Dr. Humayun Sharif has been pioneering the establishment of his research group focused on the structural biology of immune responses and host-pathogen interactions at the university.
Before joining Khalifa University, Dr. Sharif served as a Principal Scientist at the Protein Homeostasis Center of Excellence at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) in San Diego. He led gene-to-structure discovery efforts focused on targeted protein degradation (TPD), specifically Cereblon-based targets. His work was instrumental in advancing new therapeutic modalities to treat cancers and inflammatory diseases.
Dr. Sharif's past research has significantly advanced the understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing inflammasomes, crucial components of the innate immune system. His work has focused on elucidating the structure and function of key inflammasome proteins including NLRP3, NLRP1 and CARD8, investigating how these multiprotein complexes are activated in response to pathogenic infections and cellular stress. Using structural biology techniques, including X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), Dr. Sharif has provided groundbreaking insights into the assembly and activation processes of inflammasomes, which are implicated in inflammatory diseases. His research has not only enhanced the scientific understanding of inflammasome function but also opened avenues for drug discovery, particularly in developing therapeutic interventions targeting inflammasome pathways to treat autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. Especially, NLRP3 work is pivotal in identifying novel small molecules that can modulate inflammasome activity, offering potential for innovative treatments of inflammatory diseases.
Dr. Sharif has received numerous awards and honors throughout his academic and professional career. He was invited to speak and lead workshops at prestigious events such as the Inflammasome Therapeutics Summit in Boston (2019, 2021) and delivered seminars at Genentech (2019) and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (2018), presenting groundbreaking insights into inflammasome activation mechanisms. He was also awarded a graduate fellowship by the Max Planck Society, a Korean Government Scholarship for his Master's studies.
Please address all inquiries about Masters, PhDs and Postdoc positions in our group at humayun.sharif@ku.ac.ae
