Dr Scott Cohen

Scott B Cohen PhD is a chemist with broad research experience in organic synthesis, enzymology, RNA biochemistry, and electron microscopy. He earned his chemistry PhD from the prestigious California Institute of Technology (Caltech), then carried out postdoctoral research at the University of Colorado with Nobel Laureate Professor Tom Cech, investigating structure and mechanism of RNA enzymes (ribozymes). Dr Cohen began his research into human telomerase in 2003 when he moved to Children’s Medical Research Institute and quickly rose to international prominence as the first to isolate the endogenous human telomerase enzyme complex and identify its components (published in Science, 2007). 

Dr Cohen’s knowledge of telomerase enzymology allowed him to develop the high-throughput screening platform that identified the Team’s small-molecule telomerase inhibitor, and he continues to lead its development. With his rigorous training in chemistry, and now 22 years at CMRI in the Cancer Research and Cell Biology programs, Dr Cohen has the knowledge to bridge the scientific questions of the organic chemistry of small-molecule inhibitors, its mechanism against telomerase action, and its biological effects as a potential cancer therapeutic.

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