Yale’s Crews honored by the Royal Society of Chemistry

Yale’s Craig Crews is a recipient of the Khorana Prize, the Royal Society of Chemistry announced May 8.

Crews is the Lewis Cullman Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and professor of chemistry and pharmacology. He was one of 80 scientists honored by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The Khorana Prize recognizes outstanding achievement award for research at the chemistry and life science interface.

Crews’ lab has focused on ways to control protein levels within cells, and his work has led to creation of two successful biotechnology companies. In 2003, he co-founded Proteolix which developed a proteasome inhibitor which has been approved for treatment of multiple myeloma. The company was sold in 2009 to Onyx Pharmaceuticals.

The Yale scientist then developed a new way to target specific proteins within cells; that research formed the basis of the New Haven biotechnology company Arvinas LLC, which plans to enter clinical trials with breast and prostate cancer drug candidates.

With over 54,000 members and an international publishing and knowledge business, the Royal Society is the United Kingdom’s professional body for chemical scientists.