Anders Bach
  • Universitetsparken 2

    2100 København Ø

  • Source: Scopus
20042024

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Current research

In the Bach Group, we develop biological active small-molecule inhibitors of protein-protein interactions involved in oxidative stress and which play key roles in inflammation and brain diseases (e.g. neurodegeneration and brain cancer). We evaluate the ‘druggability’ of selected targets, and aim at developing new high-quality chemical probes useful for pharmacological studies and for identifying new therapeutic principles against diseases.

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a core theme of our research. We screen our library of fragments (i.e. small substructures of druglike molecules) using very sensitive biophysical methods, such as SPR and NMR. Promising and validated hits are optimized into lead molecules by medicinal chemistry, biostructural studies and pharmacology.

For more information about our research and open positions, please contact [email protected]

CV

Education 
- 2009: Ph.D. Medicinal Chemistry, University of Copenhagen 
- 2005: M.Sc. Human Biology, University of Copenhagen 
- 2002: B.Sc. Biochemistry, University of Copenhagen


Appointments and Training
• 2016 (Dec) – (Present): Associate Professor and Group Leader, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology (DDP), University of Copenhagen (UCPH).
• 2014 (Jan) – 2016 (Nov): Assistant Professor, DDP, UCPH.
• 2013 (Aug-Dec): Postdoc in the Chemical Biology group, DDP, UCPH.
• 2012 (Aug) – 2013 (Aug): Postdoc at the Italian Institute of Technology, Department of Drug Discovery and Development (IIT-D3), Genoa, Italy, under supervision of Dr. Tiziano Bandiera and Prof. Daniele Piomelli.
• 2009 (Jan) – 2012 (Aug): Postdoc in the Chemical Biology group, DDP, UCPH.
• 2005 (April) – 2009 (Jan): Ph.D. student at the Chemical Biology group, UCPH, under supervision of Prof. Kristian Strømgaard.
- Part of the Ph.D. took place at the Carlsberg Biosector, Carlsberg Research Center, Denmark under supervision of Dr. Ole Thastrup; at Department of Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Sweden, under supervision of Prof. Ulf Landegren; and at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Molecular Biology, Munich, Germany under supervision of Dr. Thorsten Berg.
• 2004 (Feb) – 2005 (March): Master thesis project at Department of Pharmacology, Panum Institute, UCPH, under supervision of Prof. Thue W. Schwartz.


Publications
- Co-author of 48 scientific international peer-reviewed articles (incl. 3 reviews); 9 as corresponding/co-corresponding author (PNAS USA, 4xJ. Med. Chem., Sci. Rep., MedChemComm, Neuropharmacology, ChemMedChem); 11 as first-author (e.g. 2xAngew. Chem. Int. Ed., PNAS USA, 3xJ. Med. Chem., Sci. Rep., Neuropharmacology)
- Main/sole author of 1 book chapter.
- H-index is 23; i10-index: 32; 1845 citations (Google Scholar)


Innovation
- Co-inventor of 8 international patents/patent applications
- Co-founder, board observer, and consultant of Avilex Pharma (www.avilexpharma.com). Avilex Pharma develops dimeric peptide-based PSD-95 inhibitors against ischemic stroke. A clinical phase 1 trial was conducted in 2020.


