Research group: ESTRUCTURA, SÍNTESIS Y RECONOCIMIENTO MOLECULAR DE COMPUESTOS ORGÁNICOS

Doctor by the Universidad de Salamanca with the thesis Molecular receptor which mimic oxyanion holes molecular recognition and catalysis 2021. Supervised by Dr. Joaquín Rodríguez Morán, Dr. Ángel Luis Fuentes de Arriba, Dr. Laura Marcos Monleón.

I started my research career in the Organic Chemistry Department at University of Salamanca (USAL) in the group of Professor Joaquín R. Morán, where I made my Final Degree Project related with the synthesis of new supramolecular receptors for amino acids derivatives. In 2016, I moved to Complutense University of Madrid to join the Interuniversity Master in Organic Chemistry under the supervision of Prof. José Osío, where I was able to deep my knowledge in Supramolecular Chemistry. In 2017, I returned to Professor Morán group to start my PhD Thesis, which was funded in 2018 with a predoctoral grant from the University of Salamanca and Banco Santander. During my thesis project I studied new organic molecules which simulate enzymatic oxyanion holes with applications as organocatalysts in transesterification reactions as well as receptors for zwitterionic alpha-amino acids. Some of these compounds have shown a catalytic activity quite close to hydrolases as well as high selectivity and enantioselectivity in the resolution of racemic mixtures of amino acids, which could have important applications in industry. The thesis was defended in December 2021 with Sobresaliente cum laude grade and Mención Internacional. Part of the results derived from this PhD thesis have been already published in high impact factor JCR indexed journals, such as ACS Catalysis (artificial hydrolases), Organic Letters (receptors for amino acids) and Chemistry A European Journal (receptors for esters). They have also been presented at conferences both as posters (4) and oral communications (4). To complete my training, I spent 3 months as a pre-doctoral fellow in the group of Professor Anthony P. Davis at University of Bristol (UK), where I worked in the development of new receptors able to associate carbohydrates in water. During my PhD I have been actively participating in several projects dedicated to other research lines from Morán group and I have collaborated with the group of Professor Martín del Valle (Chemical Engineering Department, USAL) in a project funded by MICINN related with the synthesis of new vehicles to transport antineoplastic drugs. I have also taken part in several research contracts for knowledge transfer between University and Industry (Plan TCUE). One of my motivations is the training of novel students: in the last 4 years, I have co-supervised 8 Degree Final Projects, 6 Master's Degree Final Projects, and I have participated in more than 120 hours of teaching. Also, during my PhD I was engaged in outreach activities and projects of teaching innovation. Part of these results have already been published in Journal of Chemical Education. At the moment, I am currently enjoying a postdoctoral fellowship at USAL which will allow me to continue with the research derived from my PhD and the publication of the latest results. Also, I am collaborating in a new project, recently funded by MICINN, which will allow me to apply the knowledge in catalysis and molecular recognition acquired during my PhD to develop new supramolecular receptors for sialic acid with application in cancer treatment.