Professor David Ascher
Professor

David Ascher

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 53991

Background

Prof David Ascher is currently an NHMRC Investigator, immediate past Director of the Biotechnology Program, and Deputy Associate Dean (Research Partnerships) in the Faculty of Science at the University of Queensland. He is also Head of Computational Biology and Clinical Informatics at the Baker Institute.

David’s research focus is in modelling biological data to gain insight into fundamental biological processes. One of his primary research interests has been developing tools to unravel the link between genotype and phenotype, using computational and experimental approaches to understand the effects of mutations on protein structure and function. His group has developed a platform of over 40 widely used programs for assessing the molecular consequences of coding variants (>7 million hits/year).

Working with clinical collaborators in Australia, Brazil and UK, these methods have been translated into the clinic to guide the diagnosis, management and treatment of a number of hereditary diseases, rare cancers and drug resistant infections.

David has a B.Biotech from the University of Adelaide, majoring in Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Pharmacology and Toxicology; and a B.Sci(Hon) from the University of Queensland, majoring in Biochemistry, where he worked with Luke Guddat and Ron Duggleby on the structural and functional characterization of enzymes in the branched-chain amino acid biosynthetic pathway. David then went to St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research to undertake a PhD at the University of Melbourne in Biochemistry. There he worked under the supervision of Michael Parker using computational, biochemical and structural tools to develop small molecules drugs to improve memory.

In 2013 David went to the University of Cambridge to work with Sir Tom Blundell on using fragment based drug development techniques to target protein-protein interactions; and subsequently on the structural characterisation of proteins involved in non-homologous DNA repair. He returned to Cambridge in 2014 to establish a research platform to characterise the molecular effects of mutations on protein structure and function- using this information to gain insight into the link between genetic changes and phenotypes. He was subsequently recruited as a lab head in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Melbourne in 2016, before joining the Baker Institute in 2019 and the University of Queensland in 2021.

He is an Associate Editor of PBMB and Fronteirs in Bioinformatics, and holds honorary positions at Bio21 Institute, Cambridge University, FIOCRUZ, and the Tuscany University Network.

Availability

Professor David Ascher is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Applications in life sciences Artificial intelligence Biochemistry and cell biology Bioinformatic methods development Bioinformatics and computational biology Biological Sciences Biological network analysis Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Cardiovascular medicine and haematology Data engineering and data science Data management and data science Gene mapping Genetics Genomics Genomics and transcriptomics Industrial biotechnology Industrial molecular engineering of nucleic acids and proteins Information and Computing Sciences Medical biochemistry and metabolomics Microbial genetics Microbiology Sequence analysis Statistical and quantitative genetics Structural biology (incl. macromolecular modelling) Translational and applied bioinformatics

Research impacts

We have successfully translated our computational tools into the clinic and industry, including:

  • Clinical detection of drug resistance from whole-genome sequencing of pathogens, including Tuburculosis and Leprosy
  • Genetic counselling for rare diseases and cancers with Addenbrooke's Hospital and Brazilian Ministry of Health
  • Patient stratification within clinical trials
  • Implementation within industry drug and biologics development programs

The tools we have developed have also been widely adopted within existing academic programs including:

  • Integration of intermolecular interaction calculations using our tool Arpeggio in the PDBe, the European resource for the collection, organisation and dissemination of data on biological macromolecular structures.
  • Integration of our missense tolerance scores within the widely used VEP tool for variant characterisation.
  • Implementation of our resistance prediction tools within the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine's TB-Profiler tool.

Search Professor David Ascher’s works on UQ eSpace

186 works between 2008 and 2025
All (186) Journal Article (177) Book Chapter (7) Conference Publication (2)

21 - 40 of 186 works

2024

Journal Article

Joint genotypic and phenotypic outcome modeling improves base editing variant effect quantification

Ryu, Jayoung, Barkal, Sam, Yu, Tian, Jankowiak, Martin, Zhou, Yunzhuo, Francoeur, Matthew, Phan, Quang Vinh, Li, Zhijian, Tognon, Manuel, Brown, Lara, Love, Michael I., Bhat, Vineel, Lettre, Guillaume, Ascher, David B., Cassa, Christopher A., Sherwood, Richard I. and Pinello, Luca (2024). Joint genotypic and phenotypic outcome modeling improves base editing variant effect quantification. Nature Genetics, 56 (5), 925-937. doi: 10.1038/s41588-024-01726-6

