GSK
University of Strathclyde

In the last few decades the study of human biology has enabled the identification of proteins which are associated with disease. Although some of these proteins have revealed targets for medicines, many proteins remain beyond the scope of traditional drug discovery, and they are considered, according to current scientific understanding, ‘undruggable’. Drug molecules fit into proteins with a ‘lock and key’ model, however they are incompatible with the ‘lock’, known as a binding pocket, of ‘undruggable’ proteins. Fortunately, another type of molecule known as reactive fragments (RFs) are able to access the binding pockets of ‘undruggable’ proteins.

Tina’s research aims to develop a method to test RFs to identify tool molecules for proteins of interest through the use of NanoBRET (NanoLuciferase bioluminescent resonance energy transfer). NanoBRET is a time-efficient technology that analyses one sample every second and enables accurate detection of the binding of specific molecules to proteins of interest. She will investigate how this technology can be applied to RFs and aims to develop a methodology to test RFs directly after their synthesis to determine whether RFs can bind to ‘undruggable’ proteins of interest in living cells.

Her contribution will help to accelerate the discovery of new chemical tools for previously ‘undruggable’ proteins expanding the knowledge of disease-relevant proteins that can be targeted, broadening the range of drug discovery.

Biography:

Following her secondary education in Bulgaria, Tina-Maria completed an MSci in Medicinal Chemistry at University College London graduating with a First-Class Honours degree. During this time, she was awarded the Faculty Education Award, received the Franz Son Sondheimer Prize for most outstanding performance in Organic Chemistry and was part of the Dean’s List Place, awarded to the top 5% of graduating students in her program. Earlier this year she participated in the 11^th SCI-RSC National Retrosynthesis Competition and was a finalist in this event organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry and Society of Chemical Industry.