About the Investigator:

Dr. Wiener’s lab investigates the molecular mechanisms of protein modifications by ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins in health and disease. Dr. Wiener began his academic career at Tel Aviv University where he earned his BSc in Biology and MSc and PhD in Biochemistry. Following the completion of his doctorate, he moved to Johns Hopkins School of Medicine to perform postdoctoral research. Currently, Dr. Wiener oversees his own lab at the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School.

About the Research:

Proteins are the workhorses of the cell and are responsible for almost all cellular processes; thus, regulation of their activity and localization is essential for cell survival. Some proteins are regulated after they are synthesized, by covalent attachment of a modifier protein that determines protein stability. One modified protein that has been closely linked to cancer is UFM1, which is linked to its target proteins in a process called “Ufmylation.” Improper regulation of protein modification by UFM1 (ufmylation) has been linked to several types of cancers, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and gastric cancer. The Wiener lab uses advanced methods for analysis of protein structure and activity to elucidate the mechanisms by which UFM1 is attached to its target proteins, with the goal of making this pathway the target for novel anti-cancer drugs.