The Evolution of Genentech's Pirate Biology Lab

In this month’s episode of the Chain, Jim Wells, professor of pharmaceutical chemistry and cellular and molecular pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco, sits down with moderator Ben Hackel, associate professor of chemical engineering and materials science at the University of Minnesota, to discuss Wells’ work in advancing targeted protein degradation. 

Wells outlines the key design elements of targeted protein degraders and their general mechanism of action, how his lab developed antibody-based PROTACs—also known as AbTACs—to target extracellular proteins, and the innovative work from industry leaders that inspired his lab’s discoveries. He also speaks about the lingering questions driving ongoing and future projects, the challenges facing the protein degradation space, and why he considers himself a “pirate of biology” rather than an inventor. 

Links from this episode:  
University of California, San Francisco
University of Minnesota
Development of Antibody-Based PROTACs for the Degradation of the Cell-Surface Immune Checkpoint Protein PD-L1
PEGSBoston Conference and Expo