Dr. Frank Sicheri 
SENIOR INVESTIGATOR

Structural Biologist Dr. Frank Sicheri is widely regarded as one of Canada’s pre-eminent scientists in his field. He has made outstanding contributions to our understanding of the structure and function of a number of molecules, many of which are implicated in disease. His research is focused on cancer, but he has a number of projects involving molecules involved in viral infection and diabetes. His discoveries are critical to the development of new drugs that target these diseases.

In particular, Dr. Sicheri studies a family of enzymes called protein kinases. The human genome encodes approximately 500 protein kinases. These molecules act as switches within cells that regulate numerous biological processes. Malfunction of protein kinases – which can happen as a result of genetic mutation or damage from a virus – gives rise to cellular dysfunctions that underlie numerous diseases. One common example is cancer, in which malfunctioning kinases cause cells to grow and multiply uncontrollably.

Scientists have found that the activity of protein kinases can be inhibited with specific molecules. As a result kinases have become an important focus by pharmaceutical companies in the development of new drugs. Drugs which inhibit specific kinases are already being used successfully to treat chronic myeloid leukemia (Gleevac), and some forms of lung cancer (Iressa).

To date however, only a fraction of the protein kinases encoded in the human genome have been explored. Dr. Sicheri’s research is directed at improving our understanding of how protein kinases work, and at defining the structure and function of new kinases in order to unlock their potential as drug targets for disease. He has made a number of important discoveries in this area, including solving the structure of a kinase known to be active in colon cancer, and another that suppresses tumour formation.