A Changemaker in the Fight Against Cancer

When it comes to creating leads for cancer-fighting drugs, Liela Romero, B.S. ’11, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, describes herself as a chef — mixing individual elements together to create a stronger finished product. It’s a practice she began as a student at Baylor, when she was mentored by faculty who are now her colleagues. From there, she built a highly regarded reputation in postgraduate stops that included MIT before returning to live out her calling at Baylor.

Romero’s field is organic chemistry, but the products she produces represent more than new molecule mixtures — they represent hope for those who will face the disease.

In her laboratory, Romero and her research team study molecules from naturally occurring products like plants, algae, marine products and bacteria. The knowledge they gain serves as an initial stepping stone for further research.

“A large portion of new therapeutic drug leads have historically come from natural products or are derived from some form of natural products,” Romero said. “In my work, I’m interested in exploring them and developing new chemical strategies to understand where this anti-cancer activity is derived from in order to further improve the efficacy and therapeutic potential of these small molecules.” 

Like an experimental chef, Romero’s team mixes them together and then analyzes the results to determine their potential effectiveness. Some are marked for further study toward potential cancer drugs and may also be shared with other researchers across the nation to enhance their own ability to promote drug leads. Whatever the outcome, each experiment moves researchers that much closer to change — sharper insight that may someday lead to the treatments that people around the world will need.