![Dr Conan Wang](/sites/default/files/profiles/1542.jpeg)
Overview
Background
I lead the Technology-Driven Drug Discovery (Tech3D) Group at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, UQ. We believe that the key to solving some of our world's biggest challenges, whether that be in medicine or agriculture, relies on the ability to precision engineer molecules at will. My group harnesses three technological pillars to engineer peptides and proteins, which are computational biology, molecular libraries, and nanotechnology. We aspire to design better drugs, creating next generation biotechnological agents that have real impact. These could be new cancer drugs that harness the body's immune system or new insecticides that are environmentally friendly. In these pursuits, we value advancement, fun, balance, respect, fairness, and integrity.
I have been involved in peptide and protein research for over two decades, and am highly experienced in bioinformatics, chemistry, structural characterization, biophysics, and biochemistry. I trained with experts in peptide and protein characterization: an Honours project with Professor Garry King at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (2004), an APA scholarship with Professor David Craik at the University of Queensland Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Brisbane, Australia (2005-2009) and a NHMRC fellowship with Professor Mingjie Zhang at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China (2009-2011) and A/Professor Andreas Hofmann at Griffith University Eskitis Institute, Brisbane, Australia (2011-2012). I returned to the University of Queensland in 2012 to join an industry partnership funded by an ARC linkage grant. I currently hold an ARC Future Fellowship and am responsible for a team of research officers, assistants and postgraduate students.
My research output has been recognised by >30 prizes and awards for leadership, research translation and fundamental research excellence, as well as numerous invitations to speak at academic and pharmaceutical conferences. I have over 100 publications and have been cited by researchers from across the world.
Availability
- Dr Conan Wang is:
- Available for supervision
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Engineering, University of New South Wales
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Drug Discovery and Protein/Peptide Engineeering
My group uses: 1) computational algorithms to predict drug properties with unprecedented accuracy; 2) molecular libraries capable of screening through billions of drug leads to design drugs efficiently; and 3) nano-sized reaction droplets to capture drug activity to make drugs that actually work.
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Cancer Therapeutics
My group is interested in developing new cancer therapeutics, particularly those that modulate the immune system or relevant to lung cancer.
Works
Search Professor Conan Wang’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
Repurposing a plant peptide cyclase for targeted lysine acylation
Rehm, Fabian B. H., Tyler, Tristan J., Zhou, Yan, Huang, Yen-Hua, Wang, Conan K., Lawrence, Nicole, Craik, David J. and Durek, Thomas (2024). Repurposing a plant peptide cyclase for targeted lysine acylation. Nature Chemistry, 2024, 1-1. doi: 10.1038/s41557-024-01520-1
2024
Journal Article
Isolation and Characterization of Insecticidal Cyclotides from <i>Viola communis</i>
Khatibi, Negin, Huang, Yen-Hua, Wang, Conan K., Durek, Thomas, Gilding, Edward K. and Craik, David J. (2024). Isolation and Characterization of Insecticidal Cyclotides from Viola communis. Journal of Natural Products. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.4c00168
2024
Journal Article
Seasonal tissue-specific gene expression in wild crown-of-thorns starfish reveals reproductive and stress-related transcriptional systems
Morin, Marie, Jönsson, Mathias, Wang, Conan K., Craik, David J., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2024). Seasonal tissue-specific gene expression in wild crown-of-thorns starfish reveals reproductive and stress-related transcriptional systems. PLOS Biology, 22 (5) e3002620, e3002620. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002620
2024
Journal Article
Display technologies for expanding the pharmaceutical applications of cyclotides
Xie, Jing, Kan, Meng‐Wei, de Veer, Simon J., Wang, Conan and Craik, David J. (2024). Display technologies for expanding the pharmaceutical applications of cyclotides. Israel Journal of Chemistry. doi: 10.1002/ijch.202400010
2024
Journal Article
Structure and Activity of Reconstructed Pseudo‐Ancestral Cyclotides
Jiang, Zhihao, Huang, Yen-Hua, Kaas, Quentin, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2024). Structure and Activity of Reconstructed Pseudo‐Ancestral Cyclotides. ChemMedChem, 19 (14), e202400124. doi: 10.1002/cmdc.202400124
