Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of treating a cancer in a subject by administering to the subject a compound that inhibits interaction between octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) and Mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MAPKAPK2), OCT4 and DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), or combinations thereof. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to the compounds of the present disclosure. Further embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of inhibiting interaction between OCT4 and MAPKAPK2 and/or OCT4 and DNA-PKcs by exposing protein complexes to the compounds of the present disclosure. Additional embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to methods of screening potential inhibitors of protein-protein interaction between a first protein and a second protein.