Shuguang Yuan
Co-Founder Alphamol Science
Dr Shuguang Yuan finished his doctoral dissertation with the supports of Maria Curia Fellowship. It was conducted in three different institutes in Europe, including Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland), Polish Academy of Science (Poland) and KULeuven University (Belgium). He has been in the list of “Global Top 2% Scientists” since 2022.
His research is mainly focusing on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) molecular mechanism as well as drug discovery via computational biology and artificial intelligence.
In June 2013, he was awarded with a PhD title with the honor of distinguished thesis. Following that, he was offered the Marie Curie ETH Postdoc Fellowship. In 2014, Dr. Yuan proposed a theory about the activation mechanism and the continuous water channel of GPCRs, which could be used to guide the design of agonist/antagonist molecules.
Furthermore, Dr. Yuan worked in big pharma in Basel in Switzerland for several years. He has advanced several of his designed molecules into clinical trials successfully.
Seminars
GLP-1 therapies have transformed metabolic and obesity treatment, but limitations such as limited durability, gastrointestinal side effects, variable patient response, and gaps in addressing broader metabolic pathways highlight the need for fresh approaches. This workshop shines a spotlight on the next wave of GPCR targets poised to expand treatment options and precision care. From tackling tough class B receptors to pioneering novel therapeutic modalities, we’ll explore the cutting-edge strategies reshaping how we approach metabolic diseases and obesity. Join us to discover the future beyond GLP-1, bridging the gap between innovation and unmet patient needs.
Key Takeaways:
- Discuss the limitations of GLP-1 therapies in precision medicine and expand therapeutic reach beyond GLP-1 by exploring emerging GPCR targets like amylin, GRP, and orphan receptors to better serve underserved patient subgroups
- Share approaches to identify ligands for challenging class B GPCRs with large or poorly defined binding pockets, using orthosteric/allosteric strategies, PAM/NAM sensitisation, and advanced virtual or high-throughput screening tools
- Advance next-gen GPCR therapeutics through peptide, antibody, or bispecific engineering, optimising half-life, pharmacokinetics, and combination strategies with mechanisms like immune checkpoint modulation
- Leveraging advanced computational methods to discover and verify a high-potential orphan GPCR linked to our disease of interest
- Pursuing the project against investor and industry skepticism, supported by strong clinical evidence and a differentiated indication strategy
- Presenting early clinical results from Phase I trial