Joint genotypic and phenotypic outcome modeling improves base editing variant effect quantification

2024

Journal Article

Mutations in glycosyltransferases and glycosidases: implications for associated diseases

Gu, Xiaotong, Kovacs, Aaron S., Myung, Yoochan and Ascher, David B. (2024). Mutations in glycosyltransferases and glycosidases: implications for associated diseases. Biomolecules, 14 (4) 497. doi: 10.3390/biom14040497

Mutations in glycosyltransferases and glycosidases: implications for associated diseases

2024

Journal Article

Are manufacturing patents to blame for biosimilar market launch delays?

Williamson, Rhys, Munro, Trent, Ascher, David, Robertson, Avril and Pregelj, Lisette (2024). Are manufacturing patents to blame for biosimilar market launch delays?. Value in Health, 27 (3), 287-293. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2023.12.005

Are manufacturing patents to blame for biosimilar market launch delays?

2024

Journal Article

A metabolic signature for NADSYN1-dependent congenital NAD deficiency disorder

Szot, Justin O., Cuny, Hartmut, Martin, Ella M.M.A., Sheng, Delicia Z., Iyer, Kavitha, Portelli, Stephanie, Nguyen, Vivien, Gereis, Jessica M., Alankarage, Dimuthu, Chitayat, David, Chong, Karen, Wentzensen, Ingrid M., Vincent-Delormé, Catherine, Lermine, Alban, Burkitt-Wright, Emma, Ji, Weizhen, Jeffries, Lauren, Pais, Lynn S., Tan, Tiong Y., Pitt, James, Wise, Cheryl A., Wright, Helen, Andrews, Israel D., Pruniski, Brianna, Grebe, Theresa A., Corsten-Janssen, Nicole, Bouman, Katelijne, Poulton, Cathryn, Prakash, Supraja ... Dunwoodie, Sally L. (2024). A metabolic signature for NADSYN1-dependent congenital NAD deficiency disorder. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 134 (4) 174824. doi: 10.1172/jci174824

A metabolic signature for NADSYN1-dependent congenital NAD deficiency disorder

2024

Journal Article

AI-driven GPCR analysis, engineering, and targeting

Velloso, João P.L., Kovacs, Aaron S., Pires, Douglas E.V. and Ascher, David B. (2024). AI-driven GPCR analysis, engineering, and targeting. Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 74 102427. doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2023.102427

AI-driven GPCR analysis, engineering, and targeting

2024

Journal Article

A broad-spectrum α-glucosidase of glycoside hydrolase family 13 from Marinovum sp., a member of the Roseobacter clade

Li, Jinling, Mui, Janice W.-Y., da Silva, Bruna M., Pires, Douglas E.V., Ascher, David B., Madiedo Soler, Niccolay, Goddard-Borger, Ethan D. and Williams, Spencer J. (2024). A broad-spectrum α-glucosidase of glycoside hydrolase family 13 from Marinovum sp., a member of the Roseobacter clade. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 196 (9), 6059-6071. doi: 10.1007/s12010-023-04820-3

A broad-spectrum α-glucosidase of glycoside hydrolase family 13 from Marinovum sp., a member of the Roseobacter clade

2024

Book Chapter

AI-driven enhancements in drug screening and optimization

Serghini, Adam, Portelli, Stephanie and Ascher, David B. (2024). AI-driven enhancements in drug screening and optimization. Computational drug discovery and design. (pp. 269-294) edited by Mohini Gore and Umesh B. Jagtap. New York, NY, United States: Humana. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3441-7_15

AI-driven enhancements in drug screening and optimization

2024

Journal Article

Lipid sulfoxide polymers as potential inhalable drug delivery platforms with differential albumin binding affinity

Ediriweera, Gayathri R., Butcher, Neville J., Kothapalli, Ashok, Zhao, Jiacheng, Blanchfield, Joanne T., Subasic, Christopher N., Grace, James L., Fu, Changkui, Tan, Xiao, Quinn, John F., Ascher, David B., Whittaker, Michael R., Whittaker, Andrew K. and Kaminskas, Lisa M. (2024). Lipid sulfoxide polymers as potential inhalable drug delivery platforms with differential albumin binding affinity. Biomaterials Science, 12 (11), 2978-2992. doi: 10.1039/d3bm02020g

