The Structural Genomics Consortium at University College London (SGC-UCL) is led by Prof Matthew Todd. The group’s research is focused on the design and chemical synthesis of new small molecule protein binders towards medicines that improve human health.
SGC-UCL leads the SGC Open Chemistry Networks (OCN) initiative which brings together synthetic chemists from around the world to work with the SGC’s expertise in biochemistry and biology to discover new bioactive small molecules (chemical probes) that can help us understand novel biology and hence find new treatments for disease.
More specifically the research group focuses on the following main key areas:
- Direct acting antivirals. With Tim Willson (SGC-UNC), Mat co-leads the MedChem Core of the NIH READDI-AViDD consortium that is seeking small molecule binders of novel protein targets relevant to viruses of pandemic potential belonging to the coronavirus, filovirus and alphavirus families.
- UCL is a core lab of the SGC Women’s Health Initiative, seeking chemical probes vs. underexplored human targets relevant to non-hormonal female contraception.
- Open source drug discovery projects such as the award-winning Open Source Malaria and Open Source Mycetoma consortia and a new venture into open source antibiotics
SGC-UCL specializes in organic synthesis and molecule design and has significant capabilities in small molecule screening e.g. by 19F NMR spectroscopy. There is also expertise in protein production and in vitro assay development in collaboration with other SGC labs.
SGC UCL is located in the School of Pharmacy, University College London in the United Kingdom.
