Jawahar Sudhamsu
Director - Structural Biology & Discovery Oncology Distinguished Scientist Genentech
Dr. Jawahar Sudhamsu leads a multidisciplinary team at Genentech studying macromolecular interactions in human disease to advance both small and large molecule drug discovery. With over 20 years of experience in protein biochemistry, structural biology, and structure-based protein engineering, his research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of cancer signaling, including Ras- and Wnt-driven pathways. Joining Genentech as a postdoctoral fellow in 2009, Sudhamsu has since built technologies to accelerate discovery, mentor the next generation of scientists, and enable therapeutic insights across diverse disease areas, bridging fundamental research with actionable drug development.
Seminars
As the toolbox of techniques and modalities continues to expand, structure-based drug design is at a crossroads. This interactive panel invites the audience and expert panellists to reflect on the most pressing challenges, biggest opportunities, and future directions to maximize the impact of structural insights on drug discovery.
Key Discussion Points:
- What are the key bottlenecks still limiting the impact of SBDD (resolution, dynamics, integration, translation to clinic)?
- Which emerging tools (AI, cryo-ET, integrative modelling, real-time structural methods) will reshape the field in the next 5 years?
- How can we bridge the gap between structural data and actionable design decisions for both small molecules and biologics?
- What collaborations, technologies, or standards are still needed to make SBDD more predictive and accessible?
- Overcoming resolution and flexibility challenges in small molecule/protein complexes
- Leveraging cryo-EM for conformational heterogeneity and dynamic systems
- Integrating cryo-EM data with complementary approaches (crystallography, NMR, MD) for a well-rounded picture
