UC Davis researcher recognized for pioneering analytical approaches in peptide drug development

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced that the University of California has received an Agilent Research Catalyst (ARC) award on behalf of Professor Marie Heffern at the UC Davis campus. The award recognizes Professor Heffern’s innovative research into the analytical characterization of peptide and protein therapeutics targeting incretin and related pathways, an emerging area critical to advancing treatments for diabetes and obesity.

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Professor Marie Heffern alongside an Agilent 1260 Infinity II LC System (courtesy of UC Davis).

Professor Heffern is a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at UC Davis. Her research focuses on understanding how trace metal ions, such as copper, iron, and zinc, interact with incretin-based peptide therapeutics, including GLP-1 receptor agonists. These interactions play a critical role in drug stability, bioactivity, and formulation, yet remain underexplored in current pharmaceutical development.

“Metal interactions with peptides are known to occur, yet observations on their impact on peptide therapeutic development have been largely incidental,” said Professor Heffern. “We think these interactions may both hold important clues for variability in patient response and inform the design of more stable and effective formulations. We are very excited to have the support from the Agilent Research Catalyst grant that will enable us to develop analytical tools directed at interrogating these interactions and allow us to systematically address these questions in a deliberate and comprehensive way.”

The awarded research applies advanced analytical techniques, including liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LC-ICP-MS), native mass spectrometry, and high-resolution peptide mapping, to uncover non-canonical metal-peptide binding under physiological and formulation-relevant conditions. Using Agilent instrumentation such as the Agilent 8900 ICP-QQQ, Agilent 6546 Q-TOF LC/MS, and Agilent Infinity II LC systems, Professor Heffern’s lab aims to build a predictive framework for metal-peptide interactions that will inform drug design and formulation strategies. Her work is helping uncover critical formulation challenges in peptide therapeutics—an area where advanced analytical tools are essential.

"Professor Heffern’s research exemplifies the kind of scientific innovation the ARC program is designed to support," states Iris Mangelschots, vice president and general manager of the Liquid Phase Division at Agilent. "Her work exploring metal-peptide interactions in therapeutic development is not only advancing analytical science—it’s helping shape the future of peptide-based medicines. We’re proud to provide the tools and support that will enable this important research."

The ARC Award includes research funding and Agilent instrumentation, enabling Professor Heffern’s team to advance peptide therapeutic development through improved formulation strategies, reduced degradation, and enhanced performance. These insights will empower pharmaceutical developers to refine formulation approaches, reduce development costs, and improve therapeutic reliability.

"By leveraging Agilent’s advanced analytical platforms, Professor Heffern’s team is uncovering new dimensions of peptide formulation science that could reshape how we approach drug stability and performance," adds Nahid Chalyavi, associate vice president for University Relations at Agilent. "Supporting this work through the ARC program reflects our commitment to enabling translational research that delivers real-world impact."

This collaboration exemplifies Agilent’s commitment to enabling translational research and validating its technologies in real-world biomedical applications. Through the ARC program, Agilent provides financial support, advanced instrumentation, and scientific expertise to accelerate innovation in life sciences, diagnostics, and chemical analysis.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global leader in analytical and clinical laboratory technologies, delivering insights and innovation that help our customers bring great science to life. Agilent’s full range of solutions includes instruments, software, services, and expertise that provide trusted answers to our customers' most challenging questions. The company generated revenue of $6.51 billion in fiscal year 2024 and employs approximately 18,000 people worldwide. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com. To receive the latest Agilent news, subscribe to the Agilent Newsroom. Follow Agilent on LinkedIn and Facebook.

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