Rewiring Cancer Targets Through Proteome-Wide Discovery of Molecular Glues

About the Project

This project is co-sponsored by the EPSRC CDT in Chemical Biology and AstraZeneca.

Supervisors:

• Professor Ed Tate, Department of Chemistry, Imperial
• Dr Janine Gray, Department of Chemistry, Imperial
• Dr Iacovos Michaelides, AstraZeneca
• Dr Niall Anderson, AstraZeneca

Abstract:

Molecular glues are redefining what is druggable in biology. By inducing or stabilising protein-protein interactions, they enable selective modulation of targets long considered inaccessible, including transcription factors, chromatin regulators and signalling scaffolds. Unlike conventional inhibitors, molecular glues act by rewiring cellular interaction networks, offering new mechanisms such as degradation, sequestration and transcriptional control. However, their discovery remains largely serendipitous, constrained by the lack of scalable technologies to systematically identify glueable interactions across the proteome.

This project will establish a powerful new platform for molecular glue discovery, combining chemical biology, proteomics and data-driven analysis. Using PRISM (Proteome-wide Recruitment and neo-Interactome Screening for Molecular glues), we will map compound-induced protein–protein interactions directly in complex biological systems, revealing “neo-interactors” that define glueable interaction space. By screening focused libraries derived from existing ligands, the project will repurpose known chemical matter to generate entirely new induced proximity mechanisms and therapeutic hypotheses.

The student will develop and apply high-throughput proteomic workflows to identify and quantify ternary complexes, validate molecular glue activity using orthogonal biophysical and cellular assays, and link induced interactions to functional outcomes in disease-relevant models. The resulting datasets will form a unique resource of glueable protein–protein interactions, enabling machine learning approaches to predict and design molecular glues.

This is a multidisciplinary project at the interface of chemical biology, proteomics and translational drug discovery. It will suit candidates with a strong background in chemistry or chemical biology and an interest in applying quantitative and data-driven approaches to complex biological systems. Training will be provided across Imperial College London and AstraZeneca, with opportunities for industrial collaboration and exposure to real-world drug discovery.

The successful candidate will benefit from a significantly enhanced stipend of £31,805 pa, which includes additional funding from the UK government’s TechExpert pilot scheme.

Tate group website: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/tate-group

Eligibility:

This project is only open to applicants with Home fee status. For further information, please review our Eligibility criteria and How to apply.

Deadline:

Thursday 21st May 2026, 5pm.

This studentship opportunity was released on 1st May 2026