A Changemaker in the Fight Against Cancer
When it comes to creating leads for cancer-fighting drugs, Liela Romero describes herself as a chef—mixing individual chemicals together to create a stronger finished product. Her field is organic chemistry, but the products she produces represent more than new molecular pairings—they represent hope for those who will face the disease.
In her Baylor laboratory, Romero and her research team study molecules from naturally occurring marine sources, like algae. This knowledge serves as an initial stepping stone for further research.
“A large portion of new therapeutic drug leads have historically come from natural products or are derived from some form of natural products,” Romero said. “In my work, I’m interested in exploring bioactive natural products to understand where this anticancer activity is derived from in order to further improve the efficacy and therapeutic potential of these small molecules. To improve these efforts, a significant part of our research focuses on creating new strategies for more direct access to these molecules. Ultimately, our goal is to create new chemical tools applicable to broader drug development in the pharmaceutical industry.”
Like an experimental chef, Romero’s team mixes chemical ingredients together, and then analyzes the results to determine their potential effectiveness. Some are marked for further study for potential cancer drugs, and may also be shared with other researchers across the nation to enhance their own ability to promote drug leads. Whatever the outcome, each experiment moves researchers that much closer to change—sharper insight that may someday lead to the treatments that neighbors around the world will need.
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