Title: Savvas SAVVIDES
Subtitle:
Author:

Savvides Unit - Unit for Structural Biology

Research field: Structural biology

Group leader: Prof. Dr. Savvas SAVVIDES

Tel:+32 9 33 13 660

E-mail: Savvas.Savvides.spam.detractor@irc.vib-UGentspam.corruptor.be

Research topic

We employ integrative structural biology to study the structure, mechanism, antagonism (and/or agonism) of proteins and protein complexes pivotal to immunity, inflammation, and cancer. Our research approach is fuelled by rigorous hypothesis-driven interrogation of the molecular targets under study and is closely nested in academic collaborations with leading research groups and the biotechnology/pharma sectors.

We currently focus on 3 main research topics:

  • Pro-inflammatory signaling complexes and antagonist design.
  • Extracellular assembly and activation principles of oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinases.
  • In vivo protein crystals in immunity, inflammation, and cancer

Area of expertise

  • Structural biology
  • 3D-structure determination of proteins and protein complexes
  • X-ray crystallography, cryo-Electron Microscopy(cryo-EM), Small-angle X-ray Scattering
  • Protein biochemistry and engineering
  • Biophysics
  • Structural bioinformatics

Technology transfer potential

  • Structural characterization of proteins and protein complexes
  • Biophysical and biochemical characterization of protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions
  • Protein engineering and antagonist/agonist design


Selected publications

  1. Cao L, et al. Design of protein binding proteins from target structure alone.  
    Nature, 605, 551-560, 2022.
  2. De Munck S., et al. Structure and mechanism of cytokine-mediated activation of ALK family receptors.
    Nature, 600, 143-147, 2021.
  3. Persson E.K., Verstraete K., et al. Protein crystallization promotes type 2 immunity and is reversible by antibody treatment.
    Science, 364:6442, 2019.
  4. Verschueren K.H.G., et al. Structure of ATP citrate lyase and the origin of citrate synthase in the Krebs cycle.
    Nature, 568:571-575, 2019.
  5. Liénart S., Merceron R., et al. Structural basis of latent TGF-β1 presentation and activation by GARP on human regulatory T cells.
    Science, 362, 952-956, 2018.

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