Design Research

Richmond Danso-Danquah, PhD

*******@*****.***

804-***-**** linkedin.com/in/rdanso

SUMMARY

Over 15 years of research experience in academic and biotechnology industry with extensive knowledge in rational drug design.

Experience on the bench in synthesizing a wide range of chemical compounds ranging from small molecules to large ones

Experience in the synthesis of compounds for breast and prostate cancer, osteoporosis and Alzheimer.

Directed project teams for medicinal chemistry, organic synthesis (mg to kg scale), scale- up synthesis, and analytical analysis.

Over 4 years of supervisory experience directing a team of scientists in a CRO biotechnology environment.

Skilled in quote generation, attaining and directing government and commercial R&D programs.

Proficient in GLP and GMP procedures, SOP preparation, Compliance for Laboratory Audits.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Co-inventor of 3 Patents and 1 Provisional Patent for therapeutic agents to treat Sickle Cell Anemia.

Currently, 5-HM (Aes103), 5-membered heterocyclic Agent to treat Sickle Cell is in phase III clinical trials.

Co-inventor of 5 US Patents for Allosteric Modifiers of Hemoglobin.

Co-author of book Chapter in New Trends in Therapy 234; 553-554, 1995.

Design, develop and synthesis of novel Sigma-1 and Sigma-2 compounds.

2014 Virginia Commonwealth University Co-Inventor of the Year.

RESEARCH BACKGROUND

Broad background in the design and synthesis of therapeutic agents and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).

Experience in custom synthesis of small molecules, analogs and homologs and the synthesis of organic and bioorganic stable isotopes and radioactive isotopes.

Strong synthetic organic and classical medicinal chemistry.

Strong analytical chemistry ability to analyze data, make judgments and decisions.

Strong working experience in BSL 2.

Experience in Catalytic heterogeneous/homogenous hydrogenations reactions at room and high temperatures.

Experience in Chemical Process research and Development

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Consultant: Synthetic Organic/Medicinal Chemist/Bioorganic Chemistry January 2015 – Present

Utilize Scifinder to develop and design synthetic routes.

Design syntheses for new compounds.

Design and multistep synthesis.

Provide literature searches.

American International Biotechnology, Richmond, VA 2010-2014

Scientist III / Synthetic Organic/Medicinal Chemist/Bioorganic Chemistry

Utilized Scifinder to develop and design synthetic routes to prepare quotes of target compounds for clients.

Directed project teams for medicinal chemistry, organic synthesis (mg to g scale), scale-up synthesis, and analytical analysis.

Synthesis of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) or multi-step synthetic intermediates.

Design and synthesis organic and bioorganic stable isotopes and radioactive isotopes.

Purify and characterize synthetic intermediates and final products.

Utilized 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, GC/MS, HPLC, MALDI-TOF, ChemDraw, and ChemWindow.

Prepare new SOPs; review and update existing SOPs.

Catalytic heterogeneous/homogenous hydrogenations reactions at room and high temperatures.

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 1996-2010

Assistant Professor

Conducting independent research.

Design and synthesis of agents that bind to Hemoglobin as potential anti-ischemic agents.

Design and synthesis of allosteric inhibitors and activators of Pyruvate Kinase Catalytic heterogeneous/homogenous hydrogenations reactions at room temperatures and high temperatures.

Utilized 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, GC/MS, HPLC.

Supervised and mentored new postdoctoral fellows and graduate students.

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 1993-1996

Research Associate

Design and synthesis of Allosteric Effectors of Hemoglobin.

Design and synthesis of therapeutic agents to treat or alleviate Sickle Cell Anemia.

Catalytic heterogeneous/homogenous hydrogenations reactions at room and high temperatures

Utilized 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, GC/MS, HPLC.

Supervised and mentored graduate students.

Chemistry and Life Sciences, Research Triangle Institute, Triangle Park, NC 1991-1993

Research Associate

Design, develop and synthesis of Sigma-1 and Sigma-2 compounds.

Synthesis of Cocaine derivatives and analogs.

Catalytic heterogeneous/homogenous hydrogenations reactions at room and high temperatures.

Utilized 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas

M.Sc. Organic Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Canada,

B.Sc. (HONS) Chemistry, University of Science & Technology, Ghana.

