Donald E. Spratt

Donald E. Spratt is a Professor at the Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry & Biochemistry at Clark University and serves as Director of STEM Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunities. His NIH and Massachusetts Life Sciences Center-funded research focuses on structural and mechanistic studies of HECT E3 ubiquitin ligases and homeodomain transcription factors using biophysical approaches including NMR spectroscopy and protein biochemistry. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Waterloo (2008) and B.Sc. in Biochemistry from Mount Allison University (2003).

His research interests center on:

• Enzyme catalysis in ubiquitin signaling pathways
• Protein-DNA interactions of transcription factors
• Structural characterization of ubiquitin ligases
• Development of cancer therapeutics targeting oncoproteins
• STEM education and biochemistry outreach programs

His publications (2015-2025) demonstrate strong focus on ubiquitin biology, cancer therapeutics, enzyme mechanisms, and DNA damage response. Recent work emphasizes structural characterization of HECT E3 ligases, small-molecule inhibitor development for cancer targets, and biophysical analysis of transcription factor-DNA interactions.

Major scientific awards include:

• 2025 Clark University Faculty Urban Fellowship
• 2024 New England Biolabs Passion for Science Award
• 2021 Jack W. Lund Community Achievement Award
• 2022 Hodgkins Junior Faculty Award
• Multiple Canadian postdoctoral fellowships

He leads several active grants:

• NIH/NIGMS funding for HERC5-dependent ISGylation mechanisms (2022-2025)
• Massachusetts Life Sciences Center workforce development grant (2023-2025)
• Protein Society outreach grants for high school STEM programs
• Atomwise AI drug discovery collaboration (2021-2023)

He directs the Spratt Lab focusing on protein biochemistry and mentors undergraduate researchers. His STEM outreach initiative has engaged hundreds of Worcester-area high school students through lab experiences and career development workshops. In 2025, he served as Academic Director for the Summer Science Program International at Purdue University.