معرفی
Professor Patrick Sexton is a Professor (Research) in Drug Discovery Biology at Monash University's Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. His research focuses on unraveling the complexities of drug action at G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), particularly their role in neuropsychiatric and metabolic diseases. He leads projects aimed at developing drugs with selective signaling pathways to reduce side effects and personalize treatments.
Research Interests:
- GPCR signaling mechanisms
- Biased agonism and functional selectivity
- Allosteric modulation
- Design of drug candidates for schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, and type-2 diabetes
- Development of chemical/pharmacological tools for receptor studies
Recent Research Trends: His work emphasizes understanding how drugs activate specific receptor pathways, with breakthroughs in structural biology (e.g., cryo-EM studies of GPCRs) and drug design targeting unreached cell populations. Key areas include amylin and calcitonin receptors, GLP-1R agonists, and lipid-receptor interactions.
Grants & Projects:
- ARC-funded projects on GPCR heteromers and biased agonism in diabetes treatment (2023-2028)
- Structural studies of inactive GPCR states (2022-2026)
- Membrane composition effects on CCK receptors (2022-2025)
Labs & Collaborations: Collaborates globally on GPCR structural biology and pharmacology. Active in drug discovery for unmet medical needs, leveraging interdisciplinary teams and advanced structural tools like cryo-EM.