CLEARANCE

Center for Disease Control

SPECIAL AWARDS, FELLOWSHIPS

1995-1998, Allos Therapeutics Intellectual Property Research Fellow

HONORS

2014 Virginia Commonwealth University Co-Inventor of the Year

PUBLICATIONS

Synthesis of Oxa Analogs of Porphobilinogen (PBG) as Probes for Mechanistic Studies of PBG Deaminase, Danso-Danquah, R. E.; Scott, A. I.; Becker, D. Tetrahedron 1993, 49, 8195.

19-Bromo-1-Hydroxymethylbilane, a Novel Inhibitor of Uro’gen III Synthase; Pichon, C.; Atshaves, B. P.; Danso-Danquah, R.; Stolowich, N. J.; Scott, A. I., Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry 1994, 2, 267.

Characterization of Decamethyl and Ethoxycarbonyl Pentaphyrins. Danso-Danquah, R. E.; Xie, L. Y.; Dolphin, D.

Heterocycles, 1995, 41, 2553.

Synthesis and Sigma Binding Properties of 1'-and 3'-Halo- and 1',3'-Dihalo-N-Normetazocine Analogues. Danso-Danquah, R.; Bai, X.; Zhang, X.; Mascarella, S. W.; Williams, W.; Sinne, B.; Bowen, W. D.; Carroll, F. I.; Journal Medicinal Chemistry, .1995, 38, 2978.

Synthesis and Sigma Binding Properties of 2'-Substituted 5, 9 -Dimethyl-6,7-Benzomorphan. Danso-Danquah, R.; Bai, X.; Zhang, X.; Mascarella, S. W.; Williams, W.; Sinne, B.; Bowen, W. D.; Carroll, F. I., Journal Medicinal Chemistry, 1995, 38, 2986.

Bis-Aldehyde Allosteric Effectors as Molecular Ratchets and Probes. Boyiri, T; Safo, M. K.; Danso-Danquah, R. E.; Kister, J.; Poyart, C.; Abraham, D. J. Biochemistry, 1995, 34,15021

How Allosteric Effectors Can Bind to the Same Protein Residue and Produce Opposite Shifts in the Allosteric Equilibrium. Abraham, D. J.; Boyiri, T; Safo, M. K.; Danso-Danquah, R. E.; Kister, J.; Poyart, C. Biochemistry, 1995, 34, 15006.

Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationships of Chiral Allosteric Modifiers of Hemoglobin, Grella, M. P.; Danso-Danquah, R. E.; Safo, M. K.; Joshi, G. S.; Kister, J.; Marden, M.; Hoffman, S. J. and Abraham, D. J. J. Med. Chem., 2000, 43(25), 4726-4737.

X-Ray Crystallographic Analyses of Symmetrical Allosteric Effectors of Hemoglobin. Compounds Designed To Link Primary and Secondary Binding Sites. Safo, M. K.; Boyiri, T.; Burnett, J. C.; Danso Danquah, R.; .Moure, C. M.; .Joshi, G. S.; Abraham, D. J., Acta Crystallographica Section D 2002, D58, 634

Synthesis and X-ray Studies of Chiral Allosteric Modifiers of Hemoglobin. Youssef, A. M.; Safo, M. K.; Danso-Danquah, R.; Joshi, G. S.; Kister, J.; Marden, M.; Abraham, D. J., J. Med. Chem. 2002, 45, 1184

Structural Basis for the Potent Ant sickling Effect of a Novel Class of Five-Membered Heterocyclic Aldehydic Compounds. Martin K. Safo, Osheiza Abdulmalik, Danso-Danquah, R.; James C. Burnett, Samuel Nokuri, Gajanan S. Joshi, Faik N. Musayev, Toshio Asakura, and Donald J. Abraham, J. Med. Chem.; 2004, 47, 4665

Nnamani, I. N.; Joshi, G. S.; Danso-Danquah, R.; Abdulmalik, O.; Asakura, T.; Abraham, D. J.; Biodiversity, 2008, 5, 1762. Jenkins, J. D.; Musayev, F. N.; Danso-Danquah, R.; Abraham, D. J.; Safo, M. K.; Structure of relaxed-state human hemoglobin: Insight into ligand uptake, transport and release. Acta Crystallogr D. 65, 41, 200

Abdulmalik O, Ghatge MS, Musayev FN, Parikh A, Chen Q, Yang J, Nnamani I, Danso-Danquah R, Eseonu DN, Asakura T, Abraham DJ, Venitz J, Safo MK. Crystallographic analysis of normal human hemoglobin in complex with potent antisickling agents. Acta Cryst D, Biol Crystallogr. 2011; 67:920-8.