Lipid sulfoxide polymers as potential inhalable drug delivery platforms with differential albumin binding affinity

2024

Journal Article

Characterization on the oncogenic effect of the missense mutations of p53 via machine learning

Pan, Qisheng, Portelli, Stephanie, Nguyen, Thanh Binh and Ascher, David B. (2024). Characterization on the oncogenic effect of the missense mutations of p53 via machine learning. Briefings in Bioinformatics, 25 (1) bbad428, 1-13. doi: 10.1093/bib/bbad428

Characterization on the oncogenic effect of the missense mutations of p53 via machine learning

2023

Journal Article

Characterizing and predicting ccRCC-causing missense mutations in Von Hippel-Lindau disease

Serghini, Adam, Portelli, Stephanie, Troadec, Guillaume, Song, Catherine, Pan, Qisheng, Pires, Douglas E. V. and Ascher, David B. (2023). Characterizing and predicting ccRCC-causing missense mutations in Von Hippel-Lindau disease. Human Molecular Genetics, 33 (3), 224-232. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddad181

Characterizing and predicting ccRCC-causing missense mutations in Von Hippel-Lindau disease

2023

Journal Article

CSM‐Potential2: A comprehensive deep learning platform for the analysis of protein interacting interfaces

Rodrigues, Carlos H. M. and Ascher, David B. (2023). CSM‐Potential2: A comprehensive deep learning platform for the analysis of protein interacting interfaces. Proteins: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics, 93 (1), 209-216. doi: 10.1002/prot.26615

CSM‐Potential2: A comprehensive deep learning platform for the analysis of protein interacting interfaces

2023

Journal Article

Uncovering the molecular drivers of NHEJ DNA repair-implicated missense variants and their functional consequences

Al-Jarf, Raghad, Karmakar, Malancha, Myung, Yoochan and Ascher, David B. (2023). Uncovering the molecular drivers of NHEJ DNA repair-implicated missense variants and their functional consequences. Genes, 14 (10) 1890, 1-11. doi: 10.3390/genes14101890

Uncovering the molecular drivers of NHEJ DNA repair-implicated missense variants and their functional consequences

2023

Journal Article

Identifying innate resistance hotspots for SARS-CoV-2 antivirals using in silico protein techniques

Portelli, Stephanie, Heaton, Ruby and Ascher, David B. (2023). Identifying innate resistance hotspots for SARS-CoV-2 antivirals using in silico protein techniques. Genes, 14 (9) 1699, 1-13. doi: 10.3390/genes14091699

Identifying innate resistance hotspots for SARS-CoV-2 antivirals using in silico protein techniques

2023

Journal Article

LEGO-CSM: a tool for functional characterization of proteins

Nguyen, Thanh Binh, de Sá, Alex G. C., Rodrigues, Carlos H. M., Pires, Douglas E. V. and Ascher, David B. (2023). LEGO-CSM: a tool for functional characterization of proteins. Bioinformatics, 39 (7) btad402, 1-4. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad402

LEGO-CSM: a tool for functional characterization of proteins

2023

Journal Article

Understanding the complementarity and plasticity of antibody–antigen interfaces

Myung, Yoochan, Pires, Douglas E. V. and Ascher, David B (2023). Understanding the complementarity and plasticity of antibody–antigen interfaces. Bioinformatics, 39 (7) btad392, 1-7. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad392

Understanding the complementarity and plasticity of antibody–antigen interfaces

2023

Journal Article

Identifying the molecular drivers of pathogenic aldehyde dehydrogenase missense mutations in cancer and non-cancer diseases

Jessen-Howard, Dana, Pan, Qisheng and Ascher, David B. (2023). Identifying the molecular drivers of pathogenic aldehyde dehydrogenase missense mutations in cancer and non-cancer diseases. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24 (12) 10157, 1-18. doi: 10.3390/ijms241210157

Identifying the molecular drivers of pathogenic aldehyde dehydrogenase missense mutations in cancer and non-cancer diseases

2023

Journal Article

DDMut: predicting effects of mutations on protein stability using deep learning

Zhou, Yunzhuo, Pan, Qisheng, Pires, Douglas E. V., Rodrigues, Carlos H. M. and Ascher, David B. (2023). DDMut: predicting effects of mutations on protein stability using deep learning. Nucleic Acids Research, 51 (W1), W122-W128. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkad472

