# Investigating degradation as a therapeutic strategy against the Pseudo-kinase KSR

> **NIH NIH K00** · BROAD INSTITUTE, INC. · 2020 · $96,388

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
My doctoral research experience has focused on using chemical tools to correct perturbed
biological systems, primarily cancer. A recently develop tool in the Crews’ lab, proteolysis
targeting chimera (PROTACs), allows for the degradation of a protein of interest without any
genetic manipulation. Thus far, I have focused on establishing PROTACs as a valuable tool. I
have shown that these compounds behave according to our proposed mechanism, that they
specifically and potently degrade the protein of interest, and that PROTACs can degrade their
targets in animal models. For my F99 phase, I will focus on developing selective ligands that
can be used in a PROTAC to degrade the pseudo-kinase KSR. This protein is not mutated or
activated in cancer, but upregulates the Ras-MAPK pathway involved in many different cancers.
By combining high-throughput screening with medicinal chemistry, I will first develop the
selective ligand from a library of known kinase inhibitors. Once a ligand is developed, a
PROTAC will be synthesized based on that ligand and assessed for KSR-degradation in cells. I
will then use this tool to further clarify the scaffolding roles of KSR in the Ras-MAPK
pathway and other cellular signaling pathways by using high-content peptide arrays. This project
is an example of combining chemical biology tools with ‘systems-level’ insights in cancer. In my
K00 phase, I hope to continue this line of thinking by being trained in high-content profiling
techniques used to study the complex biochemical milieu that is often altered and mis-regulated
in cancer and identify new targets. By combining integrative ‘-omics’ techniques with chemical
biology, I will work to develop novel chemical tools for novel targets.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10005892
- **Project number:** 5K00CA212229-05
- **Recipient organization:** BROAD INSTITUTE, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Daniel Bondeson
- **Activity code:** K00 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $96,388
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-14 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10005892

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10005892, Investigating degradation as a therapeutic strategy against the Pseudo-kinase KSR (5K00CA212229-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10005892. Licensed CC0.

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