Zhiguo Liu
Computational Chemistry Lead
Shanghai
Summary
Accomplished computational chemist with 12 years’ experience of leading CADD groups and managing drug discovery projects in pharmaceutical industry. High premium on novel scaffold design and lead optimization by structure-based modeling. Supported and led 10+ drug discovery projects from hit identification to lead optimization. Delivered multiple clinical candidates as computational chemist or project leader. Enjoyed working in a multi-disciplinary drug discovery environment.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President of Discovery Chemistry
Alphama
02.2022 - 08.2023
- Cultivated company-wide culture of innovation and collaboration.
- Led cross-functional teams for the successful delivery of discovery chemistry projects, resulting in increased efficiency and client satisfaction.
- Delivered a high-quality CDK9 clinical candidate with high solubility, short in vivo t1/2, and low efficacious dose (~10% of that needed for AZD-4573)
- Discovered multiple novel series of HIF-2α antagonists with potency comparable to PT-2977 by structure based design
- Led the development of PatMap, the first commercialized AI product from Alphama
- Represented organization to promote business at industry conferences and events.
Principal Scientist of Comp Chem
Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals
01.2019 - 02.2022
- Supported multiple discovery projects (mainly HBV) with computational modeling and informatics
- Solved a crucial CYP induction problem found on HBV CAM lead series by PXR modeling
- Led the medicinal chemistry effort of an enteric kinase project
Principal Scientist of Comp Chem
Wuxi AppTec
04.2015 - 01.2019
- Led a small group of computational chemists to support integrated discovery project from Genentech
- Played a key role in an anti-bacteria project by designing multiple novel lead series using SBDD and won “Exceptional Project Impact Award of Genentech” in 2017
- Contributed to the discovery of best-in-class SERD molecule GDC-9545 and won “2017 WuXi Collaboration Partner Award”
Principal Scientist of Comp Chem
ChemPartner
10.2011 - 03.2015
- Led a small group of computational chemists to support discovery projects across the company
- Contributed to the discovery of Nav 1.7 blocker GDC-0310 by pharmacophore modeling and won “Genentech Award of Excellence” in 2013
Postdoctoral Fellow
Johns Hopkins University
10.2008 - 05.2011
- Utilized full-atom thermodynamic integration free energy method to predict the DNA-binding specificities of transcription factors.
- Developed a flexible peptide docking algorithm to predict the substrate specificity of histone-modifying enzymes.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Shanghai Institute Of Organic Chemistry
08.2006 - 10.2008
- Investigated the geometrical preferences of hydrogen bonds on protein-ligand interfaces by PDB-bind database survey and quantum mechanics calculation.
Education
Ph.D. - Computer Aided Drug Design
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica
Shanghai 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Organic Chemistry
University of Science And Technology of China
Hefei 04.2001 -
Skills
Interpersonal Skills
Critical Thinking
Program Management
Employee Coaching
Problem-solving abilities
Team Collaboration
Data Analysis
Self Motivation
Industry Expertise
Strategic Planning
Client Relationship Management
Accomplishments
- Nav1.7: WO/2015/078374, WO/2016/191312, WO/2017/058821, WO/2019/165290
- SERD: WO/2017/216280
- IRAK4: WO/2018/234345
- HBV CAM: WO/2021/018237, WO/2021/018238, WO/2021/018239, WO/2021/121363, WO/2022/257942, WO/2022/161448, WO/2022/116998, WO/2022/116999, WO/2022/253259, WO/2022/053010, WO/2022/116997, WO/2022/253255
- HIF-2α: WO/2024/067566, WO/2024/067708, WO/2024/067709, WO/2024/067463
- CDK9：CN117659023A, CN117659022A
Published patents
Timeline
Vice President of Discovery Chemistry
Alphama
02.2022 - 08.2023
Principal Scientist of Comp Chem
Johnson & Johnson, Janssen Pharmaceuticals
01.2019 - 02.2022
Principal Scientist of Comp Chem
Wuxi AppTec
04.2015 - 01.2019
Principal Scientist of Comp Chem
ChemPartner
10.2011 - 03.2015
Postdoctoral Fellow
Johns Hopkins University
10.2008 - 05.2011
Postdoctoral Fellow
Shanghai Institute Of Organic Chemistry
08.2006 - 10.2008
Ph.D. - Computer Aided Drug Design
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Organic Chemistry
University of Science And Technology of China
04.2001 -