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Comprehensive map of human E3 ligases reveals new opportunities for targeted protein degradation
In a new publication in Nature Communications, a team of PROXIDRUGS researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt, working within the InnoDATA project, reports the first comprehensive, data-driven classification of all human E3 ubiquitin ligases. The study presents a systematic map of the human “E3 ligome” and provides new insights into the functional relationships among E3 ligases. Using AI-supported computational analyses combined with experimental validation, the researcher
Dec 30, 2025


PROXIDRUGS annual meeting 2025 in Kassel
On December 2 and 3, the PROXIDRUGS annual meeting 2025 brought the cluster community together for the fifth time for two days of inspiring scientific exchange and productive discussions. Partners from across the PROXIDRUGS consortium met in person alongside members of the advisory board and representatives from Projektträger Jülich, creating a dynamic and collaborative atmosphere. Bringing the entire cluster community together once again highlighted the exceptional value of
Dec 8, 2025


Conformational domino: How coupled structural changes control macrocycle behavior
A new study published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry sheds light on how conformational changes in macrocycles are tightly coupled and propagated in a domino-like cascade, ultimately governing their overall behavior. This multi-institutional effort brought together PROXIDRUGS members from TU Darmstadt, Fraunhofer ITMP, and AbbVie, alongside collaborators from ETH Zurich and the Max Planck Institute in Munich, combining complementary experimental and computational expert
Dec 1, 2025


PROXIDRUGS project leaders Ivan Đikić and Gerhard Hummer recognized as highly cited researchers
This year, two PROXIDRUGS project leaders, Ivan Đikić and Gerhard Hummer, have been named as Highly Cited Researchers, recognizing their outstanding influence in the life sciences. Ivan Đikić has been awarded for the eighth consecutive year, his research papers have ranked among the most cited from 2014 to 2024 in the two categories “Biology and Biochemistry” and “Molecular Biology and Genetics”, as recorded by Web of Science. Gerhard Hummer has been honored for the third yea
Nov 14, 2025


Friedrich Merz visiting professorship 2025: Prof. Raymond Deshaies visits Goethe University Frankfurt
From 3–7 November, a series of events took place as part of the Friedrich Merz Visiting Professorship, which in 2025 was awarded to Prof. Raymond Deshaies. Enabled by the Merz Foundation and organized by the curatorial team and PROXIDRUGS project leads Maike Windbergs and Stefan Knapp, the programme offered numerous opportunities for scientific exchange and inspiration. Across several dedicated formats, students, researchers, and members of the public were invited to engage
Nov 13, 2025


New project funding: ProxiUS launches outreach program to North America
As part of the “BMFTR Initiates – Research with North America” program, the ProxiUS project was approved to start on November 1, 2025. The project is part of the Cluster4Future PROXIDRUGS and based at Goethe University Frankfurt. Over the next two years, it will enable the cluster to establish scientific exchange and outreach programs with North America and to strengthen transatlantic collaboration in a sustainable way. The goal is to build collaborations with researchers at
Nov 3, 2025


Book chapter: AI-aided drug development for protein degraders: Design, lead identification, and optimization
A new chapter in the book series Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry (Academic Press, 2025) was published by scientist from PROXIDRUGS partner Fraunhofer ITMP. It offers a comprehensive overview of AI-driven methods in the design and application of proximity-inducing therapeutics (proxidrugs). After introducing targeted protein degradation, the chapter examines the key challenges in proxidrug design and the role of computational methods. It also provides a broader perspect
Oct 30, 2025


Rewiring the SUMO–Ubiquitin System for Next-Generation Therapies
In their recent review (published in Trends in Pharmacological Sciences) Gina Gotthardt, PROXIDRUGS researcher Jan Keiten-Schmitz, and PROXIDRUG PI Stefan Müller discuss how SUMO-signaling and SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligases (StUbLs) can be exploited to inactivate disease-associated proteins. The review explores the new therapeutic possibilities that this opens within the field of drug discovery utilizing the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Established cancer treatments are harn
Oct 20, 2025


European alliance to advance proximity-induced drug modalities
Scientists from leading European research institutions, Goethe University Frankfurt, IRB Barcelona, AITHYRA in Vienna, the University of...
Aug 20, 2025


Publication in GIT Labor-Fachzeitschrift: Accelerated Discovery of Proximity-Inducing Compounds
A recent article by Thorsten Mosler (Goethe University) in collaboration with researchers from Revvity Cellular Technologies (Sara...
Aug 11, 2025
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