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SUMMARY:A chemical biology approach to the modulation of cell fate and cel
 l state  - Dr Luke Lairson\, Scripps
DTSTART:20190226T160000Z
DTEND:20190226T170000Z
UID:TALK119776@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:76804
DESCRIPTION:Our research laboratory uses a chemical biology approach to st
 udy cell fate- and cell state-determining processes that play a causative 
 role in the progression of human disease. We have ongoing research program
 s in areas ranging from the selective induction of endogenous stem cell di
 fferentiation to the modulation of immunological response within tumor mic
 roenvironments. Using the tools of structural diversity and high throughpu
 t phenotype-based discovery\, small molecules are identified that selectiv
 ely induce a desired impact on cell fate (e.g.\, induced differentiation t
 owards a defined lineage) or cell state (e.g.\, mitotic catastrophe). Vali
 dated hit compounds\, demonstrated to function via a novel mechanism\, are
  subjected to parallel structure-activity relationship studies and medicin
 al chemistry-based optimization\, as well as target identification and mec
 hanism of action studies. Potential molecular targets are identified using
  diverse mass spectrometry-based proteomics approaches involving synthesiz
 ed photo-activatable affinity probe reagents. Downstream mechanism(s) of a
 ction are elucidated using standard cell and molecular biology-based techn
 iques. Our research efforts ultimately result in chemistry-based discovery
  of novel biological mechanisms and the direct enablement of new drug disc
 overy programs. Using this phenotype-based discovery approach\, we have id
 entified novel targets and mechanisms\, as well as potential drug candidat
 es\, for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and defined cancer cell types
 . Specifically\, we have identified agents that enhance oligodendrocyte di
 fferentiation/maturation\, as well as molecules that selectively target gl
 ioblastoma cancer stem cells and mesenchymal cancers. 
LOCATION:Unilever  Lecture Theatre\,  Department of Chemistry
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