Mark Carr Email & Phone Number

I have built and managed a successful structural biology research group for nearly 30 years (integrated NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography), which currently contains 3 research fellows, 6 postdoctoral scientists, 1 research assistant and 1 Ph.D student. My scientific career has concentrated on determining the structures, functions, interactions and mechanisms of action of proteins and protein complexes involved in key biological processes of significant medical importance, including the characterisation of interactions with potential new therapeutic antibodies and small molecule drugs. The ongoing research in my group aims to integrate the information obtained from molecular, cellular and structural biology-based approaches to provide a detailed understanding of the function of proteins involved in disease states and to identify new opportunities for drug discovery. In addition, through close collaboration with pharmaceutical companies such as UCB Biopharma and translational charities such as LifeArc and Cancer Research UK, we aim to make a major contribution to the discovery, design and development of important new drugs. This includes the pioneering of innovative new approaches to drug discovery, such as antibody-assisted structure-based drug discovery.Over the last 17 years, a research partnership between my group and UCB Biopharma has shown that detailed protein structural and epitope information obtained by NMR spectroscopy-based approaches can contribute to the selection, mechanistic understanding and patent protection of new therapeutic antibodies. This has made major contributions to the development of several new therapeutic antibodies, including Cimzia (anti-tumour necrosis factor α), Evenity (anti-sclerostin) and Bimekizumab (anti-interleukin-17A and interleukin-17F), collectively providing effective treatment options for a range of major human diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis and osteoporosis. We have also made major structural biology contributions to therapeutic antibody discovery projects with LifeArc and the Cancer Research UK-AstraZeneca Antibody Alliance Laboratory.Current research within my group falls into three main areas.i) Structural biology in drug discovery, design and development, including therapeutic antibodies and small molecule drugs.ii) Pioneering of antibody-assisted structure-based drug discovery and design.iii) Structures, interactions and mechanisms of action of protein regulators of Wnt signalling, including Dkk family proteins and sclerostin.

Listed skills include Nmr Spectroscopy, Biochemistry, Structural Biology, Drug Discovery, and 3 others.