Gandhi AK, Desai JV, Ghatge MS, diSalvo ML, Di Biase, S, Danso-Danquah, R, Musayev FN, Contestabile R, Schirch V, Safo MK Crystal structures of human pyridoxal kinase in complex with the neurotoxins ginkgotoxin and theophylline: insights into pyridoxal kinase inhibition. PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e40954

Danso-Danquah, R.; Abraham, D. J.; Lin, H-Ru, Development of Compounds with dual Antiestrogenic and antiprogestinic Properties as Therapeutic Agents for Breast Cancer. Manuscript in preparation.

BOOK CHAPTERS

Boyiri, T., Safo, M. K., Danso-Danquah, R., Criss, A., Orringer, E. P, Abraham, D. J. in Y. Beuzard, B. Lubin, and J. Rosa. Design, Eds., “Synthesis, Oxygen Affinity, and X-ray Crystallographic Studies of a Novel Class of Covalent Cross-Linkers of Hemoglobin Subunits. In: Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassaemias: New Trends in Therapy 234; 553-554, 1995.

PATENTS

Aldehydic Agents for Allosteric Modification of Hemoglobin, Boyiri, T; Safo, M. K.; Danso-Danquah, R. E.; Abraham, D. J., U.S. patent # 5,599,974.

Allosteric Inhibitors and Activators of Pyruvate Kinase Abraham, D. J.; Danso-Danquah, R. Boyiri, T, Changquing, W.; Gerber, M. J.; Hoffman, S. J.; Gajanan, J. U.S. Patent # 6,214,879

Substituted Chiral Allosteric Hemoglobin Modifiers. Abraham, D. J.; Gajanan, J.; Hoffman, S. J.; Grella, M.; Danso-Danquah, R.; Amal Youssef; Safo, M. K.; Kulkani, S. A. U.S. Patent # 6,486,342

Allosteric Inhibitors of Pyruvate Kinase Abraham, D. J.; Changquing, W.; Danso-Danquah, R.; Burnett, J. C.; Gajanan, J.; Hoffman, S. J.; U.S. Patent # 6534501

Substituted Chiral Allosteric Hemoglobin Modifiers. Abraham, D. J.; Gajanan, J.; Hoffman, S. J.; Grella, M.; Danso-Danquah, R.; Amal Youssef; Safo, M. K.; Kulkani, S. A. U.S. Patent # 6,894185

5-Membered Heterocyclic Ant sickling Agents to Treat Sickle Cell Disease, Safo, M. K; Danso-

Danquah, R.; Nokuri, S.; Musayev, F. N.; Gajanan, J.; Burnett, J. C.; Abraham, D. J., US patent # 200********

Anti-sickling Agents. Safo, M. K; Danso-Danquah, R.; Gajanan, J.; Abraham, D. J., US Patent # 7,119,208 B2.

Compounds with Estrogenic and Antiestrogenic Properties for the Treatment of Estrogen Receptor Related Diseases such as Breast and Prostate Cancer, Osteoporosis and Alzheimer. Danso-Danquah, R.; Safo, M. K.; US patent pending.

Martin K. Safo, Richmond Danso-Danquah, James Burnett, Jürgen Venitz. CU 11-075 “Aromatic aldehyde-NO compounds with multiple pharmacologic properties to treat sickle cell disease”. Provisional patent application # 61/549,780, filed October 21, 2011

Martin K. Safo and Richmond Danso-Danquah. VCU 11-076 “Indole-aldehydes with multiple pharmacologic properties to treat sickle cell disease” Provisional patent application # 61/549,780, filed October 21, 2011

Right-shifting synthetic allosteric hemoglobin modifies with nitric oxide releasing moiety. Invention Disclosure under Consideration

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