Bioinformatics, cheminformatics, computational chemogenomics, prediction of protein-ligand interactions, prediction of protein-DNA interactions, computer-aided drug design, rational protein engineering, molecular modelling

UNDERGRADUATE THESES

Claudio Ponce Acosta: "Detection of protein-ligand binding site residues by a physicochemical and spatial uniqueness approach", biochemistry undergraduate thesis, School of Biological Sciences, UC. Start: 2018. Graduation: 2019.

Francisca Durán Osorio: "Computer-aided rational design of fXa inhibitors with aryl piperazine peptide structure", chemistry and pharmacy undergraduate thesis (co-advisor), School of Chemistry and Pharmacy, UC: Start: 2020. Graduation: 2021.

Carlos Vigil: "Weak binding paradox for de novo target prediction", biochemistry undergraduate thesis, School of Biological Sciences, UC. Start: 2021. Graduation: 2022.

Tomás Cáceres: "In silico characterization of auxin binding affinity and specificity to TIR1/AFB5 receptors", biochemistry undergraduate thesis, School of Biological Sciences, UC. Start: 2023. Graduation: 2024.

Miguel Saez: "Prediction of drug targets by network-based inference guided by chemical and structural similarities", biochemistry undergraduate thesis, School of Biological Sciences, UC. Start: 2022. Graduation: 2024.

MASTER'S THESES

María Jiménez Socha: "Discovery and in vitro characterization of bioactive compounds against human fungal pathogens", Master of Science in Chemical Engineering (co-advisor), University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, Start: 2021. Graduation: 2023.

GRADUATE THESES

Daniela Herrera Toro: “Rational engineering of resveratrol o-methyltransferase enzyme for the biological synthesis of pinoestilbene”. Graduate Program in Engineering Sciences UC, Area Chemistry and Bioprocesses. Start: 2016. Graduation: 2022.

Andrés Ibacache Chia: "In silico identification of inhibitory molecules of monocarboxylate transporters and experimental validation of their effects on tumor cells". Graduate Program in Biological Sciences UC, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology. Start: 2019. Graduation: 2024.

Joaquín Gutiérrez Benavente: "Rational design of oligopeptides for the inhibition of the bacterial enzyme choline trimethylamine lyase". Graduate Program in Biological Sciences UC, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology. Start: 2020. Graduation: 2025 (anticipated).

Hade Ramos Acevedo: "Assessing the genetic diversity of Andes Orthohantavirus: Impact of non-synonymous single nucleotide variations on gene expression and response to the innate immune system". Graduate Program in Biological Sciences UC, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology (co-advisor). Start: 2023. Graduation: 2027 (anticipated).

Fabián Melo Montenegro. Graduate Program in Biological and Medical Engineering UC (co-advisor). Start: 2025. Graduation: 2029 (anticipated).

POST-DOCS

Dr. Andrés Ibacache Chia: "Rational design of monocarboxylate transporter inhibitors and their validation in an in vivo model of glioblastoma in Drosophila melanogaster", Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering UC. Start: 2024. End: 2025.

VISITING STUDENTS

Gabriela Nicolle Ramos Lizardo: "In silico prediction of resistance genes and characterization of candidate effector proteins in the interaction of Theobroma cacao with Ceratocystis cacaofunesta", visiting student from Santa Cruz State University, Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology. Start 2025. End: 2025.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY - SOFTWARE REGISTRATION
F. Melo, M. Lima, D. Bustamante, A. Schüller, F. Rodriguez, J. Cares, L. Almonacid: Online Application System for Graduate Programs – SPEL. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Department of Intellectual Rights, Inscription Nº 252895, April 2015.

DISSEMINATION
2019
Workshop "Structural Virology" – Casa Azul Elementary School, Yungay 0641, La Granja, Santiago. Participants: 8 students (8th grade), 1 teacher (Ms. Paulina Figueroa), 2 assistants. March 27, 2019. http://pregrado.bio.uc.cl/noticias/docente-de-nuestra-facultad-realiza-exitoso-taller-de-virologia-para-escolares-en-la-granja/

2017
Virus workshop in the 1st grade class at Saint Albans School, Manhattan, New York, United States (http://www.saintalbansnyc.com/). November 2017.

2015
Tutor of the course "Theoretical and practical introduction to computer-assisted rational drug design." Courses in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, ISCB RSG-Chile (Regional Student Group of the International Society of Computational Biology), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile, August + December 2015. http://rsg-chile.iscbsc.org/.

ACADEMIC SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP
Since Sep 2024 Collaborator of the Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Chile
Since Jun 2012 Member of the International Society of Computational Biology (ISCB)
Since 2006 Member of the German Chemical Society (GDCh)