Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Chemical Biology
The Scripps Research Institute - 2012
Alexander Adibekian
Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Distinguished Chair in Natural Sciences and Mathematics
CPRIT Scholar in Cancer Research
Our laboratory operates at the interface of synthetic chemistry, biochemistry, and proteomics, developing chemical tools and mass spectrometry-based platforms for chemoproteomics-enabled target identification as well as drug and degrader discovery.
Professional Preparation
Ph.D. - Chemistry
ETH Zurich, Switzerland - 2009
ETH Zurich, Switzerland - 2009
M.Sc. - Life Science
Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany - 2004
Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany - 2004
Research Areas
1) Hypervalent iodine-based atom transfer reagents as chemoproteomic probes for target identification and drug discovery.
We are interested in developing new hypervalent iodine-based chemical probes and mass spectrometry methods for identifying cellular targets of bioactive small molecules.2) Natural product target identification.
We are actively applying our probes and proteomic methods to identify the cellular targets of structurally complex natural products with intriguing anticancer activities. Our goal is to understand their molecular mechanisms of action.3) Covalent-reversible tags for cellular delivery of peptides and proteins.
We are interested in small covalent-reversible tags that facilitate the transporter-mediated cellular delivery of hydrophilic, impermeable cargos such as peptides and proteins.4) Chemoproteomics-enabled drug discovery.
We are developing innovative chemical strategies to rapidly generate collections of structurally diverse covalent inhibitors, perform phenotypic screening in cancer cell lines, and identify their targets using our in-house chemoproteomic profiling methods.Appointments
Professor, Distinguished Chair in Natural Sciences and Mathematics
University of Texas at Dallas [2026–Present]
University of Texas at Dallas [2026–Present]
Professor, LAS Endowed Chair
University of Illinois Chicago [2022–2026]
University of Illinois Chicago [2022–2026]
Associate Professor
Scripps Research, Florida Campus [2017–2022]
Scripps Research, Florida Campus [2017–2022]
Assistant Professor
University of Geneva, Switzerland [2013–2017]
University of Geneva, Switzerland [2013–2017]
News Articles
https://www.dmagazine.com/healthcare-business/2026/02/cprit-awards-10-million-to-three-north-texas-doctors-for-cancer-research-and-recruitment/
The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas approved more than $15 million in CPRIT scholar recruitment grants to bring five new cancer scientists to four Texas research institutions. Of those five individuals, three are based in North Texas.“The grants approved today mark a significant step forward in cancer research and recruitment,” CPRIT CEO Kristen Doyle said. “The CPRIT Scholar program enables Texas institutions to bring the best and brightest cancer investigators here to Texas. This is important to Texans because the innovative research that happens here can lead to novel cancer-fighting clinical trials, drugs, and treatments that might be available first to Texans.”
Dr. Alexander Adibekian at The University of Texas at Dallas received $3.5 million in grant funding.