News from the Institute

In a now published Perspective in Molecular Cell, scientists from six leading European research institutions, Goethe University Frankfurt, IRB Barcelona, AITHYRA in Vienna, the University of Dundee, and EPFL Lausanne, propose the creation of a European Alliance to accelerate the development of proximity-induced drug modalities. These therapeutic approaches aim to harness the concept of bringing molecules into close proximity to target disease-relevant proteins, many of which are currently considered undruggable. 

In their publication researchers from IBC2 and collaborating universities have discovered a way to prevent harmful TDP-43 aggregates in cells under stress by redirecting the protein to the cell’s own repair system—offering promising new strategies for treating ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Martin Wegner, a former member of IBC2 has received the Alumni Doctorate Award at the Dies Academicus of the Medical Faculty at Goethe University for his PhD thesis.

Targeted protein degradation (TPD) is an emerging therapeutic strategy that hijacks the cellular recycling machinery to degrade and remove disease causing proteins. The E3 ligase Cereblon (CRBN) is the central player for this process. Small molecule drugs recruit disease relevant proteins to the CRBN surface, which are then marked for degradation and removed by the cells.