Lori Emert-Sedlak, PhD

  • Research Associate Professor

Education & Training

  • PhD in Molecular Pharmacology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2005
  • BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 1999

Research Interest Summary

My work in our drug discovery group focuses on identification of small molecule compounds that target the HIV-1 accessory protein Nef. I develop novel assays, perform hig-throughput screenings, and work to optimize our compounds as potential drugs.

Research Interests

My research focuses on high-throughput drug discovery for inhibitors of the HIV-1 Nef and Vif accessory proteins. In addition to developing new assays that are compatible for screening large compound libraries, I work to define the biological relevance and the mechanism of the compounds that we discover. My project aims to develop the first drugs that target HIV-1 Nef.

Research Lab Affiliation

Smithgall Lab

Publications

Emert-Sedlack L, Tice CM, Shi H, Alvarado JJ, Shu S, Reitz AB, Smithgal TE. 2024. PROTAC-mediated degradation of HIV-1 Nef efficiently restores cell-surface CD4 and MHC-I expression and blocks HIV-1 replication. Cell Chem Biol. doi: 10.1101/2023.08.14.553289 | View abstract 

Shi H, Tice CM, Emert-Sedlak L, Chen L, Li WF, Carlsen M, Wrobel JE, Reitz AB, Smithgall TE. 2020. Tight-binding hydroxypyrazole HIV-1 Nef inhibitors suppress viral replication in donor mononuclear cells and reverse Nef-mediated MHC-I downregulation. ACS Infect Dis. 6. 2: 302. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00382 | View abstract 

Emert-Sedlak LA, Loughran HM, Shi H, Kulp JL 3rd, Shu ST, Zhao J, Day BW, Wrobel JE, Reitz AB, Smithgall TE. 2016. Synthesis and evaluation of orally active small molecule HIV-1 Nef antagonists. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 26. 5: 1480. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2016.01.043 | View abstract

Emert-Sedlak LA, Narute P, Shu ST, Poe JA, Shi H, Yanamala N, Alvarado JJ, Lazo JS, Yeh JI, Johnston PA, Smithgall TE. 2013. Effector kinase coupling enable high-throuput screens for direct HIV-1 Nef antaginists with antiretroviral activity. Chem Biol. 20. 1: 82-91. doi: 10.1016j.chembiol.2012.11.005 | View abstract

Emert-Sedlak LA, Kodama T, Lerner EC, Trible RP, Foster C, Lazo JS, Smithgall TE. 2009. Chemical library screens targeting an HIV-1 accessory factor/host cell kinase complex identify novel antiretroviral compounds. ACS Chem Bio. 4. 11: 939-47. doi: 10.1012./cb900195c | View abstract