Development Under Stress - Finding New Ubiquitylation Enzymes for Therapeutic Benefit: a QBI/Gladstone seminar with Michael Rape

The QBI/Gladstone Institutes Infectious Disease and Human Health Seminar Series presents a seminar with Michael Rape of the University of California Berkeley.

Michael Rape is a pioneer in uncovering molecular mechanisms of cell fate determination, using posttranslational modification with ubiquitin as his starting point. Michael’s work revealed new ubiquitin chain types, essential ubiquitylation enzymes, and substrates, as well as mechanisms of ubiquitylation that are essential for human development and disease. Most recently, Michael’s lab discovered quality control of protein complex composition, which is essential for nervous system development and maintenance. His work led to the first prospective development of molecular glue targeting E3 ligases, which greatly helped in opening up the ubiquitin system for drug discovery. To advance new ubiquitin-focused approaches in drug discovery, Michael co-founded Nurix Therapeutics.

Michael received his PhD at the Max-Planck Institute of Biochemistry, where he discovered the first ubiquitin-dependent chaperone, the segregase CDC48/p97. His work was recognized with the Otto-Hahn Medal. Michael then joined Marc Kirschner’s lab at Harvard Medical School, where he uncovered principles of ordered protein degradation during cell division and revealed pathways underlying cancer cell resistance to the chemotherapeutic paclitaxel. In late 2006, Michael joined the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California at Berkeley, where he is currently the Dr. K. Peter Hirth Chair of Cancer Biology and a Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology. Michael is also an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. His work has been recognized with a Pew Scholar’s Award, the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise, the National Blavatnik Award, and an NIH Director’s New Innovator Award.