CV Science

Xavier Morelli Group Leader in Structure-Based Drug Design - CRCM Marseille

Course and current status

SHORT RESUME:

• Research Director (DR2), CNRS
• Group Leader – Cancer Research Center of Marseille (CRCM)

Targeting Protein-Protein interaction in cancer signaling & Epigenetics using integrated structural & chemical biology

• Member of the National Academic Screening Platforms ‘AD2P’

In charge of the Chemoinformatics (Chemical Libraries Selection), Hit validation - Hit to Lead optimization  

• President of the Scientific committee of the Canceropole PACA
• Scientific committee member 'Fondation ARC’: 2012-2016/ 2021-2025
• Scientific committee member 'GIS IBiSA": 2021-2025
• Scientific committee member Faculty of Pharmacy AMU: 2022-
• Board of expert at the French Society of Medicinal Chemistry
• Secretary of the French Society of ChemoInformatics (SFCi): 2012-2016
• Board of expert at the Aix-Marseille University PhD Doctoral School of Chemistry: 2014-2018 
• >20 Grants as coordinator or participant (3 running)

• May 2008      Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches - Aix-Marseille University

• 1997-2000    PhD, University of PARIS XI

Dr. Mireille Bruschi’s Laboratory, (UPR9036 - Marseille, France).  

• 1995-1996    Master’s Degree - University of Paris XI

Crystallography and Biological NMR, Concepts and Methods. (rank: 1st)

• 1994-1995    Bachelor’s Degree – Aix-Marseille University

Biochemistry majoring in Biophysics (NMR, EPR, X-RAYS) (rank: 1^st/76)

Scientific summary

• Present Research Director (DR2), CNRS.

Group Leader of the group iSCB ‘integrative Structural & Chemical Biology” at the Cancer Research Center of Marseille (CRCM, CNRS UMR7258 – INSERM U1068). 

20 persons: 10 permanent researchers (2 DR, 3 CR, 2 MCU, 1CDI, 1PU-PH & 1 MCU-PH), 1 technician in bioinformatics (AI CNRS), 1 engineer in organic chemistry (CDD IR), 3 engineer in biochemistry and cellular biology (CDD IR & IE), 2 PhD students, 3 undergraduate student.

Principal focus of the group:

Identify, validate, understand and target protein-protein interaction in cancer cell signaling & epigenetic processes. 

• 2008-2012         Group Leader of the group ID³ “Interaction, Dynamics and Drug Design” at the IMR laboratory (CNRS FRE3083) involving 12 persons: 3 permanent researchers (CR1), 1IT support, 1 technician in bio-informatics, 1 technician in biochemistry, 3 Post-doctorate and 3 PhD students.

• 2002 – 2007       Principal Investigator - CNRS (National Center for the Scientific Research) FRANCE.

• 2000-2002          Postdoctorate at Harvard Medical School (Pr Bruce Furie - Chief, Division of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, BIDMC).

GRANTS:

• >20 Grants as coordinator or participant (3 running):

- CNRS - Program 'PIR' (Coordinator): 2010

- Aix-Marseille University - Fond Incitatif de Recherche 'FIR' (Coordinator): 2010

- Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale - FRM (Coordinator): 2010/11

- Private Grant from Pharmaceutical Company ‘ValiRX’ (Coordinator): 2010/11

- Private Grant from Pharmaceutical Company ‘IdRS’ (Coordinator): 2010/11

- INSERM Transfert ‘COPoC’ (Partner): 2013/14

- Institut National du Cancer - INCa 'Program PAIR Prostate' (Partner): 2010/14

- Région PACA (Partner): 2012/14 & 2015/17

- ANR 'Program Blanc' (Partner): 2013/16

- Institut National du Cancer - INCa 'Program PLBio' (Partner): 2013/17

- Fondation ARC 'Programme Libre' (Partner): 2014/17

- Program 'A*MIDEX' Aix-Marseille University (Partner): 2015-2017

- ANR PRCE (Coordinator): 2016-2018

- Private Grant form Pharmaceutical Company ‘EISAI’: 2015-2018 (Coordinator)

- Program ‘Fondation ARC’ (2018-2019): Evaluating a selective BRDi (Coordinator)

- ‘Prématuration’ - Cancéropôle PACA (2018-19): Evaluating a selective BRDi (Coordinator)

- ‘Prématuration’ - Cancéropôle PACA (2018-19): Evaluating a dCK inhibitor (Coordinator)

- ANR blanche PRCE ‘ANR-15-CE18-0023’ : 2015/19 (Coordinator)

- Postdoctoral Program - Fondation Institut Paoli-Calmettes (2018-2020) (Coordinator)

- Program ‘Ema’ - Cancéropôle PACA: 2019-2021 (Coordinator)

Actives :

- ANR COVID19 « TAMAC /ANR-20-COVI-0047 »: 2020-2022 (Participant)

- ANR PRC « T6MeD-OC / ANR-18-CE11-0023 » : 2019-2022 (Participant)

- Program ‘Maturation SATT’ : 2019-2022 (Coordinator)

- ‘Programme Fédérateur AVIESAN’ (PFA) 2019-2022’ (Participant)

- ANR PRC “Cov-H2L / ANR-20-CE18-0025” 2019-2023 (Coordinated by P. Bremond in the team)

- ANR PRC “UniversalF2D / ANR-21-CE18-0056” : 2021-2024 (Participant)

CONSULTING / REVIEWING ACTIVITIES:

• Expert for serveral National (ANR, French Ministry of Research, Region) and International (Neterland 'NWO', Singapore 'A*STAR', Ireland 'INA') agencies.
• Expert / Consultant / Conference for several pharmaceutical companies (J&J, Merck-Serono, Tibotec, Hybrigenics, Institut de Recherche Servier, Laboratoires Fournier)

PUBLICATIONS: (H Index = 27)

• 71 Publications

• 2 book chapters. 6 international patents (1 submitted).

CONFERENCES: