Laura d'Andrea

Kort præsentation

Serotonin, or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is the neurotransmitter responsible for wellbeing and happiness, regulateing mood, appetite, sleep and having cognitive functions, including memory and learning.

Particular focus is given to the 5-HT2A receptor subtype, which is a validated drug target in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychoses, cluster headaches, and glaucoma.   

At UCPH, numerous agonists targeting this receptor have been developed, including the most selective 5-HT2A receptor agonist reported to date (Kristensen group). New selective ligands for the 5-HT2A receptor will be accessed via the elaboration of existing scaffolds and the exploration of new starting points emerging alongside SAFER project development. Thus, ligands with desirable physiochemical properties (lipophilicity, Blood Brain Barrier permeability, etc.) will be accessed using both classic synthetic methods and convergent strategies, ensuring that a high number of diverse ligands can be prepared in parallel.

Importantly, the synthesis of compounds library will be further supported by a unique collection of reagents and building blocksavailable at ENAMINE facilities (Kiev, Ukraine), where I will be working for the second half of my PhD.  This will ensure novelty, patentability and diversity of the ligands.     

Primære forskningsområder

Medicinal and synthetic organic chemistry

Aktuel forskning

Synthesis of compounds as phenylethylamine derivatives and 5-HT2A agonists.

Undervisnings- og vejledningsområder

Supervision of Erasmus and Master students

CV

M.Sc. in Chemistry, specialized in Organic Synthesis (University of Copenhagen)