2024
Journal Article
Nucleation of a key beta-turn promotes cyclotide oxidative folding
Tian, Sixin, de Veer, Simon J., Durek, Thomas, Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2024). Nucleation of a key beta-turn promotes cyclotide oxidative folding. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 300 (4) 107125, 107125. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107125
2024
Journal Article
Delivery to, and Reactivation of, the p53 Pathway in Cancer Cells Using a Grafted Cyclotide Conjugated with a Cell-Penetrating Peptide
Philippe, Grégoire Jean-Baptiste, Huang, Yen-Hua, Mittermeier, Anna, Brown, Christopher J., Kaas, Quentin, Ramlan, Siti Radhiah, Wang, Conan K., Lane, David, Loewer, Alexander, Troeira Henriques, Sónia and Craik, David J. (2024). Delivery to, and Reactivation of, the p53 Pathway in Cancer Cells Using a Grafted Cyclotide Conjugated with a Cell-Penetrating Peptide. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 67 (2), 1197-1208. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01682
2024
Journal Article
The prospect of substrate-based kinase inhibitors to improve target selectivity and overcome drug resistance
Biswas, Biswajit, Huang, Yen-Hua, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2024). The prospect of substrate-based kinase inhibitors to improve target selectivity and overcome drug resistance. Chemical Science, 15 (33), 13130-13147. doi: 10.1039/d4sc01088d
2023
Journal Article
The circular bacteriocin enterocin NKR-5-3B has an improved stability profile over nisin
Wang, Conan K., Huang, Yen-Hua, Shabbir, Fatima, Pham, Huong T., Lawrence, Nicole, Benfield, Aurélie H., van der Donk, Wilfred, Henriques, Sónia T., Turner, Mark S. and Craik, David J. (2023). The circular bacteriocin enterocin NKR-5-3B has an improved stability profile over nisin. Peptides, 167 171049, 171049. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171049
2023
Journal Article
Captivity induces a sweeping and sustained genomic response in a starfish
Morin, Marie, Jönsson, Mathias, Wang, Conan K., Craik, David J., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2023). Captivity induces a sweeping and sustained genomic response in a starfish. Molecular Ecology, 32 (13), 3541-3556. doi: 10.1111/mec.16947
2023
Journal Article
The 2022 Kazuhiko Tatemoto Prize: ACE2-derived peptides for COVID-19 treatment
Wang, Conan K. (2023). The 2022 Kazuhiko Tatemoto Prize: ACE2-derived peptides for COVID-19 treatment. Peptides, 162 170964, 170964. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.170964
2023
Journal Article
Heparan sulfate regulates IL-21 bioavailability and signal strength that control germinal center B cell selection and differentiation
Chen, Zhian, Cui, Yanfang, Yao, Yin, Liu, Bo, Yunis, Joseph, Gao, Xin, Wang, Naiqi, Cañete, Pablo F., Tuong, Zewen Kelvin, Sun, Hongjian, Wang, Hao, Yang, Siling, Wang, Runli, Leong, Yew Ann, Simon Davis, David, Qin, Jiahuan, Liang, Kaili, Deng, Jun, Wang, Conan K., Huang, Yen-Hua, Roco, Jonathan A., Nettelfield, Sam, Zhu, Huaming, Xu, Huajun, Yu, Zhijia, Craik, David, Liu, Zheng, Qi, Hai, Parish, Christopher and Yu, Di (2023). Heparan sulfate regulates IL-21 bioavailability and signal strength that control germinal center B cell selection and differentiation. Science immunology, 8 (80) eadd1728, 1-17. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.add1728
2022
Journal Article
Sex-specific expression of pheromones and other signals in gravid starfish
Jönsson, Mathias, Morin, Marie, Wang, Conan K., Craik, David J., Degnan, Sandie M. and Degnan, Bernard M. (2022). Sex-specific expression of pheromones and other signals in gravid starfish. BMC Biology, 20 (1) 288, 1-18. doi: 10.1186/s12915-022-01491-0
2022
Journal Article
Engineering the cyclization loop of MCoTI-II generates targeted cyclotides that potently inhibit factor XIIa
Tian, Sixin, Durek, Thomas, Wang, Conan K., Zdenek, Christina N., Fry, Bryan G., Craik, David J. and de Veer, Simon J. (2022). Engineering the cyclization loop of MCoTI-II generates targeted cyclotides that potently inhibit factor XIIa. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 65 (23), 15698-15709. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01080
2022
Journal Article
Improving stability enhances in vivo efficacy of a PCSK9 inhibitory peptide
Zhang, Yuhui, Wang, Li, Tombling, Benjamin J., Lammi, Carmen, Huang, Yen-Hua, Li, Yue, Bartolomei, Martina, Hong, Bin, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2022). Improving stability enhances in vivo efficacy of a PCSK9 inhibitory peptide. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 144 (42), 19485-19498. doi: 10.1021/jacs.2c08029
2022
Journal Article
CIPPS, an Australian Centre for Peptide and Protein Research, goes live!
Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2022). CIPPS, an Australian Centre for Peptide and Protein Research, goes live!. Peptides, 155 170835, 1-2. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2022.170835
2022
Journal Article
Mutagenesis of bracelet cyclotide hyen D reveals functionally and structurally critical residues for membrane binding and cytotoxicity
Du, Qingdan, Huang, Yen-Hua, Wang, Conan K., Kaas, Quentin and Craik, David J. (2022). Mutagenesis of bracelet cyclotide hyen D reveals functionally and structurally critical residues for membrane binding and cytotoxicity. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 298 (4) 101822, 101822. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101822
2021
Journal Article
Rational design of potent peptide inhibitors of the PD-1:PD-L1 interaction for cancer immunotherapy
Yin, Huawu, Zhou, Xiuman, Huang, Yen-Hua, King, Gordon J., Collins, Brett M., Gao, Yanfeng, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2021). Rational design of potent peptide inhibitors of the PD-1:PD-L1 interaction for cancer immunotherapy. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 143 (44) jacs.1c08132, 18536-18547. doi: 10.1021/jacs.1c08132
2021
Journal Article
Enabling efficient folding and high-resolution crystallographic analysis of bracelet cyclotides
Huang, Yen-Hua, Du, Qingdan, Jiang, Zhihao, King, Gordon J., Collins, Brett M., Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2021). Enabling efficient folding and high-resolution crystallographic analysis of bracelet cyclotides. Molecules, 26 (18) 5554, 5554. doi: 10.3390/molecules26185554
2021
Journal Article
The emerging landscape of peptide-based inhibitors of PCSK9
Tombling, Benjamin J., Zhang, Yuhui, Huang, Yen-Hua, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2021). The emerging landscape of peptide-based inhibitors of PCSK9. Atherosclerosis, 330, 52-60. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.06.903
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Conan Wang is:
- Available for supervision
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Available projects
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Molecular design of drugs for cancer diagnosis, imaging and therapy.
In this industry-linked project, an exceptional opportunity awaits a highly motivated PhD candidate interested in discovery and engineering of peptide drugs to combat cancer.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Discovery and Development of Substrate-Based Peptide Kinase Inhibitors
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Yen-Hua Crystal Huang, Professor David Craik
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Doctor Philosophy
A new molecular technology platform for design and production of ultra-stable peptides
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Craik
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Doctor Philosophy
Next-generation IL-2 mimics for immunotherapy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Craik, Professor Di Yu
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Doctor Philosophy
Patient-friendly peptide tracers for improving immunotherapy outcomes
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Yen-Hua Crystal Huang
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Doctor Philosophy
Development of peptide-based inhibitors for crop protection
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Brett Collins, Professor David Craik
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Doctor Philosophy
Development of a new class of ligase enzymes for protein engineering and drug development
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Craik, Dr Thomas Durek
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Doctor Philosophy
Development of commercially viable cyclic peptide production for the protection of the Great Barrier Reef
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Craik, Dr Thomas Durek, Professor Linda Lua
Completed supervision
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
The development of peptide-based cholesterol-lowering therapeutics
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Craik
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Discovery, production, and development of disulfide-rich peptides for drug design and development
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Craik, Dr Thomas Durek
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Structural Modifications to Optimise the Oxidative Folding and Activity of Cyclotides
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Simon de Veer, Professor David Craik
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Characterising the crown-of-thorns starfish secretome to identify factors for future biocontrol systems
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Sandie Degnan, Professor Bernard Degnan
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Investigating approaches for the design and delivery of disulfide-rich peptide therapeutics
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Yen-Hua Crystal Huang, Professor David Craik
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Structure-activity relationships and development of disulfide-rich cyclic peptides as pharmaceutical templates
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor David Craik
Media
Enquiries
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