Dario Alessi

Last updated

Dario Alessi
OBE FRS FRSE
Born
Dario Renato Alessi

December 1967 (age 56) [1]
France
NationalityBritish
Alma mater University of Birmingham
Known for Protein kinase research
Awards
  • Colworth Medal (1999)
  • Morgagni Young Investigator Prize (2002)
  • Pfizer Academic Award for Europe (2002)
  • Royal Society of Edinburgh Makdougall Brisbane Prize (2002)
  • Philip Leverhulme Prize (2002)
  • FEBS Anniversary Prize of the Gesellschaft für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie (2003)
  • EMBO Gold Medal (2005)
  • Louis-Jeantet Prize (2023)
Scientific career
Fieldsprotein phosphorylation
Institutions University of Dundee
Doctoral advisor Philip Cohen (postdoc)
Website lifesci.dundee.ac.uk/people/dario-alessi

Dario Renato Alessi (born 1967) is a French-born British biochemist, Director of the Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC PPU) and Professor of Signal Transduction, at the School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Education and career

He attended high school in Brussels. He graduated from the University of Birmingham, with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry in 1988, and with a PhD in 1991, where he studied with Ian Trayer and David Trentham. [7] His postdoctoral research was with Sir Philip Cohen FRS at the University of Dundee from 1991 to 1997. He became Professor of Signal Transduction at the University of Dundee in 2003 and Director of the MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC PPU) in 2012. [8] [9]

Research

Alessi's work is concerned with unravelling the roles of poorly characterised components that regulate protein phosphorylation or ubiquitylation that have emerged from the genetic analysis of human disease. The aim of his research is to provide new knowledge to enable researchers to devise improved strategies for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. [10] In particular, Dario's research focusses on the leucine-rich repeat kinase LRRK2, as mutations that increase the kinase activity of this protein are one of the most common causes of inherited Parkinson's disease. [2] Dario Alessi is also the current Director of the Division of Signal Transduction Therapy Unit (DSTT) which is a unique collaboration between University of Dundee and six major pharmaceutical companies (AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline GlaxoSmithKline, Merck KGaA, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer) that aims to accelerate drug discovery in the areas of protein phosphorylation and ubiquitylation. [11] As of 2013 he has written over 180 peer-reviewed papers and has been cited more than 32,000 times, making him one of the most highly cited biochemists in the world. [12]

Honours and awards

Alessi has received many awards, among these the Colworth Medal (1999), the Eppendorf Young European Investigator Award (2000), Philip Leverhulme Prize (2002), EMBO Gold Medal (2005) and the Francis Crick Prize Lecture of the Royal Society (2006). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2002, Member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) in 2005, Fellow of the Royal Society in 2008 and Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci) in 2012. [13] In 2023 he was awarded the Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine. [14] [15]

Alessi was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to biomedical research and translation. [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protein kinase A</span> Family of enzymes

In cell biology, protein kinase A (PKA) is a family of serine-threonine kinase whose activity is dependent on cellular levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP). PKA is also known as cAMP-dependent protein kinase. PKA has several functions in the cell, including regulation of glycogen, sugar, and lipid metabolism. It should not be confused with 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase.

In biochemistry, dephosphorylation is the removal of a phosphate group from an organic compound by hydrolysis. It is a reversible post-translational modification. Dephosphorylation and its counterpart, phosphorylation, activate and deactivate enzymes by detaching or attaching phosphoric esters and anhydrides. A notable occurrence of dephosphorylation is the conversion of ATP to ADP and inorganic phosphate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B-cell receptor</span> Transmembrane protein on the surface of a B cell

The B-cell receptor (BCR) is a transmembrane protein on the surface of a B cell. A B-cell receptor is composed of a membrane-bound immunoglobulin molecule and a signal transduction moiety. The former forms a type 1 transmembrane receptor protein, and is typically located on the outer surface of these lymphocyte cells. Through biochemical signaling and by physically acquiring antigens from the immune synapses, the BCR controls the activation of the B cell. B cells are able to gather and grab antigens by engaging biochemical modules for receptor clustering, cell spreading, generation of pulling forces, and receptor transport, which eventually culminates in endocytosis and antigen presentation. B cells' mechanical activity adheres to a pattern of negative and positive feedbacks that regulate the quantity of removed antigen by manipulating the dynamic of BCR–antigen bonds directly. Particularly, grouping and spreading increase the relation of antigen with BCR, thereby proving sensitivity and amplification. On the other hand, pulling forces delinks the antigen from the BCR, thus testing the quality of antigen binding.

