Education

Prof. Martine J. Smit studied Pharmacochemistry (1986-1991) at the VU Universtiy in Amsterdam and obtained her PhD in Molecular Pharmacology/Medicinal Chemistry in 1995 on the regulation of histamine receptors at the VU University Amsterdam. She did a 3.5 year post-doc focusing on oncogenic signaling networks at the dept of Pharmacology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York (lab Prof. R. Iyengar).

Research

The research of prof Smit focuses on novel concepts of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) (e.g. constitutive activity, endosomal signaling, dimerisation, EV biology) and targeting/understanding of (oncogenic) signaling networks activated by human and viral chemokine receptors. This division has ample experience in drug discovery aspects of GPCRs and collaborate with leading pharmaceutical/biotech companies, resulting in several patents. In the last decade Smit has identified several nanobodies (llama-derived antibodies) targeting and modulating human and viral chemokine receptor function.

Click here to return to the department Medicinal Chemistry