The research that we have developed over the years is based on the design, synthesis and study of simple models that allow us to understand the role of non-covalent interactions in some biological phenomena (recognition, catalysis, etc.). With these tools, we want to advance towards the field of organocatalysis, whose main objective is to emulate the catalytic activity of enzymes using simpler compounds. These compounds will catalyze cascade reactions that will allow generating structural complexity under sustainable conditions. Our goal is to develop new peptides that can catalyze different reactions in an enantioselective way, and by making use of non-covalent interactions and cooperativity between them, we can modulate the effectiveness of these catalysts.
On the other hand, the synthesis of Natural Products and the development of new synthetic methodologies continues to be an important part of our research. We intend to use cascade cycling of linear poly-epoxides to obtain Natural Products of marine origin, which are scarce, complex and biologically active.
Molecular Recognition, Supramolecular Chemistry, Asymmetric Synthesis, Organocatalysis
- Bachelor of Chemical Sciences, University of La Laguna (1986-1991)
- PhD in Chemical Sciences, University of La Laguna (1991-1996)
- Research Scientist, CSIC (2018-present)
- Tenured Scientist, CSIC (2005-2018)
- Contract on the “Ramón y Cajal” programme, University of La Laguna (2002-2005)
- Associate Professor, University of La Laguna (2000-2001)
- Reincorporation contract of MEC, University of La Laguna (1999-2001)
- Post-Doctoral fellow of the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. The Scripps Research Institute (USA), (1997-1998)
- Predoctoral fellow of the Canary Islands Government, University of La Laguna (1992-1996)
- Awarded with "Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado" in the Experimental and Technical Sciences Division, University of La Laguna
- Award for the Best Doctoral Thesis of the Faculty of Chemistry, University of La Laguna
- Evaluator of the National Agency of Evaluation and Prospective (ANEP), (2008-Present)
- Secretary of the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry Territorial Section Canary Islands (2011-Present)
- Member of the Governing Board of the Specialized Group on Organic Chemistry of the Royal Spanish Chemistry Society (RSEQ), (2012-2016)