MEDICINAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY GROUP

We are pleased to announce that a new research article involving members of the MOC group has been accepted for publication in ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters. The article, entitled “Discovery of a Novel Chemical Scaffold for Dual MDM2 and MDM4 Inhibition”, reports the discovery of a novel chemical scaffold targeting both MDM2 and MDM4, two important proteins involved in the regulation of the tumour suppressor protein p53. The development of compounds capable of simultaneousl

The project, entitled “From CHemical design to MEchanisms: an innovative pipeline for optimization and characterization of anti-LEISHmania new scaffolds”, has been awarded funding under the Scientific Research and Technological Development Projects (SR&TD) programme, in the area of Clinical Medicine, Immunology and Infection. Project reference: 2025.18452.PTDC We are particularly pleased to be part of this exciting project, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Sofia Cortes, from

We are delighted to welcome the newest members of our research group - Iara Silva, Sofia Régio, David Pires, Teresa Moura and Ana Castro! This year, we are joined by a group of students who bring fresh perspectives, curiosity, and enthusiasm to our work. Each of them will contribute to ongoing projects while developing their own scientific path within the group. We are excited to support their growth, celebrate their achievements, and work together toward new discoveries. To

We are pleased to announce the recent publication in ChemMedChem!! This study expands the potential of the small molecule RVJB59 as a targeted therapy for breast cancers carrying the clinically relevant R280K and R273H mutants p53. Combining biophysical, mass spectrometry, and computational approaches, we demonstrate that RVJB59 stabilizes mutant p53 and covalently binds to Cys141, highlighting a promising strategy to target cancer with these relevant mutations.

We are pleased to announce the recent publication in EJNMMI Radiopharmacy and Chemistry!! This work reports the development and preclinical evaluation of novel vinyl sulfone-based probes targeting tumor-associated cathepsins for PET imaging. The study was part of Oliviero Cini’s PhD research, which he recently successfully defended.

We are delighted to share that Tomás Ginestal Monteiro has been awarded an FCT PhD Fellowship in a highly competitive call! Tomás, congratulations on this well-deserved achievement!

The Medicinal Organic Chemistry (MOC) Group is delighted to celebrate an important milestone as Oliviero Cini successfully defended his PhD thesis, co-supervised by Professor Maria M. M. Santos. Over the course of his PhD journey, Oliviero has demonstrated outstanding dedication, scientific curiosity, and perseverance. His research has made valuable contributions to our group's scientific endeavors, and his commitment to advancing medicinal chemistry has been truly inspiring.

We are delighted to announce the publication of our latest review article, "Drugging p53 mutants: Recent advances using small-molecule modulation strategies," in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in targeting mutant p53 proteins through small-molecule modulation strategies. It explores the molecular mechanisms behind these approaches, highlights the key discoveries that have shaped the field, and disc

The Medicinal Organic Chemistry (MOC) Group is proud to celebrate a remarkable milestone as Israa Al jnadi successfully defended her PhD thesis under the supervision of Professor Alexandra Paulo. Throughout her PhD journey, Israa has demonstrated exceptional dedication, scientific excellence, and resilience. Her commitment to advancing research and her invaluable contributions to our group have left a lasting impact on both our science and our team. As Israa embarks on the ne

The MOC Group was proudly represented at the XVII iMed.ULisboa Meeting held in Lisbon on 23–24 June, where several of our students showcased their research through scientific poster presentations. In addition to the poster presentations, Tiago Delgado delivered an oral presentation, sharing key findings from his PhD. Their contributions provided valuable opportunities for scientific discussion and networking. We congratulate all participants for their excellent contributions

We congratulate Tomás G. Monteiro, who won the Honourable Mention in the Portuguese Award for Best Master Thesis in Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology 2025.

We are pleased to mark the Professorial Aggregation of our group leader, Professor Maria Santos. This important academic milestone recognizes her distinguished career in teaching, research, and service to the academic community. Throughout her career, Professor Maria Santos has made significant contributions to advancing knowledge in the p53 research field, inspiring and mentoring generations of students and researchers with dedication and academic rigor. We warmly congratula

Amelia Oszczyk is an Erasmus Master's student intern from the Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum (Krakow, Poland). She will be working on the synthesis of MDM2-based PROTACs for selective degradation of mutant p53 as part of the project PROTAC4OncoP53.

Francesco Napolitano joins the laboratory as an Erasmus Intern from Università degli studi di Salerno (Salerno, Italy). He will be working on the synthesis of VHL-based PROTACs for selective degradation of mutant p53 as part of the project PROTAC4OncoP53.

We are pleased to congratulate Inês Domingues and Tomás G. Monteiro on the successful defense of their Master theses and the completion of their Master degrees. This achievement marks the culmination of a demanding academic journey, reflecting their dedication, commitment, and academic rigor. We extend our sincere congratulations to both graduates and wish them continued success in their future academic and professional endeavors. May this milestone be the beginning of many f

We are honored that Tomás Ginestal has won a €50 prize for poster presentation at this year’s AEFFUL conference! 🎉 Tomás shared the results of his Master's project in a poster presentation , showcasing the valuable work being conducted as part of TRYP4MUTP53 project. Congratulations on a great presentation! A huge thank-you to the organizers and everyone who stopped by to discuss his work.

We are delighted to announce that four of our team members participated actively in the XXIX Encontro Luso‑Galego de Química , held in Braga, Portugal from 10–12 November 2025. Ricardo Ferreira delivered an oral presentation about the state of the art and results of the new granted project title PROTAC4OncoP53. Tiago Delgado presented his master results about novel DprE1 inhibitors in the oral session. Bárbara Bahls contributed with another oral presentation on her results of

We would like to inform you that Notice No. TI/4/FARM-ID/2025, regarding the Recruitment and Selection of a Research Technician within...

We are excited to announce that our new paper, “Batch and Continuous Synthesis of 5,5-Diphenylhydantoin, an Active Pharmaceutical...

We are delighted to welcome the newest members of our research group - Alexandre Charneca, João Matias, Kely Werneck, Margarida Fernandes! This year, we are joined by a group of students who bring fresh perspectives, curiosity, and enthusiasm to our work. Each of them will contribute to ongoing projects while developing their own scientific path within the group. We are excited to support their growth, celebrate their achievements, and work together toward new discoveries. To