Suman Manna, PhD

I am a medicinal chemist and postdoctoral scientist at University College London with over eight years of experience in small-molecule drug discovery and development. My work is driven by rigorous medicinal chemistry, spanning molecule design, synthesis, and optimization with a strong focus on mechanism, data-guided decision-making, and translational relevance. I have led end-to-end discovery efforts, from hypothesis-driven molecular design and multistep organic synthesis to purification (HPLC, CombiFlash), structure–activity relationship (SAR) analysis, and close collaboration with biologists to design and interpret assays that inform compound progression. I am particularly motivated by problems where chemical insight directly shapes project direction and development strategy. As part of this medicinal chemistry foundation, I have applied advanced modalities including antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs), cleavable linker chemistry, bioorthogonal reactions, and trigger-activated prodrug approaches to enable controlled drug release and improve therapeutic index. These tools complement core small-molecule discovery and reflect my ability to deploy complex chemistry when it adds clear value to therapeutic design. During my PhD at IISER Pune, I developed redox-activated prodrugs and chemical probes to study mitochondrial sulfane sulfur biology, advancing projects from enzymatic and cellular assays through in vivo disease models. This work resulted in multiple high-impact publications and reinforced my ability to translate chemical innovation into biologically and therapeutically meaningful outcomes. I work effectively at the chemistry–biology interface, value collaborative environments, and communicate complex data clearly to support both scientific and strategic decisions. I am currently seeking Senior Scientist–level roles in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery within industry, where I can contribute to the discovery and development of high-quality therapeutic candidates. Core expertise: medicinal chemistry, small-molecule drug discovery, SAR-driven optimization, prodrug design, ADC and linker chemistry, bioorthogonal reactions, translational assay development, and scientific communication.