Sir Philip Cohen is a distinguished British biochemist known for his extensive contributions to the field of biochemistry, especially to the understanding of the role of reversible protein phosphorylation in cell regulation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MAP2K6</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

Dual specificity mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 6 also known as MAP kinase kinase 6 or MAPK/ERK kinase 6 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the MAP2K6 gene, on chromosome 17.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myosin-light-chain phosphatase</span>

Myosin light-chain phosphatase, also called myosin phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.53; systematic name [myosin-light-chain]-phosphate phosphohydrolase), is an enzyme (specifically a serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatase) that dephosphorylates the regulatory light chain of myosin II:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RPS6KA5</span> Enzyme

Ribosomal protein S6 kinase alpha-5 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the RPS6KA5 gene. This kinase, together with RPS6KA4, are thought to mediate the phosphorylation of histone H3, linked to the expression of immediate early genes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RPS6KA2</span> Enzyme found in humans

Ribosomal protein S6 kinase alpha-2 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the RPS6KA2 gene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

In the field of biochemistry, PDPK1 refers to the protein 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1, an enzyme which is encoded by the PDPK1 gene in humans. It is implicated in the development and progression of melanomas.

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The Division of Signal Transduction Therapy or DSTT is an organization managed by the University of Dundee, the Medical Research Council, and the pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck Serono, Janssen Pharmaceutica, and Pfizer. The purpose of the collaboration is to conduct cell signalling research and to encourage development of new drug treatments for global diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and Parkinson's disease. Specifically the collaboration aims to target protein kinases and the ubiquitylation system in the development of these therapies. It is one of the largest ever collaborations between the commercial pharmaceutical industry and any academic research institute.

Nicholas Kester Tonks FRS is a professor in Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. His research is mainly focused on studying the function and regulation of protein tyrosine phosphatases.

David Barford is a British medical researcher and structural biologist at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology Cambridge, UK.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Treisman</span> British scientist

Sir Richard Henry Treisman is a British scientist specialising in the molecular biology of cancer. Treisman is a director of research at the Francis Crick Institute in London.

The School of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee conducts research into the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying human health and disease.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen Walden</span> English structural biologist

Helen Walden is an English structural biologist who received the Colworth medal from the Biochemical Society in 2015. She was awarded European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) membership in 2022. She is a Professor of Structural Biology at the University of Glasgow and has made significant contributions to the Ubiquitination field.

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Victoria Haigh Cowling FRSE is an English biologist who received the Women in Cell Biology Early Career Medal from the British Society for Cell Biology in 2014. Cowling is Professor of Biology, Lister Institute Fellow, MRC Senior Fellow and Deputy Head of The Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression at the University of Dundee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claire E. Eyers</span> British biological mass spectrometrist

Claire Eyers is a British biological mass spectrometrist who is professor of biological mass spectrometry at the University of Liverpool, where she heads up the Centre for Proteome Research. Her research publications list her either as Claire E Haydon or Claire E Eyers.

Miratul Muqit FRSE FMedSci is a British neurologist and a Programme Lead at the MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRCPPU) in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee. His research focuses on the study of the PINK1 gene, mutations in which are a major cause of Parkinson's disease.

References

  1. ↑ "ALESSI, Prof. Dario Renato" . Who's Who . Vol. 2014 (online Oxford University Press  ed.). A & C Black.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. 1 2 "Dario Alessi | College of Life Sciences" . Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  3. ↑ "MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit :: Research :: Dario Alessi" . Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  4. ↑ "Dario Alessi – SCILLS – The Scottish Institute for Cell Signalling". Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  5. ↑ "* Dario Alessi (professor), Scotland – Online Encyclopedia of the Italian Scientists and Scholars in America". Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  6. ↑ Cross, D. A.; Alessi, D. R.; Cohen, P; Andjelkovich, M; Hemmings, B. A. (1995). "Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 by insulin mediated by protein kinase B". Nature. 378 (6559): 785–9. Bibcode:1995Natur.378..785C. doi:10.1038/378785a0. PMID   8524413. S2CID   4285651.
  7. ↑ Alessi, D. R.; Corrie, J. E.; Fajer, P. G.; Ferenczi, M. A.; Thomas, D. D.; Trayer, I. P.; Trentham, D. R. (1992). "Synthesis and properties of a conformationally restricted spin-labeled analog of ATP and its interaction with myosin and skeletal muscle". Biochemistry. 31 (34): 8043–8054. doi:10.1021/bi00149a039. PMID   1324724.
  8. ↑ Gong, M. C.; Fuglsang, A.; Alessi, D.; Kobayashi, S.; Cohen, P.; Somlyo, A. V.; Somlyo, A. P. (1992). "Arachidonic acid inhibits myosin light chain phosphatase and sensitizes smooth muscle to calcium". The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 267 (30): 21492–21498. doi: 10.1016/S0021-9258(19)36636-0 . PMID   1328235.
  9. ↑ "MRC Clinical Sciences Centre – Overview – Scientific Advisory Board – Dario Alessi". Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  10. ↑ "Dario Alessi's research page" . Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  11. ↑ "Division of Signal Transduction Therapy Unit". Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  12. ↑ "ISI". Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  13. ↑ "Dario Alessi: MRC PPU – Awards" . Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  14. ↑ Louis-Jeantet Prize 2023
  15. ↑ "£440,000 prize for Dundee researcher". 23 January 2023.
  16. ↑ "No. 64082". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B11.
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