Michael Rape PhD

Michael Rape is a pioneer in uncovering fundamental mechanisms of cellular regulation by ubiquitylation. Michael’s work revealed new ubiquitin chain types, essential ubiquitylation enzymes and substrates, as well as mechanisms of ubiquitylation that are essential for human development and disease. His work led to the first prospective development of a molecular glues targeting E3 ligases, thus helping to opening up the ubiquitin system for drug discovery. Michael received his PhD at the Max-Planck Institute of Biochemistry, where he discovered the first ubiquitin-dependent chaperone, the segregase CDC48/p97. His work was recognized with the Otto-Hahn Medal. Michael then joined Marc Kirschner’s lab at Harvard Medical School, where he uncovered principles of ordered protein degradation during cell division and revealed pathways underlying cancer cell resistance to the chemotherapeutic paclitaxel. In late 2006, Michael joined the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California at Berkeley, where he is currently the Dr. K. Peter Hirth Chair of Cancer Biology and a Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology. Michael is also an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. His work has been recognized with a Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise, a National Blavatnik Award, and an NIH Director’s New Innovator Award.