Debashis Mandal
South SanFrncisco
Summary
Passionate drug hunter with extensive experience in medicinal chemistry and synthetic organic chemistry. Highly collaborative team player with leadership, excellent problem solving and communication skills. 9+ years of experience in pharmaceutical industry with experience in design, synthesis and optimizingcompounds to support various phase of drug discovery programs (Hit generation to Candidate selection).
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Principal Scientist I
AbbVie
10.2019 - Current
- Contributed to various oncology programs at various phases of the program, from Hit Generation (HG) to Candidate Selection (CS) - TIPARP, KRAS, novel IO, and synthetic lethal targets.
- The TIPARP compound is scheduled for Phase I at the end of 2025.
- The KRAS compound recently went through candidate nomination (CN) transition.
- Extensively used in silico tools for design, analysis, pADME, and human dose prediction: Glide, MMGBSA, FEP+, SPARK, MD simulations, FMO, Structure Designer, QSAR, KNIME MMPA, pHDP.
- Used the AI/ML tool REINVENT for generative ideas.
- Extensively used Spotfire for data naylysis
- Directed research and project activities, and the professional development of a group of scientists by effectively mentoring, guiding, and supervising scientific personnel.
- Conceived, executed, and communicated novel, multi-disciplinary research, or development strategies that achieve project goals.
- Served as a lead scientist on various projects, and contributed scientific insights into multiple other projects.
- Demonstrated creative 'out-of-the-box' thinking to solve difficult problems, and champion new technologies to achieve project goals.
- Made significant contributions to the project team through lab-based or other work environments and activities.
- Ensured the quality and effectiveness of key results of major project plans within the function through sound design and early risk assessment. Assessments and implementation of fallback strategies.
Scientist
Arcus Biosciences
10.2016 - 10.2019
- One of the early chemists in the team. Involved in hiring and building the 25+ team, and the lab.
- Critical impact on various programs to bring about the success of Arcus in the critical first three years.
- Worked on several oncology targets (particularly, IO targets): A2R, CD73, ARG, STING, HIF2a, PAK4.
- Lead chemist on various programs and involved in various stages of these programs: hit-to-lead generation (H2L), lead optimization (LO), candidate nomination (CN), and candidate selection (CS).
- Studied structure–activity relationships of analogues to optimize potency, selectivity, and improve physicochemical, ADME, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic properties of chemical series.
- Worked with 25+ internal chemists in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.
- Mentored and trained newly hired chemists.
- Two compounds in a clinical trial, which are part of Arcus Biosciences and Gilead deals.
- ETRUMADENANT (AB928) is a small molecule A2a/A2b adenosine receptor antagonist in Phase I/II.
- AB521 - HIF2α inhibitor in Phase III.
- Worked on a backup series of small-molecule CD73 inhibitors, QUEMLICLUSTAT, which is in Phase III.
Postdoctoral Fellow With Professor Tobias Ritter
Harvard University
02.2015 - 10.2016
- Fluorination and synthesis of [18F]-PET tracers in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and Harvard Medical School.
- Study the catalytic deoxyfluorination of phenols by developing new catalytic systems.
- Development of a new fluorination reaction and its application in the synthesis of [18F]-PET tracers in collaboration with MGH and Harvard Medical School.
Postdoctoral Fellow With Professor K. C. Nicolaou
The Scripps Research Institute, Rice University
12.2012 - 02.2015
- Total synthesis, ADC, and SAR in collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) and Stemcentrx.
- Worked in the design, synthesis, and SAR study of highly potent ADC payloads (EC50 < 50 pM) of Uncialamycin, Tubulysin, and their analogs in collaboration with BMS and Stemcentrx.
- Developed a new C–H coupling reaction and applied it in the synthesis of designed Tubulysins analogs. Biological evaluation and establishment of valuable SAR data. Initiated collaboration with Stemcentrx.
- I initiated the idea of the Tubulysin program in the lab and led the program.
- Streamlined total synthesis of the anticancer enediyne Uncialamycin, and its application to the synthesis of designed analogues for biological investigation. Collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS).
Education
Ph.D. - Chemistry
Nagoya University
Nagoya, Japan10-2012
Skills
- Drug Discovery Expertise : Significantly contributed on various phase of small molecule oncology programs from Hit Generation to Candidate Selection Particularly, design, synthesis, SAR analysis, ADME/PK/safety optimizations, library synthesis, external CRO and internal team management, data analysis, extensive cross-site collaborations, patent applications
- Design and Synthesis : Extensively used various in-silico tools for compounds design, pADME, Human-dose prediction Used AI/ML tool REINVENT for generative ideas Multistep synthesis, route optimization, scale-up, reaction conditions screening
- Purification and Characterization : Purifications using CombiFlash, ACCQPrep, Agilent NMR LCMS HPLC
- Computational and Cheminformatics Tools : GLIDE, MMGBSA, SPARK, FEP, MD-simulation, FMO, QSAR, Structure Designer, KNIME, REIMVENT
Timeline
Principal Scientist I
AbbVie
10.2019 - Current
Scientist
Arcus Biosciences
10.2016 - 10.2019
Postdoctoral Fellow With Professor Tobias Ritter
Harvard University
02.2015 - 10.2016
Postdoctoral Fellow With Professor K. C. Nicolaou
The Scripps Research Institute, Rice University
12.2012 - 02.2015
Ph.D. - Chemistry
Nagoya University