Research team
Expertise
My research expertise lies in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, with a focus on the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of small molecules for the development of new therapeutic agents. My research combines organic and pharmaceutical chemistry, molecular design, structure–activity relationship studies, and biological evaluation. During my doctoral and early research career, I focused on the development of novel antitumor compounds, particularly tubulin-targeting agents and antimitotic molecules. This work involved the design and synthesis of new chemical entities, characterization of their biological activity, and investigation of their mechanisms of action using in vitro and in vivo approaches. I also developed research experience in the discovery of antiparasitic compounds, including agents targeting parasite tubulin and the evaluation of their activity in relevant biological models. I have experience with a range of drug discovery methodologies, including organic synthesis, molecular modelling, cell-based assays, flow cytometry, tubulin polymerization assays, and in vitro and in vivo biological evaluation. My research approach integrates chemical design with biological validation to establish relationships between molecular structure, activity, and mechanism of action. Currently, my research focuses on the development of PROTAC-based strategies targeting autophagy-related proteins for cancer therapy. This work involves the design and synthesis of targeted protein degraders aimed at modulating autophagy pathways, with the objective of developing novel approaches for selective cancer treatment. I am particularly interested in applying targeted protein degradation and chemical biology concepts to identify new therapeutic opportunities in oncology. Overall, my research interests encompass medicinal chemistry, targeted protein degradation, autophagy, cancer drug discovery, antitumor agents, molecular design, and the development of innovative chemical strategies for therapeutic intervention.