Directory Profile

Zoe Vaughn
Graduate Student

Program: PhD
Track: Medicinal Chemistry
Advisor: Donna M. Huryn, PhD

Zoe Vaughn is a rising fifth year Pharmaceutical Science PhD student specializing in Medicinal Chemistry under the advisement of Dr. Randy Smith. Zoe works on synthesizing molecules that have the potential to help treat a variety of disease states such as Acute Kidney Injury, AKI, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancers. In a collaboration with her co-advisor Dr. Neil Hukriede in the developmental biology department Zoe works on various biological assays including an AKI induced zebrafish assays to test the efficacy of compounds that are synthesized in the Huryn Lab.

Research Interest

Zoe Vaughn’s research interest consist mainly of organic synthesis of molecules to help treat a variety of disease states such as neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. Zoe also has an interest in biological testing the compounds that are synthesized to generate hits for the desired target to treat these diseases.

Publications

Long, K.; Vaughn, Z.; McDaniels, M. D.; Joyasawal, S.; Przepiorski, A.; Parasky, E.; Sander, V.; Close, D.; Johnston, P. A.; Davidson, A. J.; de Caestecker, M.; Hukriede, N. A.; Huryn, D. M., Validation of HDAC8 Inhibitors as Drug Discovery Starting Points to Treat Acute Kidney Injury. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science 2022, 5 (4), 207-215

Awards

Summer 2021 Intern Merck & Co, Discovery Chemistry, Kenilworth, NJ
First Place Poster presentation, Medicinal Chemistry Division of the 12th Annual PSRS, Pittsburgh, PA