Research team
Expertise
Academic research experience 2009-2013: My final year undergraduate degree project was in the Inorganic and Physical chemistry section and was performed under the direction of Dr. James Sullivan. I prepared several different Zeolite analogues doped with transition metal ions and examined their ability to trap nitrogen oxides (NOx) the nature of their bonding, and their desorption temperature. The overall purpose being to influence the desorption temperature using water. During this project, I learned to use the following techniques and machines. Temperature Programmed Desorption (TPD), in-situ Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AA) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). 2014-2015: The following year I began my Master’s degree by research in Synthetic Organic chemistry. The project’s focus was on the development of methodology, and optimising transition metal catalysis reactions for the synthesis of N-containing molecules. During this project, I learned all necessary skills & techniques to provide me with a strong preparative organic chemistry background, I gained experience of the standard analytical methods: separation, characterization and purification [column chromatography, NMR (1H, 13C), 2D NMR (COSY, NOESY, HMBC & HMQC etc.), HPLC, prep-HPLC & Mass spectroscopy] and various other techniques used in a drug discovery R&D for preparative organic chemistry. 2016-2020: I completed my PhD and obtained my doctorate with The Marie Skłodowska -Curie Innovative Training Network (ITN) “FRAGNET” in the field of Medicinal chemistry at the Hungarian academy of natural sciences in Budapest under the supervision of Dr. György Keseru. The focus of my research is on novel covalent inhibitors in drug discovery; their design, discovery, synthesis, modes of action, developing a robust method to measure kinetic constants of inhibition, and investigating their biological activities. During the course of this PhD, I have been educated in all aspects concerning Fragment based lead discovery (FBLD) including the current status of covalent probes in drug discovery. 2021-current: Currently I am employed by Augustyns Koen as a Post-Doctoral researcher with the medicinal chemistry group (UAMC) on the “iMI-project - support - RespiriTB and RaspiriNTM” project. My duties mainly include the synthesis of small molecule inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB) Industrial research experience Location: GlaxoSmithKline @ Gunnels Wood Road Stevenage. Dates: 29/03/2019 – 01/08/2019 Project: “A Photoaffinity Displacement Assay and Probes to Study protein-ligand binding” Duties & Experience: The overall purpose of the project was to take the concept of photoaffinity labelling (PAL) against proteins and help in the development of a platform so PAL methodologies could be applied for fragment probes against therapeutically important protein families. This has provided an alternative approach in assessing target tractability. During the course of this project, I gained experience in array based chemistry techniques, to systematically generate compound libraries, Fragment-based covalent ligand screening by the integrated use of protein LC-MS, bioorthogonal chemistry’s, structure-activity relationships, binding site identifications & displacement assay techniques. I was also introduced to the concept and methodologies of PROTAC development along with an education of industrial standards which has also helped me become a more efficient chemist with better skills in data management, ELNB, and health & safety protocols.