Discovery Technology Access Grant (DTAG)
Targeted Protein Degradation
Match Grant of up to $25,000
The CDD Discovery Technology Access Grant (DTAG) provides seed funding to accelerate preclinical research using innovative drug discovery tools at Washington University in St. Louis. This Match Grant RFA focuses on targeted protein degradation, a rapidly expanding therapeutic modality that leverages bifunctional small molecules (PROTACs) to recruit disease-relevant proteins for ubiquitination and degradation.
CDD has synthesized a suite of 18 linker–E3 ligase synthons (targeting cereblon or VHL) that can be covalently attached to a ligand binding your protein of interest (POI). Selected projects will receive support for degrader design and chemical synthesis from the CDD Medicinal Chemistry Group to generate corresponding PROTAC analogs for biological evaluation.
This Match grant (up to $25,000 total) provides up to $12,500 from CDD with an equal $12,500 cost-share from the PI. The total match of up to $25,000 is dependent on the chemistry required to generate the PROTACs. Projects in which the ligand can be directly coupled to CDD’s linker–E3 ligase synthons may require less synthetic effort and therefore, may need a smaller matching amount. Projects that require ligand modification or synthetic optimization prior to conjugation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and support will be adjusted accordingly up to the $25,000. The total budget / project scope will be reviewed with the PI prior to project initiation.
To be considered, please submit a brief proposal outlining your project goals, target protein, current stage of discovery project, and any relevant preliminary data (see application form below). Known ligands for the POI are essential; and a clinically relevant cell line with a HiBiT tag knocked in for the POI is highly desirable. Proposals will be evaluated based on scientific merit, feasibility, and potential impact.
Prior consultation with the CDD is strongly encouraged.
Eligibility criteria. Investigators with a faculty appointment at Washington University.
Submission deadline. Applications are currently accepted on a monthly rolling basis.
Grant notification. The PI will generally be notified within 30 days.
Award term. The funds will be used within 6-9 months of the notification.
Expectation. This program is designed to enable rapid exploration of targeted protein degradation approaches by connecting investigators with the Center’s library of 18 pre-synthesized E3 ligase–linker synthons and medicinal chemistry expertise. Through this collaborative effort, investigators can efficiently test proof-of-concept PROTACs to assess degradation of their protein of interest (POI) in a suitable quantitative assay (e.g., HiBiT or similar). The resulting data are expected to strengthen future applications for extramural funding and help investigators advance novel degraders toward validation. Projects demonstrating successful degradation outcomes under this program may be eligible for follow-on CDD support to further expand their structure–activity relationships or data package in preparation for an external grant submission.
Reporting. Investigators will be surveyed annually for up to 4 years after the award expires to capture the return on investment (e.g., publications, grant submissions, other outcomes) for the DTAG match.
Application process: