The Purdue University Board of Trustees on Friday (Feb. 2) ratified the naming of Rong Huang as the Evanson-McCoy Professor, effective July 1.
Huang is a professor of medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology. Her research focuses on drug discovery, epigenetics and medicinal chemistry, and chemical biology. Her lab applies an interdisciplinary approach to understand the molecular mechanisms of methyltransferases and acetyltransferases, design and synthesize selective and potent inhibitors to manipulate the epigenetic pathways, and develop novel and targeted epigenetic drugs.
Huang has identified new ways to regulate epigenetic pathways, offering potential avenues for developing novel therapeutic agents to combat pathological conditions, such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.
The Evanson-McCoy Professorship in Pharmacy was established in 2018 by Jack and Barbara McCoy to honor the late Robert V. Evanson, a Purdue alumnus and former Purdue Pharmacy professor, who had a profound impact on Jack when he was a student in the College of Pharmacy. Their endowment is matched by the Walther Cancer Foundation Matching Endowment.
The Evanson-McCoy Professorship funds a dual chair in the College of Pharmacy and the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research.