Steven Bennett Email & Phone Number

Newhouse, Scotland, United Kingdom

Senior Scientist I within the medicinal chemistry department at BioAscent.• Started and leading a monthly series of chemistry problem sessions focused on Baran’s Heterocyclic Chemistry lectures. In parallel to this, I am also helping to run a monthly series of medicinal chemistry webinars utilising available pre-recorded online seminars, such as those from Drug Hunter.

Newhouse, Scotland, United Kingdom

Scientist III within the medicinal chemistry department at BioAscent.• Developed a new C–O focused ligand set for BioAscent's "Pool and Split" reaction optimisation platform to expand its capabilities beyond C–C & C–N cross-couplings. This new ligand set has already found use in several active projects, helping to synthesise challenging C–O linked substrates that previously proved inaccessible.For more information on BioAscent's "Pool and Split" capabilities, based on the original work from Boehringer Ingelheim, see: https://www.bioascent.com/news-events/news/supercharging-reaction-optimisation-with-pool-and-split.• Worked in collaboration with colleagues at BioAscent on the creation of a new synthesis blog titled “Highlights in Synthesis” for publication on the BioAscent website. In the blog, I reviewed a publication on the electrochemical synthesis of unnatural amino acids from the group of Prof. Phil S. Baran, see: https://www.bioascent.com/news-events/news/highlights-in-synthesis-unnatural-amino-acids.• I am a member of BioAscent’s literature awareness group, tasked with highlighting any useful or relevant publications from ChemRxiv and Chemical Science. I review and present 2× papers/month on a PowerPoint slide format with the inclusion of useful text and schemes.• I had a lead role in preparing the first-round entry for BioAscent's submission to the 2023 RSC/SCI Retrosynthesis Competition, designing the synthetic route and delegating literature searching responsibilities.• I routinely suggest targets based on new data achieved while considering appropriate pharmacokinetic parameters alongside molecular docking. I also regularly propose synthesis routes and conditions for challenging transformations—some of which have even become standard conditions.• Regular preparation of high quality slides for external presentations to clients.

Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

Creator and editor of the Organic Synthesis Newsletter: https://organicsynthesis.beehiiv.com.The purpose of the Organic Synthesis Newsletter is to highlight key papers in synthetic organic chemistry that have been published in the previous week. A short selection of key publications from high-impact and well read chemistry journals are highlighted in an easy-to-read format, with their TOC graphic, an often shortened form of the abstract, and a handy clickable link that takes you straight to the paper.The newsletter is sent out at 08:00 (U.K. time) every Monday morning and currently reaches over 1500 subscribers.For further information, please see: https://organicsynthesis.beehiiv.com/p/frequently-asked-questions-faqs.

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Post-doctoral research associate within the group of Professor Andrew L. Lawrence.Completed projects:1. Stereoretentive Enantioconvergent Reactions (Nat. Chem. 2024, DOI: 10.1038/s41557-024-01504-1).• Developed and optimised a novel biocatalytic enantioconvergent reaction, which produced the desired product in >99.99:0.01 e.r. and 97:3 d.r.2. Biomimetic [1,2]-Shifts in the Synthesis of Complex Diterpenes.• Supervised two Bachelor's students in the development of new methodology towards biosynthetically relevant [1,2]-shifts in both para- and ortho-quinol architectures.• This methodology will soon be applied in a substrate scope and short total synthesis.Notable group contributions:• Assisted with PhD candidate interviews and final year undergraduate tutorials (pericyclic reactions).• Assisted in writing a successful grant proposal for a summer student and in the peer-review process of several manuscripts.• Supervisory experience: one PhD student and two Bachelor’s students.• Started the Lawrence group journal club summarising recent publications and discussing chemistry problems.

Bristol, England, United Kingdom

Post-doctoral research associate within the group of Professor Varinder K. Aggarwal.Continued my research in the Aggarwal group to ensure completion of our work in the area of fluorothromboxane A₂ analogues. This involved collaborating with an external partner to ensure project goals were met alongside planning for future stages that involved pharmacological evaluation of the synthesised analogues.Other projects included:1. The Organocatalytic Dimerization of Succinaldehyde (Org. Synth. 2022, 99, 139).• Prepared an Organic Syntheses procedure for the synthesis of a key bicyclic enal that the Aggarwal group uses in the total synthesis of complex prostaglandins.• Re-optimised the previously published procedure to ensure higher levels of reproducibility and a simpler work-up.2. De Novo Synthesis of Dihydrobenzofurans and Indolines and Its Application to a Modular, Asymmetric Synthesis of Beraprost (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 14124).• Designed and helped complete a modular and stereoselective total synthesis of the anti-platelet drug beraprost.• Developed a novel strategy for the construction of dihydrobenzofurans and indolines using an IEDDA/cheletropic extrusion sequence followed by a base-mediated aromatization reaction.• Supervised two Masters students on the project.3. Oversaw the pharmacological studies of a novel prostacyclin analogue.• Assisted in obtaining pharmacokinetic data for a prostacyclin analogue through collaboration with colleagues in pharmacology. This involved preparing nanomolar quantities of the prostacyclin for plasma and in vivo mice studies.• Worked with colleagues in mass spectrometry to analyse these samples and gain information about the compoiund's metabolism.• Outsourced and worked with an external partner to obtain ADME data.Finally, I also supervised a visiting Ph.D. student in my last three-months, working together on the synthesis of a fluorothromboxane A₂ analogue to provide material for biological analysis.

