Thomas Sakmar

Thomas P. Sakmar, M.D., is the Richard M. and Isabel P. Furlaud Professor at The Rockefeller University and a Senior Physician at The Rockefeller University Hospital. He leads the Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Signal Transduction, focusing on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their role in drug discovery, cellular signaling, and human diseases. His research combines chemical, biophysical, and genetic methods to study transmembrane signaling mechanisms.

• Affiliations: Head of Laboratory, Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program faculty member, and former Acting President of Rockefeller University.
• Education: A.B. in Chemistry (University of Chicago, 1978), M.D. (University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, 1982).
• Research Interests: Structural biology of GPCRs, rational drug design, protein engineering, and amyloidosis syndromes. Recent work includes studies on CYSLTR2 as a GPCR oncogene and novel chaperone proteins for amyloid disorders.

His lab has pioneered methods like genetic code expansion and bioorthogonal labeling to advance drug discovery. Collaborations include work on HIV coreceptors and proteomic analysis of GPCR interactomes.