The TGFb Superfamily – How Understanding Mechanism Leads to Therapeutic Opportunities
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Tom B Thompson , PhD
Professor Molecular & Cellular Biosciences
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
The focus of my laboratory is divided into two areas of investigation where I study the structural and functional aspects of TGFbeta family signaling and regulation along with the structures of apolipoproteins and how this relates to HDL particles and other related biological functions. The laboratory uses a combination of structural techniques including X-ray crstallography, small angle X-ray scattering coupled with biophysical and biochemical experiments.
Summary
The TGF-β family comprises a diverse set of signaling ligands essential for processes ranging from developmental cell-fate determination to regulation of the reproductive axis. Dysregulation contributes to cancers, fibrosis, infertility, and skeletal disorders, driving decades of therapeutic efforts and recent drug approvals targeting these pathways. Multiple regulatory mechanisms have evolved, including distinct ligand–receptor complexes and extracellular antagonists that sequester ligands. This lecture will highlight these features and present our recent work on Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), a key reproductive ligand under development as a non-steroidal contraceptive. We will also discuss emerging in silico diffusion-model approaches for designing ligand inhibitors with customized selectivity.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the diversity of the TGFb signaling pathway and how different molecular mechanisms are available to regulate ligands.
- Understand how anti-Mullerian hormone has diverged from the TGFb family in terms of signaling mechanism and regulation
- Understand how emerging in silico approaches are changing the landscape of biotherapeutic design.
This page was last updated on Friday, November 21, 2025