What if the secret to fighting diseases like cancer or Alzheimer’s isn’t blocking harmful proteins but bringing them together instead? 

Over the past decade, scientists have been captivated by a promising new approach to treating diseases: molecular glues. These tiny molecules work at the scale of cells to bind proteins together — and in doing so, allow scientists to target disease-causing proteins that were previously considered untreatable. 

Now, there is renewed hope. Researchers have developed a faster and more scalable way   to identify molecular glues, opening the door to new treatments.

One of them is Dr Liu Shuang, a scientist from A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (A*STAR IMCB).  Her discovery in 2022 — a world’s first, using a DNA-based screening method to identify molecular glues — has attracted global interest and is influencing how scientists approach new therapies.

“By bringing these proteins together, molecular glues open up new possibilities. We can tag harmful proteins like garbage so the body removes them. Or we can block these proteins from activating. Sometimes, we want to do the opposite — activate or  stabilise them, such as tumour suppressors, so they work better.” 

Most diseases are linked to problems with proteins in our bodies. Proteins act like tiny machines that carry out essential tasks needed for cells and organs to function. When they malfunction, we need to find ways to repair or manage them. 

But there is a challenge: about 80 per cent of proteins cannot be targeted by traditional drugs as they are tricky to reach. For decades, these “undruggable” proteins have defined the limits of drug discovery.

Molecular glues are beginning to change that boundary, and this is where Dr Liu’s work has been groundbreaking.