Versatile and accomplished Medicinal Chemist with a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry and a distinguished postdoctoral research background, coupled with over six years of extensive expertise in designing and synthesizing small molecules, specializing in CNS drug discovery through RNA splicing technology. Possessing comprehensive experience in all stages of drug discovery, from hit identification to lead optimization and preclinical development, coupled with a robust understanding of the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) relationship. An effective collaborator within multidisciplinary teams, seamlessly working with biologists, pharmacologists, legal experts and other professionals to integrate organic chemistry efforts to bring the drug to patients. 

Professional Experience: 

Principal Scientist (Sep 2023—) at PTC Therapeutics, New Jersey, USA

Sr Scientist (March 2020—Aug 2023) at PTC Therapeutics, NJ 07080, USA

Scientist-II (April, 2018—Feb 2020) at PTC Therapeutics, NJ 07080, USA

       

Academic Research: 

Postdoctoral Research (September, 2016—March, 2018) with Prof. Gary A Molander at University of Pennsylvania(UPenn), USA

Accomplishments: 
  • Conceived and developed multiple novel synthetic methods to construct CSP2-CSP3 and C-N bonds under Photoredox-catalysis. Drafted all associated manuscripts. 
  • Worked routinely at UPenn HTE (High-Throughput Experimentation) center for screening conditions.
  • Presented ideas on a quarterly basis to support the grant application.
Career Brake: I took a career brake from April 2016 to July 2016 to travel around Europe and then moved to the USA on August 7th, 2016. 

PhD (Jan 2012—March 2016): Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, Sweden; 
Advisor—Prof. Kálmán Szabó 

PhD Examiner: Prof. Varinder K Aggarwal (Bristol University, UK)

To read and download the PhD Thesis, please click here. 

Accomplishments:
  • Developed several novel catalytic stereoselective allylboration methods, enabling the construction of multiple stereocenters in a single step. These strategies are important for forging asymmetric CSP3-CSP3 bonds that are powerful disconnections for pharmaceuticals drug discovery.
  • Mentored three undergrads and one exchange-graduate student, resulting in the publication of three research articles.
  • Maintained a chiral HPLC (Waters) set-up and a Glovebox (Vigor). Provided the training for new users.
  • Awarded a prestigious postdoctoral stipend (~$45,000/year) from the Swedish Chemical Society in recognition of the merit of my Ph.D. research. Additionally, received seven travel grants totaling approximately $10,000. Attended four ACS meetings and delivered oral and poster presentations. 
Education: 

MS (Organic Chemistry): Department of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm University, Sweden. 
Thesis Advisor—Prof. Kálmán Szabó

BSc (Chemistry): Department of Chemistry, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. 

Published Books (In Bangali): "একটা দেশ যেভাবে দাঁড়ায়"; "বাংলাদেশের স্বপ্নচোখ"; "সফল মন্ত্র" 

List of Patents: 

01. WO/2019/191229 Link; Highlighted in ACS. Med. Chem. Lett.
02. WO/2020/005873 Link; Highlighted in ACS. Med. Chem. Lett.
03. WO/2020/231977 Link
04. WO/2021/207453 Link; Highlighted in ACS. Med. Chem. Lett.
05. WO/2023/028536 Link; Highlighted in ACS. Med. Chem. Lett.
06. WO/2023/028534 Link; 
07. WO/2023/159148 Link  
09. Issued Patent: US 11780839 B2 Link 
10. Issued Patent: US 11858941 B2 Link 


 List of Academic Publications: 
13. Photoredox‐Catalyzed Multicomponent Petasis Reaction with Alkyltrifluoroborates
Jun Yi, Shorouk O. Badir, Rauful Alam, and Gary A. Molander. Org. Lett., 2019 (Link)

12. Photoredox/Nickel‐Catalyzed Single‐Electron Tsuji‐Trost Reaction: Development and Mechanistic Insight
Jennifer K. Matsui, Álvaro Gutiérrez-Bonet, Madeline Rotella, Rauful Alam, Osvaldo Gutierrez and Gary A. Molander. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2018 (Link) 


11. Photoredox-catalyzed Direct Reductive Amination of Aldehydes without an External Hydrogen/Hydride Source
Rauful Alam and Gary A. Molander. Org. Lett., 2018, 20, 2680-2684 (Link) 


10. Direct Synthesis of Secondary Benzylic Alcohols Enabled by Photoredox/Ni-Dual Catalysis.
Rauful Alam and Gary A. Molander. J. Org. Chem., 2017, 82,13728–13734 (Link) Highlighted in Synfacts 2018, 14, 0188.