DDMut: predicting effects of mutations on protein stability using deep learning

2023

Journal Article

epitope1D: accurate taxonomy-aware B-cell linear epitope prediction

da Silva, Bruna Moreira, Ascher, David B. and Pires, Douglas E. V. (2023). epitope1D: accurate taxonomy-aware B-cell linear epitope prediction. Briefings in Bioinformatics, 24 (3) bbad114, 1-8. doi: 10.1093/bib/bbad114

epitope1D: accurate taxonomy-aware B-cell linear epitope prediction

2023

Journal Article

Insights from spatial measures of intolerance to identifying pathogenic variants in developmental and epileptic encephalopathies

Silk, Michael, de Sá, Alex, Olshansky, Moshe and Ascher, David B. (2023). Insights from spatial measures of intolerance to identifying pathogenic variants in developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24 (6) 5114, 1-9. doi: 10.3390/ijms24065114

Insights from spatial measures of intolerance to identifying pathogenic variants in developmental and epileptic encephalopathies

2023

Journal Article

CSM-Toxin: a web-server for predicting protein toxicity

Morozov, Vladimir, Rodrigues, Carlos H. M. and Ascher, David B. (2023). CSM-Toxin: a web-server for predicting protein toxicity. Pharmaceutics, 15 (2) 431, 1-8. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020431

CSM-Toxin: a web-server for predicting protein toxicity

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Broad-spectrum antibody therapy for Japanese Encephalitis serocomplex viruses
    Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics Foundation Grants
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Improving genetic diagnosis of autoimmune and autoinflammatory disease through an integrated multi-omics approach (MRFF 2022 GHFM - administered by ANU)
    The Australian National University
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2024
    Development of Molecular Property Prediction Models for Exploring Alternative Chemicals
    Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology
    Open grant

Availability

Professor David Ascher is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Exploring Cardiotoxicity Risk Factors

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Thanh-Binh Nguyen

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Protein structure guided precision medicine

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Phil Hugenholtz, Dr Stephanie Portelli

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Computational approaches to engineer and modulate G protein-coupled receptors

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Personalising treatments for genetic diseases

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Stephanie Portelli

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Deep Learning Algorithms for Polygenic Genotype-Phenotype Predictions and the development of genetics computation tools

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Towards the accurate functional characterisation of protein coding mutations

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Stephanie Portelli, Dr Thanh-Binh Nguyen

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Exploring Cardiotoxicity Risk Factors

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Thanh-Binh Nguyen

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Improving rational antibody design using machine learning

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Harnessing AlphaFold and explainable AI to better characterise human missense variants and diseases

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Stephanie Portelli, Dr Thanh-Binh Nguyen

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Machine Learning for Protein Dynamics: Predicting Post-Translational Modifications and Mutation Effects

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Post-transcriptional gene regulation: towards a better understanding of pathogenesis and medical applications

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Using Deep Learning in Cell & Gene Therapy

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Stephanie Portelli

  • Master Philosophy

    Explore the dark spots in PDB

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Rational protein engineering and inhibition

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Post-transcriptional gene regulation: towards a better understanding of pathogenesis and medical applications

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Computer-aided drug design: predicting and mitigating drug toxicity

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Stephanie Portelli

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Computational approaches to engineer and modulate G protein-coupled receptors

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Developing structure-based deep learning methods to predict mutation effects on proteins

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Exploring Cardiotoxicity Risk Factors

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Thanh-Binh Nguyen

  • Master Philosophy

    Explore the dark spots in PDB

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Therapeutic Resolution of Inflammation in the Central Nervous System for Neuroprotection in Parkinson's Disease

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Avril Robertson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Use of structural phylogeny and reconciliation in molecular phylogenetics

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Kate Bowerman, Professor Phil Hugenholtz

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Therapeutic Resolution of Inflammation in the Central Nervous System for Neuroprotection in Parkinson's Disease

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Avril Robertson

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Unravelling the Physicochemical Drivers of Biomolecular Self-Assembly though Multiscale Simulations

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Evelyne Deplazes, Professor Megan O'Mara

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Computational design of targeted lipid technologies

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Megan O'Mara

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Breaking the chain of inflammation through targetting NLR proteins

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Avril Robertson

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor David Ascher directly for media enquiries about their areas of expertise.

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au