Ángel Rodríguez de Lera

Short CV

Ángel R. de Lera obtained his PhD at the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela in 1983, and did a postdoctoral stay in the University of California, Riverside; under the guidance of Prof. W. H. Okamura. He joined the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela in 1987 as an Assistant Professor, working on the Chemistry and Biology of Retinoids. In 1996, he moved to the Universidade de Vigo and became Full Professor of Organic Chemistry in 1998. His research interests were extended to include the Stereocontrolled Synthesis of Carotenoids and Related Polyenes; the Design and Synthesis of Epigenetic Modulators Based on Natural Products; the Computational Analysis of Pericyclic and Other Concerted Reactions, and of Organometallic Catalytic Processes. His group expertise includes the results of ongoing research programmes in which stereoselective synthesis is central, with focus in polyenes (retinoids, carotenoids, among other natural products), vinylallenes and epigenetic modulators. Ongoing collaborations with other groups of molecular biologists, pathologist, biochemists, biophysicist, etc., is giving focus on the design and development of innovative drugs, in particular for cancer and neurological diseases, by carrying out the target-oriented synthesis of compounds based on the structure of natural products; and also advances in the development of new nanoparticle biosensors for recognition and potential use in diagnosis and analysis. Along his career he has stayed as Research Associate at the University of Surrey, Guildford (UK); University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (UK); and University of Washington, Seattle; and as Visiting Professor at the Albert-Ludswig-Universität. Freiburg (2000) and Paris-Sud (2006).