Scientific Advisory Board
Professor Alessio Ciulli FRS FRSE FRSC
Chair of SAB
Professor Alessio Ciulli FRS FRSE FRSC
Chair of SAB
Professor Alessio Ciulli is renowned for his pioneering work in the field of targeting protein-protein interactions and targeted protein degradation (TPD), a cutting-edge approach in drug discovery that harnesses the cell's natural disposal machinery to eliminate disease-causing proteins. This new modality of medicines is rapidly advancing, with over 50 drugs currently in clinical trials. His research has significantly advanced our understanding of how to develop novel, more effective therapies, particularly through the development and application of molecules known as PROTACs (Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras) and molecular glues. He is best known for contributions to the design of the first drug-like ligands for the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) E3 ligase, today widely used in bifunctional molecules known as proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) with at least four VHL-based PROTACs in clinical trials today. His laboratory solved the first ever structure of a PROTAC ternary complex, elucidated the mechanism of action and revealed the principles for guiding rational design. He has authored numerous high-impact publications, co-founded biotech ventures (e.g. Amphista Therapeutics), partnered with the pharmaceutical industry (e.g. Boehringer Ingelheim), and has attracted international recognition through prestigious awards and fellowships—including his recent election as a Fellow of the Royal Society. His leadership at the University of Dundee’s Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation underscores his influential role in translating basic science into innovative therapeutic solutions.
Mike Hutton, PhD
Member of SAB
Mike Hutton, PhD
Member of SAB
Mike Hutton joined Eli Lilly and Company as Chief Scientific Officer for Neurodegenerative Disease in 2009 and was promoted to Senior Vice President and CSO, Neurodegeneration and Genetic Medicine, in 2018. He spent 9 years at the UK research site at Erl Wood, before moving to Lilly Research Laboratories in Indianapolis in 2018. During his 16 years with Eli Lilly and Company, Dr Hutton was responsible for the Discovery portfolio for Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, ALS and related monogenic disorders. Eli Lilly and Company’s Neurodegeneration Portfolio currently includes experimental therapies that target amyloid, tau and other pathologies associated with Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders. Genetic medicines (siRNA and gene therapies) that target common diseases and monogenic indications have further revolutionized Eli Lilly’s portfolio, a key success of Dr Hutton’s time at Eli Lilly and Company.
Prior to joining Eli Lilly and Company, Dr Hutton held leadership roles at MSD and at the Mayo Clinic Jacksonville where he held the position of Professor of Neuroscience. During his time at the Mayo Clinic, Dr Hutton’s team played a major role in determining the causes of Fronto-temporal Dementia with the discovery of causative mutations in the tau (MAPT) and progranulin (GRN) genes as well as the associated mechanisms that lead to neurodegeneration. Dr Hutton received the Potamkin (2000) and Metlife (2001) Prizes for his work on Alzheimer’s Disease and Frontotemporal Dementia and he has authored over 250 papers in peer reviewed journals.
Dr Hutton retired from Eli Lilly and Company at the end of October 2025 after 16 years leading Neurodegeneration programs with the company.
Leo James, PhD FRS
Member of SAB and TRIMTECH Co-founder
Leo James, PhD FRS
Member of SAB and TRIMTECH Co-founder
Leo has led a multidisciplinary team at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology for ~20 years, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society.
His lab discovered the cytosolic antibody receptor and E3 ligase TRIM21, defining its mechanism of action and physiological roles in animal disease models. Leo translates his research into tools and technologies, filing multiple patents in the area of targeted protein degradation, including the technology Trim-Away, a degradation method that uses off-the-shelf antibodies to rapidly degrade cellular proteins. His mission is to translate this and related technologies into proteopathic disease therapeutics.
Professor Will McEwan, PhD
Member of SAB and TRIMTECH Co-founder
Professor Will McEwan, PhD
Member of SAB and TRIMTECH Co-founder
Will is a group leader at UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge.
His group is pioneering the use of antiviral mechanisms to clear protein aggregates in neurodegenerative diseases. They recently repurposed TRIM21 to clear tau aggregates from animal models of tauopathy (Mukadam et al., Science 2023 and Benn et al., Science 2024).
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