Seed Grant: Using chemoproteomics to develop new cancer therapeutics

Overview

The most transformational human health research projects require expertise, techniques, and instrumentation not typically found in academia. To address these needs, Sarafan ChEM-H launched the Nucleus, a cluster of labs led by industry experts in areas like drug development,  structural biology, and clinical research who collaborate with Stanford labs. 

Sarafan ChEM-H is pleased to announce the expansion of Nucleus capabilities to include chemoproteomics. The Chemoproteomics group provides access to a wide range of mass spectrometry-based methods aimed at studying proteins and their interactions with other proteins or small molecules. This includes: (1) global proteomics (protein abundance profiling, activity-based protein profiling); (2) targeted protein analysis; (3) analysis of post-translational modifications (phosphorylation, acetylation, glycoproteomics); (4) interaction analyses (immunoprecipitation or affinity purification); (5) structural analysis (XL-MS); (6) intact protein analysis.

Through this seed grant, Sarafan ChEM-H is accepting applications from Stanford labs that would like to leverage the Chemoproteomics group at the Nucleus to advance therapeutic approaches in cancer, with a preference for EGFR-mutant lung cancer. Examples of suitable projects include studies focusing on drug target deconvolution, drug effects, biomarker discovery, tissue and plasma profiling, and disease and/or disease cell culture model characterizations.

Successful projects will receive up to $25,000 in the form of in-kind support, which will include consultations with staff, experimental design, instrument time and/or training on the timsTOF HT mass spectrometer, data analysis, and data interpretation. The award period will be 12 months. 

Applicants are encouraged to reach out to Dina Schuster, Assistant Director of Chemoproteomics (dschust@stanford.edu) with questions about project applicability or scope, especially if they have no prior chemoproteomics or proteomics experience.

Apply here

Deadline 

All application materials must be received by 11:59 pm, Friday, June 6, 2025. 

Eligibility 

Each project will need to identify a Principal Investigator and a Primary Researcher. The Principal Investigator must be a Stanford faculty with UTL, UML, NTLR or CE appointment. CEs should provide a note from their Chair or Division Chief with their application stating that the Department/Division will cover salary support for time devoted to the project. The Primary Researcher must be a Stanford graduate student or postdoctoral scholar who will devote between 10% and 25 % time to the project over a 12-month period. 

Support provided

Successful projects will receive $25,000, in the form of in-kind support, which will include consultations with staff, experimental design, instrument time and/or training on the timsTOF HT mass spectrometer, data analysis, and data interpretation. The award period will be 12 months. 

Application information

The application will include a proposal (see below) and a brief form, which will require the following information:

  • Basic information about Principal Investigator and Primary Researcher
  • Project title
  • Project description (~200 word project description aimed at a general audience)
  • Brief description of any prior (chemo)proteomics experience and/or collaborations
  • Estimate of number of desired samples to measure
  • Description of sample type (cells, tissue, plasma, etc.)
  • If applicable: description of compound you would like to test

Proposal

Submit one PDF file containing the following in the order indicated below. All documents should be single-spaced, Arial 11 point font with 0.5” margins.

Proposals should be organized as follows:

  1. Title page (1 page)
    1. Project Title
    2. Name, title, and contact information for Principal Investigator(s)
    3. Name, title, and contact information of Primary Researcher (i.e. the student or postdoctoral scholar responsible for conducting the research and directly collaborating with Dina Schuster)
  2. Project Summary (½ page)
    1. Include in the summary a description of the therapeutic or bioanalytical strategy you aim to develop and how support from the Chemoproteomics group at the Nucleus will enable this.
  3. Project Narrative (2 pages)
    1. Background
      1. Please include a clear description of the problem you aim to solve and/or the the hypothesis you aim to test
    2. Goals/specific aims
    3. Preliminary Data (if applicable)
    4. Project description
      1. Please include the ways in which access to the Chemoproteomics group uniquely enables this research.
  4. References (1 page)

What is the Nucleus?

The road from molecules to medicines, from discovery to translation, is complex. No single lab is equipped to address each hurdle on the path. The Nucleus at Sarafan ChEM-H is a cluster of labs that bring scientific expertise, tools, and flexibility to Stanford. Led by a unique cadre of industry-trained scientists, the groups at the Nucleus provide industry expertise, cutting-edge instruments and training to Stanford labs. From metabolomics to crystallography, from medicinal chemistry to cell therapies, the Nucleus supercharges research at Stanford.

Learn more at: https://chemh.stanford.edu/research/nucleus 

Questions?

For general questions and questions related to the seed grant application process, please contact Rebecca McClellan (rmcclell@stanford.edu). 

For questions related to project scope, budget, and in-kind support, please contact Dina Schuster, Assistant Director of Chemoproteomics (dschust@stanford.edu)