Michele Ruggeri, PhD

Design and synthesis of new NKCC1 inhibitors for potential neurosystem therapeutics.

• organic synthesis and catalysis, with a focus on unorthodox catalysis, anion-π interactions, and carbon nanotube applications. • anion-π autocatalysis methodologies on carbon nanotubes for epoxideopening reactions.

• flow chemistry, biocatalysis, and organic synthesis. • continuous flow processes for biocatalytic hydrogenation of C=N bonds, advancing efficiency and scalability in pharmaceutical synthesis.

Durham University, UK, I.R. Baxendale Group in collaboration with AbbVie (Chicago) 2016 – 2020 Thesis: “Exploring Flow Chemistry for the Synthesis and Scale-up of Small Organic Molecules”

• Investigated the synthesis and functionalization of G-quadruplex DNA ligands, focusing on pyridinium and pyrylium salts with extended aromatic cores for enhanced DNA interaction. • Conducted synthetic and functional studies of porphyrin derivatives, employing photoreactions and cross-coupling techniques to create water-soluble DNA-binding molecules. • Gained practical experience in phytochemistry, specifically in the extraction, isolation, and structural analysis of compounds from Wollemia nobilis.

The project culminated in a thesis titled "Synthesis of Cations with Polycyclic Aromatic Skeletons as DNA G-quadruplex Ligands." It focused on the development of novel perylene and coronene derivatives, functionalized to optimize binding to G-rich promoter sequences of oncogenes. A key aspect of the project involved designing Coron and Emicoron-inspired structures to obtain cationic derivatives. The goal was to mimic the potassium ion, which naturally resides between G-quadruplex tetrads, while simultaneously enhancing the compound's solubility in water.