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
2019
Journal Article
Insecticidal spider toxins are high affinity positive allosteric modulators of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
Chambers, Chris, Cutler, Penny, Huang, Yen-Hua, Goodchild, James A., Blythe, Judith, Wang, Conan K., Bigot, Aurélien, Kaas, Quentin, Craik, David J., Sabbadin, Davide and Earley, Fergus G. (2019). Insecticidal spider toxins are high affinity positive allosteric modulators of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. FEBS Letters, 593 (12) 1873-3468.13435, 1336-1350. doi: 10.1002/1873-3468.13435
2019
Journal Article
Anchor residues guide form and function in grafted peptides
Yin, Huawu, Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2019). Anchor residues guide form and function in grafted peptides. Angewandte Chemie, 131 (23), 7734-7738. doi: 10.1002/ange.201901572
2019
Journal Article
Toward structure determination of disulfide-rich peptides using chemical shift-based methods
Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2019). Toward structure determination of disulfide-rich peptides using chemical shift-based methods. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 123 (9) acs.jpcb.8b10649, 1903-1912. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b10649
2018
Journal Article
Synthesis, racemic x-ray crystallographic, and permeability studies of bioactive orbitides from Jatropha species
Ramalho, Suelem D., Wang, Conan K., King, Gordon J., Byriel, Karl A., Huang, Yen-Hua, Bolzani, Vanderlan S. and Craik, David J. (2018). Synthesis, racemic x-ray crystallographic, and permeability studies of bioactive orbitides from Jatropha species. Journal of Natural Products, 81 (11) acs.jnatprod.8b00447, 2436-2445. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.8b00447
2018
Journal Article
Calcium-mediated allostery of the EGF fold
Wang, Conan K., Ghani, Hafiza Abdul, Bundock, Anna, Weidmann, Joachim, Harvey, Peta J., Edwards, Ingrid A., Schroeder, Christina I., Swedberg, Joakim E. and Craik, David J. (2018). Calcium-mediated allostery of the EGF fold. ACS Chemical Biology, 13 (6), 1659-1667. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00291
2018
Journal Article
Designing macrocyclic disulfide-rich peptides for biotechnological applications
Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2018). Designing macrocyclic disulfide-rich peptides for biotechnological applications. Nature Chemical Biology, 14 (5), 417-427. doi: 10.1038/s41589-018-0039-y
2018
Journal Article
Conformational Flexibility Is a Determinant of Permeability for Cyclosporin
Wang, Conan K., Swedberg, Joakim E., Harvey, Peta J., Kaas, Quentin and Craik, David J. (2018). Conformational Flexibility Is a Determinant of Permeability for Cyclosporin. The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B, 122 (8), 2261-2276. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b12419
2018
Book Chapter
NMR relaxation analysis of pharmaceutically active peptides
Wang, Conan K. (2018). NMR relaxation analysis of pharmaceutically active peptides. Modern magnetic resonance. (pp. 1997-2020) edited by Graham A. Webb. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-28388-3_115
2018
Conference Publication
Is the mirror image a true reflection? Lipid chirality in the activity of the prototypic cyclotide kalata B1
Henriques, Sonia Troeira, Peacock, Hayden, Benfield, Aurelie H., Wang, Conan and Craik, David (2018). Is the mirror image a true reflection? Lipid chirality in the activity of the prototypic cyclotide kalata B1. 35th European Peptide Symposium, Dublin City University, Ireland, 26-31 August 2018. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.
2018
Conference Publication
A journey alongside cyclosporin on the road to peptide oral bioavailability
Wang, Conan and Craik, David (2018). A journey alongside cyclosporin on the road to peptide oral bioavailability. 35th European Peptide Symposium, Dublin City University, Ireland, 26-31 August 2018. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.
2018
Conference Publication
Targeting the coiled-coil domain of BCR-ABL1 kinase with new weapons
Huang, Yen-Hua, Passioura, Toby, Peacock, Hayden, Henriques, Sonia Troeira, Wang, Conan, Kaas, Quentin, Suga, Hiroaki and Craik, David (2018). Targeting the coiled-coil domain of BCR-ABL1 kinase with new weapons. 35th European Peptide Symposium, Dublin City University, Ireland, 26-31 August 2018. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.
