Melissa Boby
Melissa Boby
Graduate Student
Justin Cisar
Graduate Student
Broderick Corless
Broderick Corless
Graduate Student
Tony Davis
Graduate Student
Avelyn Delos Reyes
Graduate Student
Christopher Evans
Graduate Research Assistant
Raphael Geißen
Graduate Student
Jonghan Peter Lee
Graduate Student
Sirkka Moilanen Stephan
Graduate Student
Justin Potuzak
Graduate Student
Sharanya Rajagopal
Graduate Student
Shiying Shang
Graduate Student
Lisa Standke
Lisa Standke
Graduate Student
Christopher Stratton
Graduate Student
Alyssa Verano
Graduate Research Assistant
Michaelyn Lux
Michaelyn Lux
Graduate Student
Kyle Planck
Pharmacology Rotation Student
Gianna Stella
TPCB Rotation Student
Kha Nguyen
Kha Nguyen
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Jacqueline Wurst
Graduate Student
Joshua Brooks
Postdoctoral Fellow
Chad Hatch
Chad Hatch
Postdoctoral Fellow
Yao Xu , PhD
Yao Xu
Postdoctoral Fellow
Shalini Balakrishnan
Postdoctoral Fellow
Maria Chiriac, PhD
Maria Chiriac
Postdoctoral Fellow
Christine DiBlasi
Postdoctoral Fellow
Corinne Foley
Postdoctoral Fellow
Tezcan Guney, PhD
Tezcan Guney
Postdoctoral Fellow
Jessica Hurtak, PhD
Jessica Hurtak
Postdoctoral Fellow
Indrajeet Sharma
Postdoctoral Fellow
Cheng Ji
Postdoctoral Fellow
Nihar Kinarivala
Nihar Kinarivala
Postdoctoral Fellow
Felix Kopp
Postdoctoral Fellow
Guodong Liu
Postdoctoral Fellow
Xuequan Lu
Postdoctoral Fellow
Daniel Macks
Postdoctoral Fellow
Gustavo Moura-Letts
Postdoctoral Fellow
Alberto Muñoz
Alberto Muñoz
Postdoctoral Fellow
Debarshi Pratihar
Postdoctoral Fellow
Christina Rotsides
Research Scholar
Jae-Sang Ryu
Postdoctoral Fellow
Shibin Zhao, PhD
Shibin Zhao
Postdoctoral Fellow
Daniel Tao
Research Scholar
Manuel Schupp
Postdoctoral Fellow
Todd Wenderski
Postdoctoral Fellow
Okan Yildirim
Okan Yildirim
Postdoctoral Fellow
Kwesi Amoa
Visiting Scientist
Mark Coster
Visiting Scientist (2013)
Hayato Iwadare
Visiting Scientist
Jeffrey Rothman
Visiting Scientist
Kory Byrns
MD Summer Research Student
Mia Chung
Research Technician
Dipti Barman
Research Associate
Farhan Chowdhury
Farhan Chowdhury
Research Assistant
Chun Tracy Liu
Research Assistant
Julian Maceren
Julian Maceren
Research Assistant
Samantha Stone
Research Assistant
Steven Pak
Research Assistant
James Rogér
Research Assistant
Marcus Williams
Marcus Williams
Summer Intern
Sean Abbott
Summer Intern
Jay Alsinawi
Summer Intern
Lisa Ambrosini
Summer Intern
Neal Amin
Summer Intern
Susan Xue Bai
Summer Intern
Matthew Boudreau
Summer Intern
Caitlin Conant
Summer Intern
Mikaela DiBello
Mikaela DiBello
Summer Intern
Alice Fok
Summer Intern
Derek Garcia
Summer Intern
Christopher Gerry
Summer Intern
Eun Bin Go
Summer Intern
Maya Huffman
Summer Intern
Grace Hylton
Summer Intern
Ruofei Faye Li
Summer Intern
Emily Lim
Summer Intern
Leon Moskatel
Summer Intern
Nevena Popovic
Summer Intern
Anna Soltys
Summer Intern
Amanda Ramdular
Summer Intern
Alex Rerick
Summer Intern
Lanie Wang
Summer Intern
Campbell Echols
Administrative Assistant
Ayo Shanti
Administrative Assistant
Eleanor Allen
Pharmacology Rotation Student
Tran Hoang
Pharmacology Rotation Student
Alana Williams
TPCB Rotation Student
Gil Blum
TPCB Rotation Student
Elliott Brea
MD-PhD Rotation Student
Chan Hee Choi
MD-PhD Rotation Student (2013)
Zhi’ang Chen
TPCB Rotation Student
Ethan Chiang
TPCB Rotation Student
Adam Cohen
TPCB Rotation Student
Paul Dossa
TPCB Rotation Student
Paolo Esquivel
TPCB Rotation Student
Jarrod French
TPCB Rotation Student
Elizabeth George Cisar
TPCB Rotation Student
Alec Goffin
TPCB Rotation Student
Amrita Hazra
TPCB Rotation Student
Jakob Hebert
TPCB Rotation Student
Alexis Jaramillo
TPCB Rotation Student
Zeinul Kazhkenov
TPCB Rotation Student
Muris Kobaslija
TPCB Rotation Student
Michael Langberg
GSK Rotation Student
Christina Maksymiuk
Pharm Rotation Student
Jason Morton
TPCB Rotation Student
Pengju Nie, BS
Pengju Nie
Pharmacology Rotation Student
Inish O'Doherty
TPCB Rotation Student
Maxim Oleynikov
Pharmacology Rotation Student
Jeremy Paige
Pharmacology Rotation Student
Robert Scott
Robert Scott
TPCB Student
Aidan Wirrick
Pharmacology Rotation Student
Nathaniel Park
TPCB Rotation Student
Julie Pickett
Pharmacology Rotation Student
Rudolph Pisa
TPCB Rotation Student
Cristina Santarossa
TPCB Rotation Student
Shi Chen
TPCB Rotation Student (2013)
Kam Siu
TPCB Rotation Student
Adam Rosenzweig
TPCB Rotation Student
Kate Ryan
GSK Rotation Student
Kaylyn Spotton
TPCB Rotation Student
Michael Stokes
Pharmacology Rotation Student
Caitlin Strain
TPCB Rotation Student
Taku Tsukidate
TPCB Rotation Student
Noah Yardeny
TPCB Rotation Student
Svena Verma
Svena Verma
Pharmacology Rotation Student
John Wallach
MD-PhD Rotation Student
Evelyn Warner, BA
Evelyn Warner
TPCB Rotation Student
Isa Watson
Isa Watson
Pharmacology Rotation Student
Lina Yi
TPCB Rotation Student

