11:30 – 11:45  Jasmine Bickel – Novel Inhibitors of CD59: Breaking Resistance to Immunotherapy in Cancer

11:45 – 12:00  Anna Cioce – Towards understanding the cancer glycoproteome

12:00 – 13:00  Visting Speaker : Professor Ali Tavassoli – Platforms for the generation and high-throughput screening of  Microcycle libraries for inhibitors protein-protein interactions

Abstract

Microcycles are head-to-tail cyclic hexapeptides that hold much promise in drug discovery. Here, we will detail methods for the preparation of genetically encoded Microcycle libraries in cells and in microfluidic droplets. These libraries have been interfaced with a number of high-throughput assays for the direct identification of functional inhibitors of various protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions, including several first in class compounds. The presentation will include examples in which Microcycle hits from these screens have been further optimised as a first step towards the design of novel low molecular weight clinical candidates.

Biography

Ali is Professor of Chemical Biology at the University of Southampton in the UK, and founder and CSO of Curve Therapeutics. Ali is also the president elect of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s “Chemistry and Biology Interface Division” (2020-2023). Ali has previously served as the Chair of the RSC’s Chemical Biology and Bioorganic Group (2012-2015). Ali has won a number of awards during his career, including the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences’ medal for European Young Chemist (in 2008) and the RSC’s Protein and Peptide Science Award (in 2017).