This month, the KNCV division of Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology (MCCB) unfortunately had to cancel the division’s 50-years anniversary MCCB symposium that was planned in Eindhoven. Fortunately, we have found local organizer prof. Luc Brunsveld willing to give a webinar that is a perfect illustration of the intensions that we had with the cancelled MCCB symposium. The lecture will reflect the synergy between Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology and illustrate the broadening base of the KNCV division.
More information about the ongoing activities of the division can be found in our recent update that was sent to our members.
Prof. Brunsveld combines organic synthesis, protein chemistry, structural biology, and supramolecular chemistry to perform chemical biology studies on protein-protein interactions (PPIs) with the aim to enable innovative medicinal chemistry for ‘molecular glues’ for PPIs. In this presentation he will show that a “supramolecular” point of view to protein-protein interactions (PPIs) helps to unravel the underlying, more complex, interaction mechanisms. This ‘systems approach’ to PPIs allows to recognize and apply concepts such as multivalency and cooperativity within the context of drug discovery. Using nuclear receptors and 14-3-3 proteins as examples the webinar aims to provide answers to questions such as:
- How can chemical biology studies steer medicinal chemistry for PPIs?
- What are the key physical-chemical characteristics of molecules that stabilize PPIs?
- How can we find chemical starting point for PPI stabilization?"
Luc Brunsveld is professor of chemical biology at the TU Eindhoven and was previously group leader at Organon and at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology. The research of the TU/e team centers around the molecular understanding and medical intervention of protein-protein interactions. The group aims to develop novel concepts for small molecule protein-protein interaction stabilization and in conceptual supramolecular cooperativity and multivalency concepts dealing with protein-protein interactions. Next to fundamental scientific research, the group is also active in translational activities, for example in the field of clinical chemistry and via venture-backed biotech start-up AmbAgon Therapeutics Inc. (scientific co-founder). Luc enjoys teaching about molecules and their interactions.
