Jean-Louis Reymond

Professor Jean-Louis Reymond is a distinguished academic at the University of Bern, currently serving as Dean of the Faculty of Science since 2024. He leads the Reymond Research Group within the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Previously, he served as Director of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry from 2015-2017.

His educational background includes diploma studies in Chemistry and Biochemistry at ETH Zürich (1981-1985), a Ph.D. in Natural Products Synthesis at the University of Lausanne (1986-1989), and post-doctoral research on Catalytic Antibodies at Scripps Research Institute (1990-1991). He joined the University of Bern as a Professor in 1997 after serving as Assistant Professor at Scripps Research Institute (1992-1997).

Reymond's research centers on The Chemical Space Project, which explores the vast universe of possible chemical compounds with potential medical applications. His work spans three interconnected areas: Peptide Chemistry (design of bioactive peptides including dendrimers and polycyclic structures), Cheminformatics (development of the GDB chemical universe database), and Medicinal Chemistry (computer-aided design of small molecule modulators). His research has significant implications for addressing antimicrobial resistance through novel peptide-based therapeutics.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on navigating and exploiting chemical space for drug discovery, particularly in antimicrobial applications. His work combines computational methods with synthetic chemistry to identify novel scaffolds and optimize bioactive compounds. The 2024-2025 publications demonstrate continued innovation in peptide design, chemical space visualization, and applications in drug delivery systems.

• ERC Advanced Grant (2020) for project SPACE4AMPS (€2.5 million over 5 years)

Professor Reymond actively mentors numerous graduate students and leads a vibrant research group that collaborates across disciplines. His research is supported by significant grants including the ERC Advanced Grant and participation in the NCCR TransCure initiative. The Reymond Research Group maintains strong connections with other research units at the University of Bern and international collaborators.

The research group operates state-of-the-art facilities for peptide synthesis, cheminformatics analysis, and biological testing. They have developed specialized tools including the GDB chemical space database (www.gdb.unibe.ch) and collaborate with the NCCR TransCure consortium on transporter and ion channel research. Their work on antimicrobial peptides positions them at the forefront of addressing the global antimicrobial resistance crisis.