Christopher Lemke, Ph.D.

Christopher Lemke is the director of protein science and structural biology for the Center for the Development of Therapeutics (CDoT) at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. He leads a multidisciplinary team of scientists supporting a robust and diverse pipeline of drug discovery projects. The team is responsible for the production and characterization of proteins that are being therapeutically targeted, or in some cases that are being used as therapeutics themselves. In an organization that prides itself for tackling the novel, challenging, and even “undruggable” targets, his experienced group finds success through the application of cutting-edge technologies in the fields of protein production, structural characterization, and antibody discovery.

Since joining the Broad Institute in 2014, Lemke has continued his life-long goal of creatively integrating structural biology, molecular modeling, and medicinal chemistry to generate innovative new treatments for human disease. For the decade prior to joining Broad, Lemke supported Boehringer Ingelheim's antiviral drug discovery projects, primarily targeting HIV and HCV. His core interests include protein design and engineering, experimental structural biology (particularly macromolecular X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy), and targeted protein degradation.

Lemke holds a B.Sc. in applied biochemistry and molecular genetics from the University of Guelph (Canada). He earned his Ph.D. applying biochemical and structural techniques to understand enzyme function in the laboratory of Lynne Howell at the University of Toronto. His postdoctoral work was undertaken in the lab of Albert Berghuis at McGill University applying structural techniques in the field of antibiotic resistance.

Contact Christopher Lemke at clemke@broadinstitute.org.