Sarah Hymowitz Associate Director: Structural Biology Profile | Education/Background | Top Scientific Papers | Awards & Honors

"I started at Genentech as a postdoctoral fellow with Bart de Vos in 1999 studying the structure and function of members of the TNF super family of ligands and receptors. I was attracted to Genentech by the excellent science and the collaborative environment."

Current Projects "The Genentech Structural Biology Department encompasses protein cloning and expression, NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. My area of expertise is X-ray crystallography. We study the structure and interactions of macromolecules with ligands. These ligands can be receptors, small molecules or Fab fragments of antibodies. This information assists in the discovery of potential therapeutics and contributes to a better fundamental understanding of signaling events of importance to human disease. Active research projects include structure-based drug design, receptor-ligand interactions, the structural biology of ubiquitin signaling and antibody-antigen complexes."

Collaborations "All of our projects involve collaborations, both within the department as well as with colleagues throughout Genentech including the Small Molecule Drug Discovery Groups, Antibody Engineering, Immunology, Oncology, Physiological Chemistry, and Molecular Biology. The interdisciplinary nature of these projects provides constant opportunities to learn more about diverse areas of biology."

Inspiration/Vision "I am motivated by the hope that our work may someday help patients. I am inspired by the talents and insights of my colleagues."