University of South Florida · ChemistryAlzheimer's Therapeutics and Molecular Design Lab
Jianfeng Cai · Tampa, Florida
Research Focus
Dr. Jianfeng Cai's lab at the University of South Florida focuses on understanding Alzheimer's disease, specifically how amyloid beta peptides aggregate in the brain and contribute to dementia. The lab is creating new molecules that can prevent and disrupt this aggregation, potentially leading to effective treatments. Their research combines chemistry, biology, and innovative material design to develop therapeutic agents that may help improve memory and brain function in patients with Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's Diseaseamyloid betapeptidomimeticsprotein aggregationtherapeutic agents
Research Aims
5AIM 01Design new compounds to bind and stabilize monomeric amyloid beta peptides.
AIM 02Investigate the ability of these compounds to prevent amyloid aggregation in vitro.
AIM 03Test the efficacy of lead compounds in AD transgenic mouse models.
AIM 04Assess the impact of these compounds on neuro cell growth and dendrite branching.
AIM 05Explore the use of similar strategies for other amyloid diseases.
Skills the Lab Values
2D-NMRkinetic binding assaysmolecular designsynthesis of peptide mimeticsanimal models for Alzheimer's research
Output against the department
Publications365top 31% of dept.66th of 216
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations9.2ktop 50% of dept.107th of 216
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.