TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY Center for Drug Discovery, Design and Development (4xD)
(Proposal)

Drug research has contributed more to the progress of medicine during the past century than any other scientific area. The advent of molecular biology and, in particular, of genomic sciences have had a revolutionary impact on drug discovery. Recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies have greatly enriched our therpeutic armamentarium. Genome sciences, combined with bioinformatic tools, allow us to disect the genetic basis of multifactorial diseases and to determine the most suitable points of attack for future medicines, thereby increasing the number of treatment options. The dramatic increase in the complexity of drug research is enforcing changes in the institutional basis of this interdisciplinary endeavor. In recent years Tel Aviv University (TAU) has developed major research strengths in the molecular biosciences with a strong academic activities highly relevant for modern drug discovery, especially in the fields of molecular genomics, computer sciences, chemistry and pharmacology. Now, the University is poised to become an academic center for the Israeli biotech and pharmaceutical industry and to play a pivotal role in applying recent scientific advances to the solution of the complex problems involved in drug discovery and development.

The mission of the TAU - 4xD center is to create a broad academic multidisciplinary unit in which scientists will interact to foster fundamental research towards the design and discovery of novel bioactive molecules of potential medical importance. The center will promote collaboration with the biotechnological and pharmaceutical industry towards the subsequent development of the newlly discovered bioactive lead compounds as pharmaceuticals.

The main objectives of the center are:

• To carry out multidisciplinary drug research that will lead to the discovery and design of new biologically active molecules, the evaluation of their activity and the development of new strategies for their delivery and targetting.

• To train graduate and undergraduate students in a variety of relevant aspects of modern drug research.

• To establish collaborations with the biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries in joint research and development projects, training programs and consultancies.

• To organize academic, industrial and public workshops and symposia dealing with issues related to drug discovery, design and development.

The center is staffed by members of the Faculties of Medicine, the Life Sciences and the Exact Sciences, as well as scientists from the psychobiology group at the Department of Psychology, together with their graduate students and postdocs. The center will provide an integrated research capability spanning all elements of molecular biosciences, including genomics and bioinformatics, molecular genetics and structural biology, macromolecular modeling and computer aided drug design, as well as molecular pharmacology, natural product and synthetic organic chemistry, biochemistry and molecular microbiology (see scheme).

The center will operate in close contact with the TAU center for Bioinformatics, the Institutes for Molecular Genetics and The Laura Kipp-Schwarz Institute of Biotechnology.

LIST OF PARTICIPATING SCIENTISTS (not completted)

The Sacklar Faculty of Medicine

Prof. Blumberg Shmaryahu Dr. Tsarfaty Ilan

Prof. Gozes Illana Prof. Yossef Sarne

Prof. Kornshtein Raphi Prof. Hillel Halkin

Prof. Lichtenberg Dov

Prof. Nussinov Rurh

Prof. Oron Yoram

Prof. Rehavi Moshe

Prof. Shilo Yossef

The George Wise Faculty of Life Sciences

Prof. Aharonowitz Yair Prof Margalit Rimona

Prof. Cohen Gerald Prof. Michaelson Daniel

Prof. Freeman Amihay Prof. Nelson Nathan

Prof. Frolov Felix Prof. Ron Eliora Z.

Prof. Johny Gershoni Prof. Rosenberg Eugene

Prof. Hirsch Joel Prof. Solomon Beka

Prof. Horowitz Mia Prof. Zisapel Nava

Dr. Ilan Micha

Prof. Kloog Yoel

Prof. Lavi Sara

Prof. Loya Yossi

The Faculty of Exact Sciences

Dr. Becker Oren Prof. Wolfson Haim

Prof. Carmeli Samuel

Prof. Yoram Cohen

Prof. Kashman Yoel

Prof. Rozen Shlomo

Prof. Shamir Ron