Dr. Sara Buhrlage

Biography

Sara Buhrlage is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard University. Her research focuses on developing first-in-class inhibitors and prototype drugs targeting Deubiquitinating Enzymes (DUBs) to validate new cancer treatment targets. The primary challenge facing the cancer research community is the disparity between the number of biologically validated drug targets and those that are pharmacologically validated. This research group aims to address this challenge by identifying novel targets and compounds that promote the specific degradation of oncogenic proteins using ubiquitin tags. Impediments to pharmacological and clinical validation of DUBs exist due to the lack of potent and selective small molecule inhibitors. The group employs various approaches to develop DUB inhibitors, including peptidomimetic strategies and screening inhibitor libraries for anti-cancer activities. They collaborate with synthetic chemists, biochemists, cell biologists, and structural biologists to accelerate research in the ubiquitin system.

Research Interests

Experience