Grants (as Principle Applicant) 
- Hørslev Foundation: DKK 100.000 (2020) (Keap1 project)
- The BioInnovation Institute (BII) Proof of Concept (PoC) program: DKK 1.000.000 (2020) (NOX2 project)
- HALOS Cross Border Research Grant: DKK 168.000 (2019) (X-ray studies with MAX IV, Lund) 
- Augustinus Foundation: DKK 99.189 (2018) (FBDD project on new stroke and cancer targets)
- Augustinus Foundation: DKK 100.000 (2016) (H-cube apparatus)
- Lundbeck Foundation Fellowship: DKK 10.000.000 (2015) (Starting Grant)
- The A.P. Møller Foundation for the Advancement of Medical Science: DKK 50.000 (2014) (Fragment project)
- Weimann Grant: DKK 1.079.115 (2014) (2 years salary for the fragment-based drug discovery project)
- Hørslev Foundation: DKK 357.638 (2014) (Fragment library)
- Augustinus Foundation: DKK 100.000 (2014) (Fragment library)
- The Lundbeck Foundation: DKK 12.000 (2014) (Conference participation in San Diego)
- The Carlsberg Foundation: DKK 350.000 (2012) (Postdoc salary for stay at IIT-D3 in Italy)
- Augustinus Foundation: DKK 50.000 (2012)
- Torben and Alice Frimodt´s Foundation: DKK 25.000 (2012)
- Fonden Frikkes Legat: DKK 20.000 (2012)
- Hørslev Foundation: DKK 307.000 (2012) 
- The Danish Council for Independent Research (Technology and Production Sciences): DKK 2 mill. (2010) (Postdoc salary for two years)
- Familien Hede Nielsens Foundation: DKK 25.000 (2010)
- Direktør Ib Henriksens Foundation: DKK 50.000 (2010)


Grants (as Co-applicant) 
- China Scholarship Council (PhD grant for Yuting Qin): DKK 357.000 (2020)
- China Scholarship Council (PhD grant for Chunyu Lin): DKK 357.000 (2019)
- China Scholarship Council (PhD grant for Liang Yang): DKK 357.000 (2018)
- DRA/Lundbeck Foundation scholarship (Kim Tai Tran): DKK 70.000 (2017)
- China Scholarship Council (PhD grant for Jie Zang): DKK 357.000 (2017)
- Wellcome Trust Translational Award: DKK 18.000.000 (2015) (Avilex Pharma)
- Exploratory Pre-seed Grant, Novo Nordisk Foundation: DKK 500.000 (2012)
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation: DKK 400.000 (2011)
- The Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation (Proof of Concept Foundation): DKK 2x750.000 (2010, 2011)


Research Management – Experience and Courses
- Leader of own research group of 5-12 people (2016 - 2021)
- Supervised 3 postdocs, 9 Ph.D. and 27 master/exchange students (2008-2020)
- UCPHforward – a talent programme for excellence in research (UCPH) (Jan – Nov 2019)
- Conflict management (PCAP workshop) (Feb 2019)
- Project management course module 1-3 - Research projects (UCPH/Attractor) (2016)
- PhD supervision course (UCPH) (2016)
- Research management course for young researchers (by Søren Barlebo) (2013)


Teaching
- Drug Metabolism and Toxicity (BSc, Medicinal Chemistry) – Course responsible
- Non-clinical Safety and Toxicology (MIND post-graduation course) – Course responsible
- MIND’s representative of the Study Board for the Professional Master’s Degree Programmes
- Organic Chemistry (BSc, Pharmacy) – class lessons and lab courses
Drug Discovery and Development (MSc, Pharm. Sci.) - group work and lecture
- Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights in Biotechnology (PhD course) – class lesson and lecture
- Medicinal and Biostructural Chemistry (MSc, Pharmacy) – lecture


Other Research Activities
Consultant and co-founder of Avilex Pharma (see above)
- Consultant (medicinal chemistry) for UNION therapeutics A/S
- Referee for international scientific journals such as J. Med. Chem, ChemComm, ChemMedChem, ChemBioChem, Bioorg. Med. Chem., J. Pharm. Pharmacol., RSC Advances, ACS Chem. Neurosci., Bioorg. Chem., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, Neural Regen. Res., FEBS J., J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metab., Drug Safety
- Scientific advisory board member of The Chemical Probes Portal (www.chemicalprobes.org) (Reviewing data for new chemical probes and rating them as tools for pharmacological studies)
- Member of the committee of 'The European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC) Best Practice Initiative' (https://www.efmc.info/best-practices) (Preparing freely available slide decks and webinars about 'best practice' within the field of medicinal chemistry)

Keywords

  • Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Organic Synthesis
  • Fragment-based drug discovery
  • Small molecules
  • Assay development and screening
  • Protein-Protein Interactions
  • CNS drug discovery
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR)
  • CNS diseases
  • Ischemic Stroke
  • Keap1
  • NADPH oxidase
  • PSD-95

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or