The Feng Lab is interested in developing small molecules that inhibit cellular enzymes in the realm of immune-metabolic regulation to combat viral infection and carcinogenesis. Dr. Ahmed’s role in this project is to carry out medicinal chemistry experiments that further improve our lead compounds in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic behavior. Our ongoing collaboration is currently funded by a pilot R21 grant from NIAID.
USC Mann School maintains multiple core laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment suites and appropriate research staff support, providing facilities not typically maintained in individual labs. The four main laboratories, the Multi-Omics Mass Spectrometry Core (MS Core), Translational Research Laboratory (TRLab), the Histology Laboratory and the Lentiviral Laboratory, are all located in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Center on the USC Health Sciences Campus.
The TRLab houses a number of specialized instruments used for Molecular Biology, Cell and Immunobiology, Imaging and Analytical applications. The MS Core is equipped with state-of-the-art instruments for imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), high-throughput screening, and quantitative metabolomic and proteomics. Both the Histology and Lentiviral cores are mainly service-based facilities. USC Mann facilities serve the USC scientific community from both campuses, and are also available to researchers outside of USC.
Accordion Content
The core mission of USC Mann Translational Research Laboratory (TRLab), located in 10 laboratory spaces of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Center, has been to provide investigators with a state-of-the-art technological platform and technical expertise to advance translational research endeavors in the school and at USC.
The Mass Spectrometry Core at the USC Mann School serves the scientific research community at USC as well as external collaborators. This core is equipped with state-of-the-art instruments for imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), high-throughput screening, and quantitative metabolomic and proteomics. It is dedicated to actively collaborate with internal and external research groups in providing comprehensive service in MALDI imaging and high-throughput screening of small molecules, peptides and proteins using mass spectrometry.
Instrumentation: Bruker Rapiflex Tissuetyper, HTX M5 sprayer, Thermo Fisher Q-Exactive Orbitrap equipped with both ESI and APCI ion sources equipped with a nano-LC system, Sciex Q-Trap 6500.
USC Mann Histology Laboratory, located in room B6 (basement level) of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Center, is ready to help you with your histology and pathology research needs. We provide services on tissue processing, sectioning and staining. Expert advice is available concerning staining techniques and the interpretation of microscopic images. The cryostat and microtome are also available for use by reservation only (see Scheduling).
USC Mann Lentiviral Laboratory provides services for production of small-scale lentiviral stocks for delivery and expression of transgenes or shRNA of interest. The engineered lentiviral constructs are either provided by the end-users or produced in the lab according to the needs of the customers. We also help in stable cell-line generation and characterization.
Our goal is to facilitate research studies by providing lentiviral stocks for delivery and expression of transgenes in difficult to transduce primary cells or tissue culture, long-term expression for stable cell lines and gene silencing. Currently, our efforts are directed at creating a Stereotaxic Core Laboratory that in conjunction with the Lentiviral Core will suffice the Research community in their needs of brain-targeted delivery of gene of interest or shRNA. These novel technological approaches are required to answer important scientific questions and used to generate platforms for drug discovery/development programs.
For access to Lentiviral Lab services, please contact Dr. Liana Asatryan at asatryan@usc.edu
The Medicinal Chemistry core plays a crucial role in the drug discovery process through the selection and synthesis of compounds that establish structure–activity relationships and achieve efficacy and safety in preclinical animal testing. We provide synthetic chemistry resources which is an essential cross-cutting platform to support a robust drug discovery research program.
Our goal is to assist USC investigators in all aspects of small molecule drug discovery and development process, including, but not limited to, target validation, lead optimization using advanced machine learning software, tool compound custom synthesis, small scale and multi-gram scale synthesis and purification, structural determination, purity analysis, and provides support with ADMET, In Vivo-PK/PD studies, as well as with In Vivo Safety Pharmacology.
Pinghui Feng
PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC
I chose TRLab because I simply could not find any other research core that offered all the tools I needed under one platform. High quality and comprehensive training/service of TRLab enable me to strengthen the skills and knowledge for my research program, and bring me up to a higher standard of competency. With the great help of TRLab, my research project was leaded to a better process. TRLab saved me countless hours and the final results exceeded my expectations.
Minjie Zhang
PhD
Research Associate, Lu Lab at the USC Mann School
The USC Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Histology Laboratory is a trustworthy resource for USC researchers. They are always kind and helpful, with great passion and high quality of service. With their assistance, we have acquired high-quality H&E-stained slides and blank slides for IHC staining. The data have been published in several of our papers, in which the core has been acknowledged for their contributions.
Changsheng Xing
PhD
Assistant Professor of Research, Keck School of Medicine of USC
Our lab has had a great experience working with the MS Core. The staff are knowledgeable and helpful with experimental design, troubleshooting and data interpretation. We will certainly continue to work with MS Core in the future.
Brian Luna
PhD
Assistant Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine of USC
Dr. Syed from USC Medicinal Chemistry Core has played a crucial role in guiding our drug discovery efforts through medicinal chemistry approaches. He is an exceptional medicinal chemist and has developed and designed molecules using the novel PROTAC chemistry techniques.