Disease processes within the human body are shaped by the dynamic interplay between
invading pathogens and the host’s defense mechanisms. The intricate molecular
interaction involves continuous modifications of both host and pathogen proteins, driven
by posttranslational modifications (PTMs) and coevolutionary mutations, to finely regulate
their interactions with binding partners. In this talk, I will elucidate my research efforts
aimed at unraveling these complex molecular interactions through the integration of
chemical and synthetic biology approaches. Firstly, I will delve into my work about
chemical biology pathways for site-specific protein modification, advancing our
understanding of PTM biology. Next, I will describe the recently invented “library-on-
library” approaches designed to co-evolve protein-protein interactions (PPIs). This
technique addresses a pivotal challenge in understanding crucial PPIs in immunology,
including those within host-pathogen interfaces.