Skip to Main Content

Craig M Crews, PhD

John C. Malone Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and Professor of Chemistry, of Pharmacology, and of Management; Executive Director, Yale Center for Molecular Discovery

Contact Information

Craig M Crews, PhD

Mailing Address

  • Yale University

    P.O. Box 208103

    New Haven, CT 06520-8103

    United States

Biography

Dr. Crews is the John C. Malone Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and holds joint appointments in the departments of Chemistry and Pharmacology at Yale University. He graduated from the U.Virginia with a B.A. in Chemistry and received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Biochemistry. Dr. Crews has a foothold in both the academic and biotech arenas; on the faculty at Yale since 1995, his laboratory has pioneered the use of small molecules to control intracellular protein levels. In 2003, he co-founded Proteolix, Inc., whose proteasome inhibitor, Kyprolis™ received FDA approval for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Since Proteolix’s purchase by Onyx Pharmaceuticals in 2009, Dr. Crews has focused on a new drug development technology, which served as the founding intellectual property for his latest New Haven-based biotech venture, Arvinas, Inc. Currently, Dr. Crews serves on several editorial boards and was Editor of Cell Chemical Biology (2008-2018). In addition, he has received numerous awards and honors, including the 2013 CURE Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 2014 Ehrlich Award for Medicinal Chemistry, 2015 Yale Cancer Center Translational Research Prize, a NIH R35 Outstanding Investigator Award (2015), the AACR Award for Chemistry in Cancer Research (2017), Khorana Prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry (2018), Pierre Fabre Award for Therapeutic Innovation (2018), the Pharmacia-ASPET Award for Experimental Therapeutics (2019), the Heinrich Wieland Prize (2020) and the Scheele Prize (2021). In 2019, he was named an American Cancer Society Professor and received the Connecticut Medal of Technology in 2022 as well as the Gabbay Award for Biotechnology and Medicine in 2023.

Education & Training

  • Cancer Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellow
    Harvard University (1995)
  • PhD
    Harvard University, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (1992)
  • DAAD Fellow
    Universität Tübingen (1987)
  • BA
    University of Virginia, Chemistry (1986)

Activities

  • Visiting Professor- University of Konstanz
    Konstanz, Baden-Wuerttemberg Region, Germany (2010-2013)
    Guest Professor, University of Konstanz

Honors & Recognition

AwardAwarding OrganizationDate
Emanuel Merck Lectureship AwardTechnical University of Darmstadt and Merck, KGaA2024
Kimberly PrizeNorthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine2024
Benvenuto Memorial AwardMD Anderson Cancer Center2024
Jacob and Louise Gabbay Award in Biotechnology and Medicine Brandeis University2023
Bristol Myers Squibb Award for Enzyme ChemistryAmerican Chemical Society2023
Ivy AwardNew Haven's annual Elm-Ivy Awards 2023
Medal of TechnologyConnecticut Academy of Science and Engineering2022
Irving Weinstein Foundation Distinguished LectureshipAmerican Association for Cancer Research (AACR)2022
Honorary Doctoral Degree (doctor rerum naturalium honoris causa)Technical University Dortmund2021
Scheele PrizeSwedish Pharmaceutical Society2021
Award for Experimental TherapeuticsPharmacia-ASPET2019
Research ProfessorshipAmerican Cancer Society2019
Award for Therapeutic InnovationPierre Fabré2018
Khorana PrizeRoyal Society of Chemistry2018
Award for Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry in Cancer ResearchAmerican Association for Cancer Research2017
Translational Research PrizeYale Cancer Center2015
Outstanding Investigator Award (R35)National Cancer Institute (NIH)2015
Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering2015
FellowAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)2014
UCB-Ehrlich Award for Excellence in Medicinal ChemistryEuropean Federation of Medicinal Chemistry2014
Entrepreneur of the Year 2013Connecticut United for Research Excellence (CURE)2013
Senior Scholar in AgingEllison Medical Foundation2011
Guest ProfessorUniversity of Konstanz2010
Lewis B. Cullman Professor of MCDBYale University2010
Bessel Research AwardAlexander von Humboldt Foundation2006
FellowRoyal Society of Chemistry (UK)2005
Arthur Greer Memorial Prize for Outstanding Junior Faculty Member in the Social or Natural SciencesYale University1999
CaPCURE Research PrizeAssoc. for the Cure of Cancer of the Prostate1996
New Investigator AwardBurroughs Wellcome Fund1996
New Investigator AwardDonaghue Foundation1996

Professional Service

OrganizationRoleDate
PITCH (Program in Innovative Therapeutics for CT's Health)Founder of a biotech accelerator focused on translating biological and biomedical discoveries into new biopharma ventures.2016 - Present
ChemBioChemEditorial Advisory Board2010 - Present
Cell Chemical Biology (formerly Chemistry & Biology)Editor2007 - Present
NIH Chemistry and Biology Interface Training GrantPrincipal Investigator2003 - Present
Cell Chemical Biology (formerly Chemistry & Biology)Editorial Board2001 - 2018
Molecular and Cellular ProteomicsEditorial Board2001 - 2009

Departments & Organizations