Basel Metropolitan Area
Synthetic and medicinal chemist passionate about transforming innovative chemical concepts into technologies that enable the next generation of therapeutics. My career has been driven by a simple question: how can synthetic chemistry expand the boundaries of accessible chemical space while remaining compatible with real-world discovery? Across academia and industry, I have focused on designing new molecules, developing enabling synthetic methodologies, and building technology platforms that bridge fundamental chemistry with practical applications. During my PhD at Institut Pasteur, I developed stereochemically complex chemical libraries targeting epigenetic enzymes, creating robust synthetic strategies that enabled the exploration of previously inaccessible regions of chemical space for medicinal chemistry. As a Novartis Innovation Fellow, I worked at the interface of synthetic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and technology development. I contributed to automation-enabled medicinal chemistry platforms, high-throughput experimentation (HTE), and reaction development, while independently leading the conception and validation of a new class of photoactivatable chemical probes compatible with modern medicinal chemistry workflows. This work resulted in a corresponding-author publication and reinforced my interest in translating innovative chemistry into enabling technologies. Today, at the University of Basel, my work focuses on developing next-generation phosphorus-based chemistries for oligonucleotide modification. Beyond methodology development, I contribute to the translation of these technologies toward industrial applications through intellectual property generation, technology transfer activities, and collaborations with innovation and commercialization partners. My current projects have already generated multiple patent families while several additional applications and corresponding-author publications are in preparation. I particularly enjoy working at the intersection of synthetic chemistry, technology development, high-throughput experimentation, and multidisciplinary collaboration, where innovative chemistry can have a tangible impact on drug discovery and translational research. Areas of interest: Synthetic Organic Chemistry • Medicinal Chemistry • Oligonucleotide Chemistry • High-Throughput Experimentation (HTE) • Technology Development • Chemical Biology • Photochemistry • Organophosphorus Chemistry • Drug Discovery • Intellectual Property • Translational Research
Conduct and strategically develop a funded research project focused on the development of novel chemical methodologies for nucleic acid and biomolecule modification, with potential applications in advanced therapeutic modalities. Design and develop photochemical and redox-based transformations enabling selective modification of DNA and RNA backbones and nucleobases. Establish robust synthetic routes toward modified nucleotides and phosphorus-containing scaffolds. Optimize solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis (SPOS) conditions to ensure compatibility of newly developed chemistries with automated DNA synthesis workflows. Engineer nucleotide analogues and backbone-modified architectures operating in beyond-Rule-of-5 chemical space, balancing reactivity, stability, polarity, and biological compatibility. Perform systematic reaction optimization, mechanistic investigations, and scalability assessments. Manage experimental planning, data analysis, documentation, and scientific dissemination. Contribute to intellectual property generation and peer-reviewed publications. Gained experience in evaluating market competition, economic feasibility, and the commercial potential of scientific innovations through an early-stage startup grant application. Leveraged a chemistry background to translate technical ideas into industry-relevant insights aligned with real-world applications and funding strategies.
Joined the laboratory to contribute to ongoing nucleotide modification projects and rapidly advanced early exploratory findings toward scalable and IP-protecting methodology. Independently developed a solid-phase transfer strategy enabling adaptation of solution-phase photochemical and redox transformations to automated oligonucleotide synthesis workflows. Addressed a key methodological bottleneck by translating exploratory results into reproducible solid-phase-compatible protocols. Performed systematic reaction optimization and analytical validation to ensure robustness and synthetic compatibility. Contributed to the scientific foundation of a ChemRxiv preprint (2025) and co-invented two patent applications arising from the developed methodology.
Worked at the interface of synthetic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, automation, and chemical biology within industrial drug discovery programs. As part of the Novartis Innovation Fellowship, I independently Independently developed a novel photoactivatable labeling technology for target identification based on oxadiazoline-derived probes that generate reactive intermediates under biologically compatible conditions. The platform was designed to integrate with medicinal chemistry workflows and high-throughput synthesis, enabling rapid access to structurally diverse probe and fragment collections through late-stage diversification strategies. Contributed to the development of an automation-enabled medicinal chemistry platform integrating plate-based synthesis, purification, analytical characterization, and biological evaluation to accelerate SAR generation and compound progression. Subsequently worked on high-throughput experimentation (HTE) campaigns focused on ligand discovery, reaction optimization, and synthetic methodology development under the mentorship of Dr. Fabio Lima. Within a drug discovery programs, I designed synthetic strategies to improve access to challenging molecular architectures, explored photochemical approaches to access novel chemical space, and collaborated extensively with CRO partners to define synthetic objectives, evaluate routes, and oversee outsourced chemistry activities. Applied structure-based design and molecular modeling tools to support ligand optimization and hit-to-lead efforts across multiple discovery projects. Participated in the design and synthesis of ligands for underexplored ligases, within an interdisciplinary team of innovation fellows spanning bioinformatics, chemistry, and biology. This was performed using the results of fragment-based screening using photoaffinity labeling (PAL) and 19F NMR. Used MOE for docking of compounds and Flare (Cresset pakage) for visualization
Developed innovative synthetic approaches enabling the preparation of focused libraries targeting epigenetic enzymes, including DOT1L and DNMT3. Designed and synthesized stereochemically complex cyclopentane-based scaffolds featuring multiple controlled stereocenters and novel adenine isosteres to access previously unexplored regions of chemical space. Established robust and scalable synthetic routes supporting structure–activity relationship studies and lead optimization campaigns. Combined synthetic chemistry, molecular modeling, and biological evaluation within multidisciplinary drug discovery programs, leading to the identification of potent and biologically validated inhibitors. Contributed to the conception and implementation of enabling chemistry strategies that expanded molecular diversity and facilitated the rapid exploration of structure–activity relationships across multiple epigenetic target classes. Applied SAR-driven optimization strategies integrating biochemical and cellular data to guide compound progression. Evaluated compounds in enzymatic and cell-based assays to assess target engagement and functional activity. Used molecular docking and virtual SAR approaches to inform design hypotheses and prioritization. Supervised laboratory technicians and mentored Bachelor’s and Master’s students. Presented results in internal project meetings and scientific conferences. PhD Title: Design, synthesis and evaluation of a chemical library targeting methyltransferase proteins Docking and visualization software : BIOVIA Discovery Studio and Autodock
Supervised undergraduate tutorials and laboratory practical sessions in parallel with doctoral research activities. Mentored Bachelor-level students in experimental design, data interpretation, and laboratory best practices. Developed strong skills in scientific communication, technical guidance, and adapting complex concepts to diverse audiences. This experience strengthened my ability to supervise trainees and junior researchers in laboratory environments.
Investigated the cellular activity of novel DOT1L inhibitors in MLLr leukemia cells, benchmarking against EPZ-5676, a clinical-stage molecule. Designed and executed biochemical and cell-based assays to assess inhibitor potency, selectivity, and impact on cell proliferation. Studied toxicity and protein expression changes using qPCR and Western blotting, linking molecular inhibition to cellular outcomes. Integrated chemical and biological data to elucidate mechanisms of action and inform structure-function relationships. Gained hands-on expertise in cellular and molecular biology techniques, complementing my chemistry background and enabling cross-disciplinary research. This project reinforced my ability to translate molecular design into biological insights, laying the foundation for drug discovery applications.