Achievements

  • Development of salicyl-AMS, a novel antibacterial agent to treat tuberculosis and other infections
  • Louise and Allston Boyer Young Investigator Award for Basic Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (2010)
  • Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences (2013)

Open Positions

To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center

To learn more about compensation and benefits for postdoctoral researchers at MSK, please visit Resources for Postdocs

Career Opportunities

Training opportunities in the Tan lab.

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Disclosures

Members of the MSK Community often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community. These activities outside of MSK further our mission, provide productive collaborations, and promote the practical application of scientific discoveries.

MSK requires doctors, faculty members, and leaders to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public. Not all disclosed interests and relationships present conflicts of interest. MSK reviews all disclosed interests and relationships to assess whether a conflict of interest exists and whether formal COI management is needed.

Derek Tan discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • Adjuvance Technologies
    Intellectual Property Rights
  • Aflac Inc.
    Equity
  • Amgen
    Equity
  • Bristol-Myers Squibb
    Equity
  • CVS Caremark Corp
    Equity
  • Institute for Research in Biomedicine Barcelona
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Medtronic
    Equity
  • Merck & Co Inc.
    Equity
  • Moderna, Inc.
    Equity
  • Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Equity
  • Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (CeMM)
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Solventum Corporation
    Equity
  • Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute
    Fiduciary Role / Position
  • UnitedHealth Group
    Equity

The information published here is a complement to other publicly reported data and is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.

This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2024 through disclosure submission in spring 2025). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at ecoi@mskcc.org.


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