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Dr Alex Baldwin
Research Associate
- BaldwinA4@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 29225 11078
- Main Building, Room 0.20B, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT
Overview
I am a synthetic/medicinal chemist currently working in the newly-established Medicines Discovery Institute to develop novel drugs to treat diseases of high unmet clinical need, with a particular emphasis on neuroscience and mental health. I have previously contributed to a number of drug discovery projects, providing medicinal chemistry support to translate exciting new discoveries in human disease into potential drug candidates, primarily in the neurodegeneration area.
I have expertise in medicinal chemistry and drug design, including target identification/validation, hit-to-lead and multi-parameter lead optimisation, and IP protection.
Publication
2022
- Collins, R. et al. 2022. Comparative analysis of small-molecule limk1/2 inhibitors: chemical synthesis, biochemistry, and cellular activity. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00751)
2020
- Brough, D., Allan, S. M., Freeman, S. and Baldwin, A. G. 2020. Cyclic diarylboron derivatives as NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors. US 10570157 [Patent].
2018
- Alnabulsi, S. et al. 2018. Evaluation of analogues of furan-amidines as inhibitors of NQO2. Biorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 28(8), pp. 1292-1297. (10.1016/j.bmcl.2018.03.025)
- Redondo-Castro, E. et al. 2018. Development of a characterised tool kit for the interrogation of NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent responses. Scientific Reports 8(1), article number: 5667. (10.1038/s41598-018-24029-3)
- Baldwin, A., Bevan, J., Brough, D., Ledder, R. and Freeman, S. 2018. Synthesis and antibacterial activities of enamine derivatives of dehydroacetic acid. Medicinal Chemistry Research 27(3), pp. 884-889. (10.1007/s00044-017-2110-8)
- Baldwin, A., Tapia, V. S., Swanton, T., White, C. S., Beswick, J. A., Brough, D. and Freeman, S. 2018. Design, synthesis and evaluation of oxazaborine inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome. ChemMedChem 13(4), pp. 312-320. (10.1002/cmdc.201700731)
2017
- Baldwin, A. et al. 2017. Boron-based inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Cell Chemical Biology 24(11), pp. 1321-1335., article number: e5. (10.1016/j.chembiol.2017.08.011)
- Brough, D., Allan, S. M., Freeman, S. and Baldwin, A. G. 2017. Cyclic diarylboron derivatives as NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors. WO/2017/017469 [Patent].
2016
- Daniels, M. J. D. et al. 2016. Fenamate NSAIDs inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome and protect against Alzheimer's disease in rodent models. Nature Communications 7, article number: 12504. (10.1038/ncomms12504)
2015
- Baldwin, A., Brough, D. and Freeman, S. 2015. Inhibiting the inflammasome: a chemical perspective. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 59(5), pp. 1691-1710. (10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b01091)
Erthyglau
- Collins, R. et al. 2022. Comparative analysis of small-molecule limk1/2 inhibitors: chemical synthesis, biochemistry, and cellular activity. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00751)
- Alnabulsi, S. et al. 2018. Evaluation of analogues of furan-amidines as inhibitors of NQO2. Biorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 28(8), pp. 1292-1297. (10.1016/j.bmcl.2018.03.025)
- Redondo-Castro, E. et al. 2018. Development of a characterised tool kit for the interrogation of NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent responses. Scientific Reports 8(1), article number: 5667. (10.1038/s41598-018-24029-3)
- Baldwin, A., Bevan, J., Brough, D., Ledder, R. and Freeman, S. 2018. Synthesis and antibacterial activities of enamine derivatives of dehydroacetic acid. Medicinal Chemistry Research 27(3), pp. 884-889. (10.1007/s00044-017-2110-8)
- Baldwin, A., Tapia, V. S., Swanton, T., White, C. S., Beswick, J. A., Brough, D. and Freeman, S. 2018. Design, synthesis and evaluation of oxazaborine inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome. ChemMedChem 13(4), pp. 312-320. (10.1002/cmdc.201700731)
- Baldwin, A. et al. 2017. Boron-based inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Cell Chemical Biology 24(11), pp. 1321-1335., article number: e5. (10.1016/j.chembiol.2017.08.011)
- Daniels, M. J. D. et al. 2016. Fenamate NSAIDs inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome and protect against Alzheimer's disease in rodent models. Nature Communications 7, article number: 12504. (10.1038/ncomms12504)
- Baldwin, A., Brough, D. and Freeman, S. 2015. Inhibiting the inflammasome: a chemical perspective. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 59(5), pp. 1691-1710. (10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b01091)
Patentau
- Brough, D., Allan, S. M., Freeman, S. and Baldwin, A. G. 2020. Cyclic diarylboron derivatives as NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors. US 10570157 [Patent].
- Brough, D., Allan, S. M., Freeman, S. and Baldwin, A. G. 2017. Cyclic diarylboron derivatives as NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors. WO/2017/017469 [Patent].
Biography
I have a BSc (with Honours) in Biological and Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Exeter and a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from The University of Manchester, under the supervision of Dr. Sally Freeman.
During my PhD, I was the lead medicinal chemist responsible for hit-to-lead and lead optimisation of a novel class of boron-based inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome, an exciting therapeutic target implicated in a wide range of non-communicable diseases such as gout, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. A drug candidate from this drug discovery program has now entered pre-clinical evaluation in animal models of Alzheimer's disease in collaboration with the Dementia Consortium. I have also contributed to the repurposing of fenamate NSAIDs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, which attracted considerable national media interest and has led to preparation for a Phase II clinical trial for dementia. Other drug discovery projects I worked on during my PhD includes the development of novel VRAC inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, synthesis and evaluation of improved antibacterial agents, and development of NQO2 inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and malaria.
I am a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC).