The M.H. Mohseni Urology Institute of Urological Sciences offers a comprehensive suite of expertise and services to advance drug discovery and personalized medicine. Our Therapeutics Development core is a leader in both computational and experimental drug design, seamlessly integrating with cutting-edge protein engineering, genomics, and pathology resources. 

This synergy ensures a streamlined process from target discovery to clinical trial readiness, supported by state-of-the-art facilities, advanced technologies, and a team of world-class scientists dedicated to translational research. Explore our full range of services designed to accelerate breakthroughs in cancer treatment.

Our expertise spans the entire drug discovery pipeline, from tackling novel targets to advancing candidates to Phase I clinical trials. We focus equally on method development and method application to remain a global leader in drug discovery and personalized medicine. Our expert team of scientists and technicians work in a state-of-the-art facility and balance work in research and development, which integrates seamlessly with the genome analysis, pathology and functional genomics services, as well as the clinical trials unit, to realize a comprehensive and focused translational research centre. The Therapeutic Development core includes the Gobind Khorana Protein Engineering Core.

• Drug target identification and characterization
• Comprehensive drug discovery and optimization in silico platform
  • AI-accelerated Deep Docking solution capable of screening billions of easily available compounds for hit discovery and SAR expansion
  • Access to trillions of more compounds for SAR expansion via long standing relationships with global leaders in fine chemical production
  • Cutting-edge Machine Learning, Deep Learning and Generative AI tools to analyze structure-activity relationships and develop clinical candidates with superior potency, selectivity, and bioavailability.
• GC and LC-MS assays for a variety of chemistries in biological matrices for GLP studies
• Biomarker assay development
• Single agent studies and combination studies

Pharmacodynamic and biomarker analysis of novel drugs in human clinical trials

Gobind Khorana Protein Engineering Core 

The Gobind Khorana Protein Engineering Core, part of the M.H. Mohseni Urology Institute, supports groundbreaking cancer and infectious disease research. Established with funding from CFI and BCKDF, the core was named in honor of Nobel Laureate Har Gobind Khorana, a pioneer in synthetic gene construction.

The core provides cutting-edge tools for protein expression, purification, and characterization, enabling high-quality drug screening and structural studies. Key technologies include Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC), BioLayer Interferometry (BLI), Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC), and Microscale Thermophoresis (MST).

Advanced biophysical techniques such as Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and thermal shift assays ensure protein integrity for optimal drug discovery. The C-Trap optical tweezers system further enhances research by allowing real-time, single-molecule studies of protein interactions.

By supporting drug validation and targeted therapy development, the core plays a vital role in advancing cancer treatment.

In summary, the core provides the following support to the scientific community:

• Protein Expression and Purification
  • Expertise in molecular biology and biochemistry to design, clone, and express cancer targets, either alone or in complex with stabilizing partners (bacterial and mammalian expression capabilities)
  • Production of high-quality samples for biophysical and/or structural studies (AKTA FPLCs)
• Biophysical Characterization of Protein Integrity
  • Analysis of protein quality, proper folding, and stability (DLS, SEC-MALS)
  • Determination of protein aggregation and percentage of monodispersity (MST, DLS)
  • Characterization of the protein’s oligomeric state (AUC, SEC-MALS)
  • Characterization of DNA binding at single molecule levels (C-trap optical tweezers)
  • Characterization of liquid-liquid phase separation C-trap optical tweezers)
• Drug Validation
  • Testing binding affinities of ligands to their targets (BLI, MST, AUC, ITC)
  • Potency ranking of small-molecule/peptides/antibodies to specific targets (BLI, MST, AUC, ITC)