Gram Scale Reaction



09. Synergistic Visible Light Photoredox/Nickel-Catalyzed Synthesis of Aliphatic Ketones via N-C Cleavage of Imides.

Javad Amani, Rauful Alam, Shorouk Badir and Gary A. Molander. Org. Lett, 2017, 19, 2426-2429  (Link) Hilighted in Synfacts 2017, 13, 0742. Highlighted in OPR&D 2017, 21, 897-910


One of the ketones



Publications Prior to Postdoctoral Research



08. Catalytic Asymmetric Allylboration of Indoles and Dihydroisoquinolines with Allylboronic Acids: Stereodivergent Synthesis of up to Three Contiguous Stereocenters 

Rauful Alam, Colin Diner, Sybrand Jonker, Lars Eriksson and Kálmán J. Szabó  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 14417–14421 (Link) Highlighted in ChemistryViews, Chemistry world and Synfacts

 
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07. Transition-Metal-Free Borylation of Allylic and Propargylic Alcohols
Núria Miralles, Rauful Alam, Kálmán J. Szabó, Elena Fernández Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 4303–4307 (Link) Highlighted in Cheminform 



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06. Synthesis of Adjacent Quaternary Stereocenters by Catalytic Asymmetric Allylboration

Rauful Alam, Tobias Vollgraff, Lars Eriksson and Kálmán J. Szabó J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 11262-11265 (Link) Highlighted in Cheminform 




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05. Stereocontrol in Synthesis of Homoallylic Amines. Syn Selective Direct Allylation of Hydrazones with Allylboronic Acids

Arindam Das, Rauful Alam, Lars Eriksson and Kálmán J. Szabó Org. Lett. 2014, 16, 3808–3811 (Link) Highlighted in Cheminform



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04. Stereoselective allylboration of imines and indoles under mild conditions. An in situ E/Z isomerization of imines by allylboroxines

Rauful Alam, Arindam Das, Genping Huang, Fahmi Himo, Lars Eriksson and Kálmán J. Szabó Chem. Sci. 2014, 5, 2732–2738 (Link) Highlighted in Cheminform 



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03. Selective Formation of Adjacent Stereocenters by Allylboration of Ketones under Mild Neutral Conditions

Rauful Alam, Mihai Raducan, Lars Eriksson and Kálmán J. Szabó Org. Lett. 2013, 15, 2546–2549 (Link) 

X-ray structure of a compound


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02. Palladium-Catalyzed Synthesis and Isolation of Functionalized Allylboronic Acids: Selective, Direct Allylboration of Ketones

Mihai Raducan, Rauful Alam and Kálmán J. Szabó
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 13050–13053 (Link) Highlighted in Synfacts and ChemInform

Allyl boronic acid





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01. Stereoselective Intermolecular Allylic C–H Trifluoroacetoxylation of Functionalized Alkenes

Rauful Alam, Lukasz T. Pilarski, Elias Pershagen, and Kálmán J. Szabó J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012, 134, 8778–8781 (Link) Highlighted in ChemInform


Scholarships/Awards: 

 08. Bengt Lundqvist Postdoctoral Scholarship—2016 through Swedish Chemical Society.


07. Sture Erikssons Scholarship to attend PACIFICHEM-2015 at Hawaii, USA

06. Stiftelsen Sigrud och Elsa Goljes Memmorial Scholarship-2015.

 05. Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Scholarship, 2014

04. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences travel grant, 2014

03. Stiftelsen Sigrud och Elsa Goljes Memmorial Scholarship, 2013

02. C F Liljevalchs J:ors stipend, 2012

01. Ångpanneföreningens Forskningsstiftelse stipend, 2012

Professional Courses/Training: 

04. “Pharmacokinetics for Chemists in Drug Discovery and Development” offered by ACS (American Chemical Society). 

03. “Introduction to molecular modeling in drug discovery” offered by Schrödinger.

02. Attended the Drew University medicinal chemistry course (one week long professional course). 

01. Basic Patent Training Certification Course by USPTO 


Scientific Lectures and Presentations: 

11.  19th Drug Discovery Chemistry—April 2024 (San Diego, USA) 
10.  2022 ACS Fall National Meeting and Exposition—August 2022 (Chicago, USA) 
09.  4th Silk Road International Symposium for Distinguished Young Scholars (SRIS-2018)—April 2018 (Xi'an, China): Oral Presentation. 

 08. 254th ACS National Meeting and Exposition—August 2017 (Washington, USA): Oral and Poster Presentation. Presentation in Sci-Mix session. Link

 07. PACIFICHEM (The International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies)—December 2015 (Hawaii, USA): Oral and Poster presentation.

06. OMCOS (Organometallic Chemistry Directed Towards Organic Synthesis)—June 2015 (Sitges, Spain): Poster presentation

05. CARISMA (Catalytic Routines for Small Molecule Activation) Meeting—March 2015 (Tarragona, Spain): Poster presentation

04. Organikerdagarna—June 2014 (Djurönäset, Stockholm): Oral Presentation

 03. 248th ACS National Meeting and Exposition—August 2014 (San Francisco, USA): Oral and Poster Presentation. Presentation in Sci-Mix session.

02. 246th ACS National Meeting and Exposition—September 2013 (Indianapolis, USA): Oral and Poster Presentation. Presentation in Sci-Mix session.

01. 244th ACS National Meeting and Exposition—August 2012 (Philadelphia, USA): Oral and Poster Presentation. Presentation in Sci-Mix session.