2017
Journal Article
Lysine to arginine mutagenesis of chlorotoxin enhances its cellular uptake
Ojeda, Paola G. , Henriques, Sonia Troeira, Pan, Yijun, Nicolazzo, Joseph A., Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2017). Lysine to arginine mutagenesis of chlorotoxin enhances its cellular uptake. Biopolymers, 108 (5) e23025, e23025. doi: 10.1002/bip.23025
2017
Journal Article
Backbone cyclization of analgesic conotoxin GeXIVA facilitates direct folding of the ribbon isomer
Wu, Xiaosa, Huang, Yen-Hua, Kaas, Quentin, Harvey, Peta J., Wang, Conan K., Tae, Han-Shen, Adams, David J. and Craik, David J. (2017). Backbone cyclization of analgesic conotoxin GeXIVA facilitates direct folding of the ribbon isomer. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 292 (41), 17101-17112. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M117.808386
2017
Journal Article
Design of potent and selective cathepsin G inhibitors based on the sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 scaffold
Swedberg, Joakim E., Li, Choi Yi, De Veer, Simon J., Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2017). Design of potent and selective cathepsin G inhibitors based on the sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 scaffold. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 60 (2), 658-667. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b01509
2017
Book Chapter
A practical guide to structural aspects of macrocycles (NMR, x-ray, and modeling)
Craik, David J., Kaas, Quentin and Wang, Conan K. (2017). A practical guide to structural aspects of macrocycles (NMR, x-ray, and modeling). Practical medicinal chemistry with macrocycles: Design, synthesis, and case studies. (pp. 25-57) edited by Eric Marsault and Mark L Peterson. Hoboken, New Jersey, United States: John Wiley & Sons. doi: 10.1002/9781119092599.ch2
2016
Journal Article
Cyclic peptide oral bioavailability: lessons from the past
Wang, Conan K. and Craik, David J. (2016). Cyclic peptide oral bioavailability: lessons from the past. Biopolymers, 106 (6), 901-909. doi: 10.1002/bip.22878
2016
Journal Article
Forward for ICCP2015 issue of biopolymers peptide science
Craik, David J. and Wang, Conan K. (2016). Forward for ICCP2015 issue of biopolymers peptide science. Biopolymers, 106 (6), 772-773. doi: 10.1002/bip.22989
2016
Journal Article
Efficient enzymatic cyclization of an inhibitory cystine knot-containing peptide
Kwon, Soohyun, Bosmans, Frank, Kaas, Quentin, Cheneval, Olivier, Conibear, Anne C., Rosengren, K. Johan, Wang, Conan K., Schroeder, Christina I. and Craik, David J. (2016). Efficient enzymatic cyclization of an inhibitory cystine knot-containing peptide. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 113 (10), 2202-2212. doi: 10.1002/bit.25993
2016
Journal Article
Biodistribution of the cyclotide MCoTI-II, a cyclic disulfide-rich peptide drug scaffold
Wang, Conan K., Stalmans, Sofie, De Spiegeleer, Bart and Craik, David J. (2016). Biodistribution of the cyclotide MCoTI-II, a cyclic disulfide-rich peptide drug scaffold. Journal of Peptide Science, 22 (5), 305-310. doi: 10.1002/psc.2862
2016
Journal Article
Mirror images of antimicrobial peptides provide reflections on their functions and amyloidogenic properties
Wang, Conan K., King, Gordon J., Conibear, Anne C., Ramos, Mariana C., Chaousis, Stephanie, Henriques, Sonia Troeira and Craik, David J. (2016). Mirror images of antimicrobial peptides provide reflections on their functions and amyloidogenic properties. Journal of American Chemical Society, 138 (17), 5706-5713. doi: 10.1021/jacs.6b02575
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Conan Wang is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
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
Patient-friendly peptide tracers for improving immunotherapy outcomes
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Yen-Hua Crystal Huang
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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
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
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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
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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