Hello! My name is Esdras Lopez and I am currently a chemical engineering student at the University of Texas at Austin, with a focus on cellular and molecular bioengineering.

I have always been fond of trying new combinations with spices, calculus problems, and everything in between. Recent experiences have led me to narrow down my focus on the intersection between biology, medicine, and physics, as I believe they will be a leading vector in the future of science and technology. 

I am specifically passionate about using the lenses of chemical biology, physical biology, synthetic biology, and systems biology to develop novel protein therapeutics, scalable gene and cell therapies, and enhanced titers of sustainable chemicals and biologics. As an aside, I am also interested in optimizing gene and drug delivery using nanomaterials science, structural biology, and biophysics.

RESEARCH INTERESTS: Protein engineering (DARPins, antivirals, protein assembly), Metabolic engineering, Genetic engineering (CRISPR, siRNA, humanization), Immunotherapy (CAR T-cell, mAbs), Molecular Biology (Nuclear Pore Complex, Mitochondrial ATP transport, Cytoskeleton & Motor Proteins, Riboswitches, Ubiquitin, Tau protein), Reaction networks, Mathematical Oncology, Biomolecular Condensates (stress granules, cajal bodies), Molecular Motors, Transcription Factors (NF-kB, OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, MYC), Molecular Chaperones (HSPs), Mechanobiology (Mechanosensing, Mechanotransduction, Protein Elasticity), Enzymes (Ribozymes, DNAzymes), Biophysics (Bioenergetics, Allostery and Conformational Dynamics), Drug Delivery (DNA Origami, LNPs), Drug Discovery (Deubiquitylating enzymes), Pathophysiology (Neurodegeneration, Angiogenesis, Chromothripsis, RNA viruses, TP53 gene, KRAS gene)