Associate Professor
Tel: (+302610) 997912
Web Page: http://www.chem.upatras.gr/faculty/rassias
Curriculum Vitae
Gerry Rassias graduated with a First Class Chemistry degree (BSc Hons) from the University of Liverpool in 1995 and 2nd in the overall ranking of his class. He then started his doctoral research at the same institute under the supervision of Prof. Phil C. P. Page and with a studentship by Glaxo-Wellcome on “New systems for catalytic asymmetric epoxidation” using iminium salt-organocatalysts. He concluded his doctorate work at Loughborough University in 1998 due to the appointment of Prof. Phil C. P. Page as Head of Organic Chemistry at the corresponding Chemistry Department. Gerry also conducted his first post-doctoral appointment with Prof. Phil C. P. Page during which he worked towards the total synthesis of lactacystin and novel chiral ligands for palladium-catalysed asymmetric transformations; this work led to the title of "Chartered Chemist" by the Royal Society of Chemistry. In January 2000 Gerry joined the Hellenic Army for the mandate military service and was honourably discharged with the rank of lietenant in December 2001. In January 2002 he joined the group of Prof. K. C. Nicolaou at The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, USA as a postdoctoral researched with a fellowship from the Skaggs foundation. There, he worked on the total synthesis of diazonamide A and analogues of epothilone B until he joined the Synthetic Chemistry department of Chemical Development at GSK, Stevenage, UK in April 2003. For the almost 10 years that followed Gerry worked on a number of GSK projects for which he was honoured with nine Reward & Recognition Awards, including two Gold, as well as with three Exceptional Science Awards. More importantly, Gerry was the lead chemist in the chemical development of Trametinib dimethyl sulfoxide for the treatment of melanoma and also authored part of the file. Trametinib (commercial brand Mekinist) was recently approved by the FDA. In October 2012 Gerry joined the Chemistry Department of the University of Patras as Assistant Professor of Organic Chemistry.
Courses
Heterocyclic Chemistry, Principles of Medicinal Chemistry, Catalysis, Organic Industrial Products and Green Chemistry
Research Activities
Organic Synthesis, Synthesis of Drug Substances and libraries of bioactive molecules, Asymmetric Synthesis, Homogeneous Catalysis – Organocatalysis / Organometallic Catalysts, Medicinal Chemistry (Drug design and development / Hit-to-Lead optimization), Process Development, Green Chemistry.
Representative Publications
- Rassias, G. A.; Page, P. C. B.; Reignier, S.; Christie, S. D. R.
The first successful use of simple 1,2-aminothioethers as hybrid ligands in the palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic substitution reaction.
Synlett, 2000, (3), 379-381. - Page, P. C. B.; Hamzah, A. S.; Leach, D. C.; Allin, S. M.; Andrews, D. M.; Rassias, G. A.
Short and Versatile Route to a Key Intermediate for Lactacystin Synthesis.
Org. Lett. 2003, 5(3), 353-355. - Nicolaou, K. C.; Rao, P. B.; Hao, J.; Reddy, M. V.; Rassias, G.; Huang, X.; Chen, D. Y.-K.; Snyder, S. A.
The second total synthesis of diazonamide A. Angew.
Chem. Int. Ed. 2003, 42(15), 1753-1758. - Nicolaou, K. C.; Sasmal, P. K.; Rassias, G.; Reddy, M. V.; Altmann, K.-H.; Wartmann, M.; O'Brate, A.; Giannakakou, P.
Design, synthesis, and biological properties of highly potent epothilone B analogues. Angew.
Chem. Int. Ed. 2003, 42(30), 3515-3520. - Nicolaou, K. C.; Hao, J.; Reddy, M. V.; Rao, P. B.; Rassias, G.; Snyder, S.; Huang, X.; Chen, D. Y.-K.; Brenzovich, W.; Giuseppone, N.; Giannakakou, P.; O'Brate, A.
Chemistry and biology of diazonamide A: Second total synthesis and biological investigations.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 12897-12906. - Page, P. C. B.; Buckley, B. R.; Rassias G.; Blacker, J. A.
New chiral iminium salt catalysts for asymmetric epoxidation.
Eur. J. Org. Chem. 2006, 803-813. - Rassias, G.; Hermitage, S. A.; Sanganee, M. J.; Kincey, P. M.; Smith, N. M.; Andrews, I. P.; Borrett, G. T.; Slater, G. R.
Development of a Supply Route for the Synthesis of an iNOS Inhibitor: Complications of the Key SN2 Reaction.
Org. Process Res. Dev. 2009, 13, 774-780. - Rassias, G.; Hermitage, S. A.;
Controlling thiiranium intermediates - a new route to an iNOS inhibitor.
Tetrahedron Lett. 2009, 50, 5565-5568. - Rassias G.; Stevenson, N. G.; Curtis, N. R.; Northall, J. M.; Gray, M.; Prodger, J. C.; Walker, A. J.
Investigation of synthetic routes to a key benzopyran intermediate of a 5HT4 agonist.
Org. Process Res. Dev. 2010, 14, 92-98. - Mizuta, S.; Galicia-Lopez, O.; Engle, K. M.; Verhoog, S.; Wheelhouse, K.; Rassias, G.; Gouverner, V.
Trifluoromethylation of Allylsilanes under Copper Catalysis.
Chem. Eur J. 2012, (Ahead of print view; DOI: 10.1002/chem.201201707).