Incircular @ Festival of Biologics Basel Start-up Zone
Incircular @ Festival of Biologics in Basel 2024.
The foundation of Incircular was developed from an idea originating from a team of experts in the labs of Prof. Tom Grossmann where chemistry, molecular biology and structural biology are uniquely combined. Incircular is a spin-out from the VU University Amsterdam and holds the exclusive license for the INCYPRO technology. We develop robust proteins for their broad applicability and for the development of novel applications. We are actively seeking new partnering opportunities where we provide robust INCYPRO proteins that easily withstand the required conditions for a specific application.
Incircular uses an innovative technology, called in situ cyclization of proteins (INCYPRO), to stabilize the 3D structure of proteins. It involves a structural-based rational design, molecular biology methods and protein chemistry. INCYPRO delivers highly stabilized proteins (towards temperature, denaturing agents, and other conditions) with only minimal modification, retaining the protein’s natural structure and activity (binding, chemical transformation).
Proteins tolerate higher temperatures and different buffer compositions.
Our y-shaped small molecule efficiently keeps the protein structure in place.
While being more robust, the function of the protein remains unchanged.
Antrea is a business developer. She holds a Master’s degree in Bio-pharmaceutical Sciences and Business Studies from Leiden University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Surrey. She started her career as a laboratory technician and later on as a laboratory manager in diagnostic laboratories, and soon after the completion of her Master’s degree, she gained experience in regulatory affairs and business development. Antrea joined the Incircular team in 2024.
David is a (medicinal) synthetic chemist. He undertook his Master’s Degree in Chemistry at The University of York, UK, spending his final year at Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, UK. In 2016, he embarked on a PhD in Fragment-based Drug Discovery, designing 3D cyclobutane fragments, within the group of Prof. Iwan de Esch at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. David joined Incircular in 2022.
George is a biochemist, completing his PhD in 2021 specialized in de novo heme-protein design at the University of Bristol, UK. George then joined the Grossmann group at VU Amsterdam as a postdoc, helping to develop the INCYPRO technology through a combination of experimental and computational techniques, prior to joining the Incircular team at the start of 2024.
Lorenzo is a biologist. He received his Master’s degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the University of Pavia, Italy. Lorenzo started his career at the Department of Molecular Medicine Pavia where his work involved cloning, protein expression, purification and characterization. In 2021, Lorenzo joined the Incircular team
Marcelo is a chemist with a specialization in computational molecular modeling and bioinformatics. He received his PhD from the University of Groningen in 2010. After several post-doctoral research projects, he became a senior researcher at the University of Amsterdam (Prof. Mutti). Marcelo is also a chemistry teacher. Marcelo has been part of the Incircular team since 2022.
Saskia is a chemist. After her chemistry studies at the Free University Berlin, she continued with her PhD in chemical biology at the Humboldt University in Berlin. She then became associate editor for chemistry journals at Wiley-VCH. In 2016, Saskia joined Tom’s group as project leader at the VU University Amsterdam and continued research on INCYPRO. She launched Incircular in 2021.
Sharmila is a biochemist. She holds a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Glasgow. She started her career in bacterial protein expression and purification at the Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, India. Sharmila is part of the Incircular team since 2022.
Sven is a biochemist and crystallographer. He received his PhD from the Max-Planck Institue for Molecular Physiology. After post-doctoral research at the Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research in Perth, Sven started his own research group in 2012 at the Chemical Genomics Centre of the Max-Planck Society. He joined the VU University Amsterdam in 2017 as head of crystallography and assistant professor for structural chemical biology.
Tom is a chemist. He received his PhD in chemistry from the Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany. After post-doctoral research at Harvard University, Tom started his independent career at the Max Planck Institute and the Chemical Genomics Center in Dortmund. Since 2016, Tom is full professor and Chair of Biomimetic Chemistry at the VU University Amsterdam.
Incircular @ Festival of Biologics in Basel 2024.
Covalent bicyclization of protein complexes yields durable quaternary structures.
Incircular to be part of the EIC delegation of innovators to join the European Pavilion at BIO.
Prof. Janusz Bujnicki from the IIMCB in Warsaw came to Amsterdam…
Incircular was granted the EIC Transition for the project INCYPROnext.
Funded under Horizon Europe framework – EIC Transition project INCYPROnext (Ref: 101057978 — HORIZON-EIC-2021-TRANSITIONOPEN-01) during the period 06/2022 – 05/2025.