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Center for Medicinal Chemistry

CQMED

ABOUT THE LAB

The CQMED Laboratory was established in 2015. It specializes in early stage studies of new drug development and compound scanning. The Center has developed a platform for discovery of specific target inhibitor molecules related to human diseases that are also used to develop recombinant proteins for diagnostics and biotechnology.

CQMED is accredited as an EMBRAPII Medicines/Biopharmaceuticals Unit and is part of the National Institutes of Science and Technology Program (INCT), supported by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes), and the Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo (Fapesp).

PRINCIPAL RESEARCHERS

Dr. Katlin Brauer Massirer

Researcher and Head Coordinator

Prof. Dr. Paulo Arruda

Researcher and Coordinator

Prof. Dr. Mario H. Bengtson

Researcher and Coordinator

Dr. Rafael Couñago

Researcher and Coordinator

Prof. Dr. Fabio Papes

Researcher and Coordinator

LINES OF RESEARCH

🧑‍🔬 Selection and validation of targets and advanced molecules for therapy of infectious diseases and oncology
🧑‍🔬 RNA-binding proteins considered as therapeutic targets
🧑‍🔬 Regulation of protein translation in neurology
🧑‍🔬 Understanding the neural system at the cellular and molecular level

ACCREDITED GRADUATE PROGRAMS

TEAM

SERVICES

  • Testing of reagents for molecular diagnostic experiments
  • Production of recombinant proteins in eukaryotic and prokaryotic systems
  • Activity testing of recombinant proteins
  • Biochemical/enzymatic assay for proteins
  • Chemical synthesis of organic molecules
  • Protein scanning in panel of molecules
  • Derivation of stem cells

PUBLICATIONS

  • Fanti, R. C., Vasconcelos, S. N. S., Catta-Preta, C. M. C., Sullivan, J. R., Riboldi, G. P., dos Reis, C. v., Ramos, P. Z., Edwards, A. M., Behr, M. A., & Couñago, R. M. (2022). A Target Engagement Assay to Assess Uptake, Potency, and Retention of Antibiotics in Living Bacteria. ACS Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00073
  • Lins, É. M., Oliveira, N. C. M., Reis, O., Ferrasa, A., Herai, R., Muotri, A. R., Massirer, K. B., & Bengtson, M. H. (2022). Genome-wide translation control analysis of developing human neurons. Molecular Brain, 15(1), 55. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13041-022-00940-9
  • Wu, Qin, David Y. Nie, Wail Ba-alawi, YiShuai Ji, ZiWen Zhang, Jennifer Cruickshank, Jillian Haight, et al. 2022. “PRMT Inhibition Induces a Viral Mimicry Response in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.” Nature Chemical Biology, May. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-022-01024-4.
  • Segretti, Natanael D., Jéssica E. Takarada, Marcos A. Ferreira, André da Silva Santiago, Bruno V.M. Teodoro, Mariana C.F.C.B. Damião, Paulo H. Godoi, et al. 2022. “Discovery of Novel Benzothiophene Derivatives as Potent and Narrow Spectrum Inhibitors of DYRK1A and DYRK1B.” Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 68 (July): 128764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128764.
  • Papes, Fabio, Antonio P. Camargo, Janaina S. de Souza, Vinicius M. A. Carvalho, Ryan A. Szeto, Erin LaMontagne, José R. Teixeira, et al. 2022. “Transcription Factor 4 Loss-of-Function Is Associated with Deficits in Progenitor Proliferation and Cortical Neuron Content.” Nature Communications 13 (1): 2387. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29942-w.
  • Ricardo, Ricardo A., André da Silva Santiago, Martin P. Schwalm, Zexi Hu, Caio v. dos Reis, Jessica E. Takarada, Priscila Mezzomo, et al. 2022. “Development of the First Covalent Monopolar Spindle Kinase 1 (MPS1/TTK) Inhibitor.” Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 65 (4). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01165.
  • Scott, Fiona, Angela M. Fala, Jessica E. Takarada, Mihaela P. Ficu, Lewis E. Pennicott, Tristan D. Reuillon, Rafael M. Couñago, Katlin B. Massirer, Jonathan M. Elkins, and Simon E. Ward. 2022. “Development of Dihydropyrrolopyridinone-Based PKN2/PRK2 Chemical Tools to Enable Drug Discovery.” Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 60.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128588.
  • Eduful, Benjamin J., Sean N. O’Byrne, Louisa Temme, Christopher R. M. Asquith, Yi Liang, Alfredo Picado, Joseph R. Pilotte, et al. 2021. “Hinge Binder Scaffold Hopping Identifies Potent Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Kinase 2 (CAMKK2) Inhibitor Chemotypes.” Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 64 (15): 10849–77. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02274.
  • Ferreira, Tiago R., Rafael M. Couñago, and Nilmar S. Moretti. 2021. “Raising the Bar(-Seq) in Leishmania Genetic Screens.” Trends in Parasitology 37 (5): 367–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2021.03.002.
  • Cabarca, Sindy, Maximilia Frazão de Souza, Andrew Albert de Oliveira, Gabriel S. Vignoli Muniz, M. Teresa Lamy, Caio Vinicius dos Reis, Jessica Takarada, et al. 2021. “Structure of the Mycobacterium Tuberculosis CPknF and Conformational Changes Induced in Forkhead-Associated Regulatory Domains.” Current Research in Structural Biology 3: 165–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crstbi.2021.07.001.

CONTACT

Av. André Tosello 550 – Térreo – Unicamp Campinas, SP, Brazil

+55 19 3521 2933

cqmed@unicamp.br

Press Relations
Paula Drummond
+55 19 98218 0123
paulafdc@unicamp.br

Innovation Scientist/Partnerships
Fulvia Di Pilo
+55 19 3521 2933
fulviadi@unicamp.br

Group Photos

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