Ke Ding

Biography

Dr. Ding obtained his Ph.D. in Fudan University and Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2001 after graduating from the China Pharmaceutical University. He received his post-doctoral training in University of Michigan during 2001-2004, and then worked as a Research Investigator. In 2006, Dr. Ding joined Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences as a Senior Principal Investigator, Doctoral Supervisor and Deputy Director of Chemical Biology Institute. He was an enlisted scientist for “Hundred-Talent Program of CAS” in 2007 and an outstanding expert of the city of Guangzhou in 2008. Dr. Ding obtained the “Ding Ying Science and Technology award of Guangdong Province” in 2009. In 2010, He became one of the two Advisory Editorial Board Members of ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letter in China. Dr. Ding is also the Vice Chairmen of the Medicinal Chemistry Committee of Guangdong Pharmaceutical Association, Director of Guangdong Association of Young Scientists (GDAYS) and member of Youth Federation of Chinese Academy Sciences and Guangzhou Youth Federation. 

Dr. Ding’s researches mainly focuses on the discovery of small molecules targeting key functional proteins, which may be potentially developed as new drugs to treat cancer or metabolic diseases. In the U.S., he participated in the study of the broad-spectrum inhibitors of Bcl-2 family protein, of which anticancer drug (AT-101) has entered Phase III clinical development in the United States. He was also responsible for the design and synthesis of the Spirooxindole type p53-MDM2 inhibitors and isoflavones Bcl-2 family protein inhibitors, which had been licensed to Sanofi-aventis and Ascenta Therapeutic Company, respectively. After returning to the Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, he led a research team to successfully design and synthesis the arguably first ERRα first agonist as new potential drug to treat metabolic disorders (which has cooperated a new company in Hongkong); the new Bcr-Abl inhibitors to overcome the clinical resistance against Gleevec. In addition, closely collaborating with biologists, he has successfully designed and synthesized subtype selective FABP4 inhibitors, Aggrecanases ADAMTS inhibitors, and small molecule STAT3 inhibitors, etc. 

Dr. Ding has published more than 50 papers in JACS, JMC, PNAS, etc. and been co-inventor for more than 20 patents, part of which had successfully been licensed to some international pharmaceutical companies.