Our research focuses on small molecule and protein design as an approach to understanding macromolecule structure and function.
The proteins that run our bodies have been shaped by 4 billion years of messy trial and error. Now, using AI, scientists William DeGrado, PhD, James Fraser, PhD, and Tanja Kortemme, PhD, are designing efficient and creative new versions of these molecules to intervene when our natural processes fall short.
A UCSF research team led by Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences Chair and Professor James Fraser, PhD and Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Professor William DeGrado, PhD, has pioneered a breakthrough approach to designing proteins with targeted functions, which could lead to simpler ways to improve enzymes and medications, among other uses, according to a new study published in Nature Chemistry.
Professors William DeGrado, PhD, and Tanja Kortemme, PhD, have landed three out of five inaugural awards given by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) that aim to strengthen the bioeconomy by translating advances in AI into real-world biotechnologies that support domestic manufacturing, sustainable materials, and resilient supply chains.