Professor Alessio Ciulli
FRSE FRSC
Professor
Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences
Director of the Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation
Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences
Contact
Websites
Research
Research in the Ciulli Lab broadly spans the fields of Chemical Biology and Structural Biology of Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) and is specifically concerned with studies of druggability of PPIs to small molecule modulators. Of particular interest are protein surfaces and interfaces recognizing protein Post-Translational Modifications (PTMs) within multi-domain and multi-subunit protein complexes. We employ a question-driven, multi-disciplinary approach that combines chemical, biophysical and structural techniques with the concepts and approaches of fragment-based and structure-based drug design. The 'chemical probes' we design and develop are evaluated biophysically, structurally and whenever possible within living cells as tools to address biological questions, and as starting leads with potential to be developed as novel therapeutics.
Current and future research efforts are directed towards targeting PPIs and PTM recognition within two protein families of biological and medical relevance:
Ubiquitin System: the Cullin RING E3 ubiquitin ligases (CRLs) multisubunit complexes
Chromatin System: Multidomain proteins of containing paired domains of the epigenetic reader families
Teaching
BS42011: A 4th year module entitled "Advanced Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology"
PhD Projects
Principal supervisor
Second supervisor
Awards
Award | Year |
---|---|
Innovation and Knowledge Exchange awards / Commercialisation Achievement of the Year at PraxisAURIL KE Awards | 2023 |
Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh | 2023 |
Innovation and Knowledge Exchange awards / ‘Fierce 15’ biotechnology company by Fierce Biotech | 2022 |
International Science Prizes awarded since 1990 / Prous Institute-Overton and Meyer Award for New Technologies in Drug Discovery | 2022 |
Innovation and Knowledge Exchange awards / ‘Financing Deal of the Year’ at the Scrip Awards | 2021 |
Fellow of Learned Societies and Colleges / Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry | 2016 |
International Science Prizes awarded since 1990 / MedChemComm Emerging Investigator Lectureship (2016) | 2016 |
International Science Prizes awarded since 1990 / Royal Society of Chemistry Capps Green Zomaya Award | 2016 |
International Science Prizes awarded since 1990 / EFMC Prize for Young Medicinal Chemist in Academia | 2015 |
International Science Prizes awarded since 1990 / ICBS Young Chemical Biologist Award | 2015 |
International Science Prizes awarded since 1990 / Talented Young Italians Award | 2014 |
Major Personal Funding Awards / ERC Starting Grant | 2012 |
Personal Fellowships / BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship | 2010 |
Stories
Press release
World-leading expertise from the University of Dundee’s Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation (CeTPD) will contribute to a new, global effort to tackle some of the most significant challenges posed by cancer.
Press release
A breakthrough class of molecular glue identified at the University of Dundee could pave the way for a new generation of drugs to target cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.
News
A one day symposium for the Scottish cryo-EM community took place on 30 November 2023