Craig M Crews, PhD
John C. Malone Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and Professor of Chemistry, of Pharmacology, and of ManagementCards
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
Chemistry
ProfessorSecondaryPharmacology
ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Biochemistry, Quantitative Biology, Biophysics and Structural Biology (BQBS)
- Chemistry
- Dean's Workshops
- Developmental Therapeutics
- Diabetes Research Center
- Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics and Development
- Pharmacology
- Yale Cancer Center
- Yale Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)
- Yale CTAP
- Yale Stem Cell Center
- Yale Ventures
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)
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
News & Links
Media
- Since 2000, the Crews lab has focused on developing new methodologies for "Controlled Proteostasis" such as Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs), which are powerful inducers of protein degradation that remove unwanted proteins from cells.
News
- October 15, 2024
Accolades, Awards & Honors
- April 12, 2024
Yale Cancer Center Faculty and Trainees Present at AACR Annual Meeting
- May 01, 2023Source: YaleNews
Training Program Aims to Extend Benefits of Biotech Boom to City Residents
- February 13, 2023Source: BioPharma Dive
With latest startup, repeat biotech founder Craig Crews tries to ‘hold and kill’ tumors