Amr El-Demerdash

Amr El-Demerdash is an Assistant Professor in Chemical Biology at the School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia (Norwich, UK). He holds concurrent roles including Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry at Mansoura University (Egypt) and has extensive postdoctoral experience at institutions such as the John Innes Centre (UK) and CNRS/MNHN (France). His academic journey includes a PhD in Marine Natural Products and Biomimetic Synthesis from the University of Paris-Sud (2016), MSc in Plant Natural Products Chemistry (Mansoura University, 2009), and BSc in Chemistry (2004).

Research Expertise: Focuses on natural products drug discovery, marine biodiversity exploration, and bio-inspired synthesis of anti-cancer agents like Variolin B analogues. His work integrates fieldwork, compound isolation, and advanced analytical techniques to develop novel therapeutic candidates.

Current Projects: Leading initiatives in Marine Natural Products Discovery and Bio-inspired Synthesis, supported by a Kuwait-funded project exploring Malaysian/Middle Eastern botanicals. Collaborates internationally on projects spanning saponin biosynthesis, fungal metabolites, and antiviral agents.

Group Members: Supervises MSc researchers Maged Alaseri and Meghana Divana. Part of the Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry Group at Norwich Research Park.

Key Publications: Recent work includes studies on marine alkaloid pharmacology, saponin engineering, and antiviral mechanisms. Highlights include landmark research on soapwort saponin biosynthesis (Nature Chemical Biology, 2025) and cytochalasan antifungal agents (Natural Product Reports, 2025).