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Craig M Crews, PhD

John C. Malone Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and Professor of Chemistry, of Pharmacology, and of Management
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Additional Titles

Executive Director, Yale Center for Molecular Discovery

About

Titles

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

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, the Gabbay Award for Biotechnology and Medicine in 2023, the Kimberly Prize in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics (2024) and the IUPAC-Richter Prize in Medicinal Chemistry (2024).

Appointments

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)

Research

Overview

We develop novel reagents and methodologies, which will allow us to explore new areas in cell biology. This 'chemical genetic' approach uses biologically active small molecules to control various intracellular processes. For example we developed the PROTAC technology that decrease target protein levels within cells by inducing their proteolysis via the 26S proteasome. A goal of this research is to develop novel methodologies that would allow for small molecule control of the 'undruggable proteome'.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)

Biochemistry; Biology; Cell Biology; Chemistry; Drugs, Investigational; Neoplasms; Pharmacology; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; Proteasome Inhibitors

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Craig M Crews's published research.

Publications

Featured Publications

2024

Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

  • activity

    PITCH (Program in Innovative Therapeutics for CT's Health)

  • activity

    NIH Chemistry and Biology Interface Training Grant

  • activity

    ChemBioChem

  • activity

    Cell Chemical Biology (formerly Chemistry & Biology)

  • honor

    IUPAC-Richter Prize in Medicinal Chemistry

Get In Touch

Contacts

Academic Office Number
Lab Number
Mailing Address

Yale University

P.O. Box 208103

New Haven, CT 06520-8103

United States

Administrative Support