“Leveraging Chemoproteomic Tools to Drive Discovery in Chemical Biology”
Abstract: Despite tremendous advances and powerful tools from the human genome project, our understanding of the human proteome is uneven at best. In fact, estimates suggest that we know almost nothing about some 30-35% of human proteins, while less than 5% have been successfully prosecuted in drug discovery programs. Across the landscape of protein-targeting small molecules, covalency has re-emerged as a favorable route to achieve selective, potent, and durable protein modulation. Here I will describe our efforts to develop and use chemoproteomic tools to streamline characterization of covalent compounds. Exemplary data for both well-established and emergent target families in the functional proteome will be presented along with new avenues for reagent and analytical method development.
Professional Biography: Jarrod Marto, Ph.D., is a Principal Investigator at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the Department of Cancer Biology and an Associate Professor of Pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Since 2006 Dr. Marto has served as Director of the Blais Proteomics Center at Dana-Farber and more recently launched the Center for Emergent Drug Targets. Dr. Marto is internationally recognized for his expertise in the development and use of state-of-the-art mass spectrometry and other bioanalytical techniques to understand how genomic alterations as well as the activity of chemical probes or clinical drugs manifest at the level of individual proteins, signaling pathways, or other compartments throughout the functional proteome. Dr. Marto has authored nearly 200 peer-reviewed papers across the fields of bioanalytical chemistry, scientific instrumentation, mass-informatics, chemical biology, and cancer cell signaling. In addition, he is a founding member of Entact Bio and serves on the SAB of 908 Devices. Dr. Marto earned his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry with Alan Marshall at The Ohio State University and went on to postdoctoral studies with Don Hunt at the University of Virginia. Dr. Marto joined the faculty at Dana-Farber in 2004.