Professor Alessio Ciulli - 'Protein degraders: new insights and twists of molecular mechanism and drug design'
1:00pm - 2:00pm /
Thursday 12th February 2026
/ Venue: Physiology seminar room Nuffield Wing
Type: Seminar /
Category: Research
/ Series: Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology
- ISMIB Seminar Team
- Admission: Free, no registration required.
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Professor Alessio Ciulli is Chair of Chemical and Structural Biology at the University of Dundee. His laboratory at the Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation (CeTPD) reveals molecular information on protein interactions and ubiquitination complexes and mechanisms to design novel molecular therapeutics and concept. Protein degrader, also known as PROTACs (PROteolysis-TArgeting Chimeras) and molecular glues, recruit a target protein to a ubiquitin E3 ligase for targeted protein degradation. Formation of a stable ternary complex between the degrader, the E3 ligase and the target is a critical step that leads to productive tagging of the target protein by ubiquitination, and subsequent proteasomal degradation.
Professor Ciulli's research has illuminated fundamental structural and biophysical insights into molecular recognition and mechanism of action of protein degraders, that have guided the design and optimisation of novel small molecules for hard-to-target proteins, including Brd9, SMARCA2, KRAS and LRRK2. Key lessons from his group's fundamental work and drug discovery campaigns will be outlined. Recent work will be shared on creative chemical designs and insights that have illuminated a fascinating continuum of molecular recognition and mechanism between PROTACs and molecular glues, and its relevance to drug discovery.
All welcome.
Professor Ciulli's research has illuminated fundamental structural and biophysical insights into molecular recognition and mechanism of action of protein degraders, that have guided the design and optimisation of novel small molecules for hard-to-target proteins, including Brd9, SMARCA2, KRAS and LRRK2. Key lessons from his group's fundamental work and drug discovery campaigns will be outlined. Recent work will be shared on creative chemical designs and insights that have illuminated a fascinating continuum of molecular recognition and mechanism between PROTACs and molecular glues, and its relevance to drug discovery.
All welcome.