Bristol, United Kingdom

Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry within the group of Professor Varinder K. Aggarwal.Completed projects:1. Total synthesis and biological application of fluorothromboxane A₂ analogues towards the treatment of cardiovascular disease (unpublished; confidential).• Project lead from start-to-finish, working with complex and sensitive natural products on milligram-scale.• Ensured on-time delivery of products to a partner organisation.• Pursuing the creation of a start-up contingent on biological results.2. Difunctionalization of C−C σ-Bonds Enabled by Strained Boronate Complexes (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 16766).• Developed new methodology for the modular and diastereoselective synthesis of borylated cyclobutanes.• Produced an extensive electrophile and boronic ester scope alongside product functionalisations.• Assisted in manuscript preparation and compiled the supporting information document in its entirety.3. Synthesis and Biological Studies of Fluorinated Analogues of Thromboxane A2 (ACS Cent. Sci. 2020, 6, 995).• Worked on a competing total synthesis; intellectual contributions from start-to-end, performed the synthesis of key building blocks, and assisted in manuscript preparation.Notable group contributions:• Team leader for the winning team in Merck’s 1st worldwide Compound Synthesis Challenge.• Team member and winner of the 8th National SCI/RSC Retrosynthesis Competition.• Team member and third-place runner-up in Evonik’s worldwide Benzocaine Innovation Power Challenge.• Supervised two visiting PhD students and two Masters students.• Instrument responsibilities: Mettler Toledo Optimax reactor system, Biotage flash chromatography system, and two Agilent Technologies LCMS systems (all >4 years’ experience).• Previously responsible for scientific communication via the official Aggarwal Twitter account (@AggarwalLab).• Redesigned the research page of the Aggarwal group's website: http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/org/aggarwal/research.php.

Glasgow, United Kingdom

Final year Masters research project within the group of Dr. Allan J. B. Watson on boron speciation methodology and its application to a novel tandem reaction.Thesis title: “Sequential Chemoselective Cross-Coupling/Allylation Controlled by a Speciation Trigger”.Publication: “A one-pot tandem chemoselective allylation/ cross-coupling via temperature control of a multi-nucleophile/electrophile system“ (Chem. Commun. 2017, 53, 9139).Project contributions:• Taking a novel tandem reaction from concept to reality through independent planning and design of reaction parameters, which ultimately led to the discovery of a new chemoselective allylation/cross-coupling reaction.

Basel Area, Switzerland

12-month internship in Pharma Research and Early Development at F. Hoffmann-La Roche working in the lab of Dr. Bernd Büttelmann focusing on a rare disease project (8 months), with previous experience in oncology (4 months).Wide-array of experience gained throughout my time at Roche:• Designed, synthesised, and ensured timely delivery of novel small molecule targets for biological analysis.• Designed an efficient route to a challenging heterocyclic scaffold, which reduced the step count from 8 to 3, allowed for derivatisation and shaped the project’s future directions.• Gained experience in molecular modelling, DMPK, and chemical biology.• Presented research at internal Roche chemistry meetings to both interns and scientists.• Regularly attended a number of seminars and presentations from world leaders in the field of organic chemistry and drug discovery.I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a medicinal chemistry intern as the goal of improving someones life through my work was always highly motivating.

Glasgow, United Kingdom

I was awarded an RSC Undergraduate Research Bursary to work in Professor Nick C. O. Tomkinson's group for three-months on an orphan disease project aimed at disrupting dominant negative activity in nuclear receptors. The project involved the total synthesis of hormone analogues based upon triiodothyronine to be sent for biological evaluation.Project contributions:• Initiated the project and created the first set of substrates based upon triiodothyronine.• Gained experience in the synthesis of complex amino acid derivatives.

Glasgow, United Kingdom

I was awarded a Carnegie Undergraduate Vacation Scholarship to work with Dr. Mark Dufton for three-months on the analysis of products and intermediates formed from the reaction of Rattlesnake venom enzymes with peptides using Real-Time NMR analysis.Project contributions:• Independently planned and designed the experiments to gain maximum information through the use of Real-Time NMR analysis. This involved the calibration and use of a 700MHz Bruker NMR spectrometer.This project allowed me to gain multi-disciplinary experience by working on an organic chemistry project that had links to biological and computational chemistry.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Chemistry

Ph.D. in synthetic organic chemistry within the group of Professor Varinder K. Aggarwal.

Master'S Degree, Chemistry With Drug Discovery, First Class Honours (1:1)

1st class Masters degree with combined results averaging over 80%.