About Us
We are located at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb.
The focus of our group is to explore new chemical space isolated from natural sources such as microorganisms and plants. Our journey usually starts with a molecule that has been isolated, structurally characterized and significant in vitro activity has been determined. We are especially interested in potential new antibiotics. After identifying new molecule we start retrosynthesis & synthesis of the target and revaluate activity on the synthetic sample. If there is significant activity we move on to the SAR studies and further biological testing. Even in early phase we consider scalability and aim to develop new methodologies to obtain easier access to bulk quantities of potential new drug candidates.
Our Mission
In addition to natural product research, we place great importance on the development of new chemical reactions and methodologies. Total synthesis is often where new reactions emerge, and when retrosynthetic approaches push the boundaries of known chemistry, we seek to forge new paths rather than stopping. Our research is driven by the desire to advance both chemical knowledge and practical synthesis techniques for drug discovery.
Blog
Erasmus guest – Luc Bombail
We are pleased to welcome Luc Bombail from the University of Poitiers, France, for a short Erasmus research visit. His time with our group was marked by engaging discussions, valuable
New team member – Marin Knežević
We are pleased to welcome univ. mag. chem. Marin Knežević as a new PhD researcher in our team. His interest in experimental research and commitment to scientific work will support
New team member – Mario Oraić
We are happy to welcome univ. mag. chem. Mario Oraić, who joined our group as a PhD researcher. With a strong background in chemistry and great motivation, he is contributing
New team member – Dr. Doroteja Lončarić
We are happy to welcome Dr. Doroteja Lončarić as a collaborator on our research project. She brings strong scientific experience and enthusiasm for experimental work and project development. We look
Erasmus guest – Ilias Timotheidis
We recently hosted Ilias Timotheidis from the University of Regensburg as an Erasmus guest researcher who joined us for a short exchange visit. The collaboration provided valuable discussions and insights,
Total Synthesis of (+)-Penicyclone A and Evaluation of Biological Activity Including Intermediate Compounds
Mirko Duvnjak; Gregor Talajić; Jurica Baranašić; Nea Baus Topić; Hana Čipčić Paljetak; Nikola Cindro Penicyclone A is a polyketide compound with a unique and intriguing structure recently isolated from the