Prof. Fernando Albericio, IRB-PCB Group Leader

Contact e-mail: albericio@pcb.ub.cat

Background: The "Combinatorial Chemistry" team is an internationally recognized group that has pioneered the introduction of both solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) and combinatorial chemistry in Europe.  Regarding solid-phase chemistry, the group has kept a strong involvement in the development of new solid supports, handles and spacers, protecting groups, and coupling reagents for facilitating the synthetic strategies.  This expertise allows them the capability of preparing any kind of peptide, including peptidomimetics and retro-inverso peptides, small organic molecules, and natural products, using both solid-phase and solution techniques.  Furthermore, it has excellent expertises for purification and analytical techniques for the characterization of the synthesized compounds. The Combinatorial Chemistry Unit at the PCB (UQC-PCB), which is equipped with powerful state-of-the-art apparatus, provides research support services to the following sectors: chemical-pharmaceutical, biomedical, biotechnological, and veterinary. In addition, it offers its services to centers and university R+D+I groups and to public research organizations. The activities undertaken by UQC-PCB focus mainly on the design and synthesis of chemical libraries of organic compounds and products of high added value, particularly for drug discovery.

These molecules and chemical libraries are used in the following fields:
(i) Lead Generation;
(ii) Lead Optimitzation;
(iii) Screening.
The UQC-PCB also performs its own research aimed at developing new work practices in Combinatorial Chemistry, thereby ensuring a high scientific level in all its projects.

Selected publications:

1. José C. Jiménez, Angel López-Macià, Carol Gracia, Sonia Varón, Marta Carrascal, Josep M. Caba, Miriam Royo, Andrés M. Francesc, Carmen Cuevas, Ernest Giralt, and Fernando Albericio.  Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) of Kahalalide F synthetic analogues. J. Med. Chem, 51, 4920-4931 (2008).
2. Delia Hernández, Marta Altuna, Carmen Cuevas, Rosa Aligué, Fernando Albericio, and Mercedes Álvarez. Synthesis and Antitumor Activity of Mechercharmycin A Analogues. J. Med. Chem., 51, 5722-5730 (2008).
3. Judit Tulla-Puche, Eleonoroa Marcucci, Elisabet Prats-Alfonso, Nuria Bayó-Puxan, Fernando Albericio. NMe amide as a synthetic surrogate for the thioester moiety in thiocoraline. J Med Chem. 2009 Feb 12;52(3):834-9.
4. Fayna Garcia-Martin, Luis J. Cruz, Ricard A. Rodriguez-Mias, Ernest Giralt, and Fernando Albericio. Design and Synthesis of FAJANU: a de novo C2 symmetric cyclopeptide family. J. Med. Chem., 51, 3194-3202 (2008).
5. Carlos Mas-Moruno, Luis J. Cruz, Puig Mora, Angel Messeguer, Enrique Pérez-Payá, Fernando Albericio.  The Smallest Peptoids with Anticancer Activity.  J. Med. Chem., 50, 2443-2449 (2007).

Research group's website: http://www.pcb.ub.es/fama/htm/falbericio.htm