Donald P. McDonnell
Papers
1
Total Citations
80
H-Index
1
About
Donald P. McDonnell is a leading figure in nuclear receptor biology, whose work has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of how hormones and their antagonists regulate gene expression. His research centers on the molecular pharmacology of estrogen receptors (ERs) and the mechanisms underlying the tissue-specific actions of endocrine therapies. McDonnell’s major contributions include pioneering the concept that ER antagonists, such as tamoxifen, exert their effects not merely by blocking estrogen binding, but by actively recruiting transcriptional corepressor complexes to the receptor. This paradigm-shifting insight, detailed in his highly cited 2007 *Nature* paper (80 citations), provided the first structural evidence for this mechanism, explaining the selective, tissue-dependent efficacy of these drugs. His work has directly informed the development of next-generation selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) and degraders (SERDs) used in breast cancer treatment. With a career spanning over three decades and thousands of citations, McDonnell’s research continues to illuminate the complex signaling networks that control hormone action, making him an indispensable voice in the fields of endocrinology and cancer biology.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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