Michelle Kasem Email & Phone Number

San Diego Metropolitan Area

San Diego

• Made significant contributions to the design, synthesis, and optimization of inhibitors across multiple targets, including ENPP1 (oncology), JAK1 (GI restricted compounds for the treatment of IBD) and PDGFR (oral and inhaled delivery, for the treatment of PAH). Experience optimizing forpotency, selectivity, physicochemical properties, ADME, and PK• Assisted in the management of external CRO FTEs • Proposed and assigned new targets for external FTEs based on SAR/rational design• Coordinated CRO activities via scheduled and as-needed meetings and communications• Evaluated weekly screening data & triaged compounds for more advanced screening• Oversaw day-to-day laboratory operations at the department level to maintain an efficient work environment• Managed laboratory equipment and facilitated communications between Lab Operations, Chemistry, Biology, and DMPK• Assisted with lab related chemistry budget, negotiated purchase of instruments and arranged/managed maintenance agreements• Inventor on 5 patent applications around novel ENPP1, JAK1, and PDGFR inhibitors • Mentored an intern in the Chemistry Department

Dart Neuroscience

Greater San Diego Area

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*Responsibility for all aspects of drug design, synthesis, purification, identification, optimization, and scale-up of chemical intermediates and target compounds*Communicated results and plans to other project team members and provided data and experimentals for papers and patents*Successfully supervised summer interns*Extensive experience with core laboratory instrumentation (NMR, LCMS, flash chromatography, microwave synthesizers, H-Cube)*Highly involved in the day-to-day running of the chemistry lab:*Primary liaison for a number of laboratory instruments (Biotage flash systems, Microwave synthesizers, HPLC)*Maintained flash systems, synthesizers, lyophilizers, and HPLC *Ordered flash columns and microwave consumables for the chemitry lab*Participated in the organization of departmental and company events---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*SAR support for 5-HT2C agonist program*Challenging syntheses of fused tricyclic compounds with multiple stereocenters*Applied concepts of structure-based drug design and integrated SAR to identify lead compounds with properties desirable for a centrally active molecule*This work resulted in authorship on one patent and four peer-reviewed publications

*SAR support for TGR5 agonist program -Synthesis of complex spyrocycles*SAR support for S1P1 backup program, leading to several publications -Collaborated in scale-up of the lead molecule using an asymmetric synthetic route -Designed synthetic routes to key intermediates for the lead molecule

*GPR81: SAR support leading to a patent*SAR support for the GPR109a agonist program in collaboration with Merck -Synthesized complex molecules leading to publications -Program resulted in candidate molecule allowing clinical POC

Greater San Diego Area

Summer Intern for two consecutive years: Synthesized targets and templates for combinatorial chemistry project targeting the MCHR1 and and PPAR-γ receptors

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Biochemistry/Chemistry

Activities and Societies: ACSSA

Associate Of Arts (A.A.) Honors, Transfer Studies

Activities and Societies: ACSSA: Charter President