Faculty and Staff

Biography

Daniel Ciulla joined the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2026 as an assistant professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He received his doctorate in chemistry of biological systems from Binghamton University, where he trained in enzyme kinetics and protein purification while studying Sonic Hedgehog (SHh) protein, a challenging oncogenic target. His graduate program established a first-in-class cellular high-throughput screening assay for SHh modulators. This work in assay development led him to a postdoctoral fellowship in the Assay Development and Screening Technologies lab within the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). During his time at the NIH, he pursued building new tools and technologies for preclinical drug discovery, screening, and optimization.

The Ciulla Lab operates at the intersection of biology and chemistry, where cutting-edge research produces innovative biotechnology for application in both the pharmaceutical industry and academia. Currently, the lab focuses on a groundbreaking drug discovery platform called the Structural Dynamics Response (SDR) assay. Research into the SDR assay encompasses a wide range of techniques including DNA design and synthesis, protein production and purification, ligand-binding assays, and cell culturing. The lab seeks to understand the fundamental mechanisms underlying the SDR phenomenon while expanding its potential as a versatile tool in the pharmacologist’s toolbox.
Beyond the lab, Ciulla is passionate about teaching and mentorship, as well as finding opportunities to support his home community in the Greater Binghamton area. 

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, National Center for Advancing Translation Sciences (NCATS, NIH)
• PhD, Chemistry of Biological Systems, Binghamton University
• BS, Biochemistry, Binghamton University

Research Profile

• Science.org — New assays are always welcome
• National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NIH) — New assay technology could reshape approach to drug discovery