Dario Alessi stands as a world-renowned biochemist whose pioneering work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of cellular signaling mechanisms and their role in human disease. He currently serves as Professor of Signal Transduction and Director of the Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit at the University of Dundee, positions he has held with distinction since 2012. Alessi earned his BSc in 1988 and PhD in 1991 from the University of Birmingham before conducting postdoctoral research at Dundee from 1991 to 1997, where he developed his fascination with protein kinase regulation. His exceptional contributions led to his appointment as a Program Leader in the MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit in 1997, marking the beginning of his influential independent research career.
Alessi's groundbreaking research has centered on unraveling the molecular pathways of protein phosphorylation and ubiquitylation, with particular emphasis on their implications for Parkinson's disease. His laboratory made seminal discoveries regarding the LRRK2 kinase pathway, demonstrating that LRRK2 phosphorylates Rab GTPases within their Switch-II motif and identifying PPM1H phosphatase as the specific enzyme that counteracts LRRK2 signaling. These transformative findings have provided crucial insights into Parkinson's disease mechanisms and established the molecular foundation for developing targeted therapies, with late-phase clinical trials of LRRK2 inhibitors now underway. With nearly 300 publications, approximately 100,000 cumulative citations, and an impressive h-index of 153, Alessi's work has fundamentally reshaped the Parkinson's research landscape and represents one of the most promising therapeutic strategies for slowing disease progression.
Beyond his research achievements, Alessi has cultivated a remarkable culture of collaboration and open science that has significantly amplified his impact across the global research community. He serves as Director of the Dundee Signal Transduction Therapy Unit, a pioneering collaboration between the University of Dundee and six major pharmaceutical companies that accelerates drug discovery in protein signaling research. Alessi has trained over 30 graduate students and 40 postdoctoral researchers, many of whom now hold leadership positions in academia and industry, while actively championing equality, diversity, and inclusion in science. His commitment to open science manifests through freely sharing research tools via platforms like mrcppureagents.dundee.ac.uk and LRRK2.bio, practices that earned him the prestigious 2023 Jeantet-Collen Prize for Translational Medicine and recognition as a Fellow of both the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences.
