Xavier Morelli
Group Leader - Cancer Research Center of Marseille (Crcm) @CNRS
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WORK HISTORY
Group Leader - Cancer Research Center of Marseille (Crcm) @CNRS
Research Director (DR1)- CNRSTeam Leader, iSCB ‘integrative Structural & Chemical Biology” at the Cancer Research Center of Marseille (CRCM, CNRS UMR7258 – INSERM U1068) involving >20 persons: 10 permanent researchers (1 DR1, 1 DR2, 1CRHC, 3 CRCN, 2 MCU, 2 Medical Oncologists and 1 ‘CDI’ researcher IPC), 1 technician in bioinformatics (AI CNRS), 1 engineer in biochemistry and cellular biology, 2 engineers in medicinal chemistry, 2 post-doctorates, 4 PhD students.Principal focus of the group:Identify, validate, understand, and target protein-protein interaction in cancer (cell signaling and immune-oncology) & viral infections.• Scientific Director of the IPC Drug Discovery Duties:• Member of the National Academic Screening Platforms ‘MaSC’ In charge of the Chemoinformatics (Chemical Libraries Selection), Hit validation - Hit to Lead optimization • Member of the Administrative Board of directors of the Canceropôle PACA since 2023• President of the Scientific Board, Canceropôle PACA 20••••23 (President 20••••23)• President of the Scientific Board, ‘Département des Alpes Maritimes’ since 2022• Scientific committee, GIS IBiSA (nominated member) since 2021• Scientific committee, Faculty of Pharmacy AMU (nominated member) since 2022• Scientific committee, ‘Fondation ARC’ (nominated member) 20••••17 & 20••••22• Correspondent for the Tech Transfer Offices (TTOs) and Supervisory authorities (CNRS & INSERM) for the Valorization at the Cancer Research Center of Marseille (CRCM) and the Institut Paoli Calmettes 2023-• Board of expert of the National Society of Medicinal Chemistry (SFCT) since 2016• Secretary of the French Society of Chemoinformatics (SFCi) 20••••16• Board of expert of the Aix-Marseille University PhD Doctoral School of Chemistry 20••••18* 78 Publications* 7 international patents.* 70 Invited Conferences* 20 Grants (7 actives)
EDUCATION
Aix-Marseille University
Bsc, Biophysic & Structural Biology
Paris-Sud University (Paris XI)
PhD, Structural Biology
Paris-Sud University (Paris XI)
Master, Cristallography and NMR
SKILLS
ABOUT XAVIER MORELLI
Drug discovery is an inherently inefficient process, particularly in oncology. The difficulty in matching the immense and complex chemical world with a desired physiological effect is illustrated by limitations such as harmful side effects and drug resistance, which defy the most powerful chemotherapeutics available. Novel therapeutic targets and new ways to identify, to characterize and to develop anti-cancer drugs are needed. Most drug discovery efforts by pharmaceutical companies concern the development and / or expansion of their pre-clinical and clinical pipeline primarily targeting G protein-coupled receptors, nuclear receptors, ion channels and the active sites of enzymes (eg kinases). Although this strategy is understandable for historical reasons and risk management, inhibitors of protein-protein interaction represents an alternative and almost unexplored reservoir for drug development in oncology. Thus, targeting protein-protein interaction interfaces appears a valuable and promising strategy, which is further underscored by an expected reduced occurrence of resistance that might arise due to mutations in the protein-protein interface. In this context, our objectives are to identify, to understand, to validate and to target protein-protein interaction interfaces critically involved in tumor cell signaling, with the specific purpose of facilitating the transfer of therapeutic and pharmacological targets into preclinical and clinical development programs in oncology.Specialties: Protein-Protein Interaction & InhibitionStructure-Based Drug DesignMedicinal ChemistryChemoinformaticsPreclinical Assays
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