Researcher profile

Maite L Docampo Maite Docampo-Palacios Maite L. Docampo Palacios Maite L. Docampo-Palacios

I received my M.S. in Chemistry in 2000 and my PhD Cum Laude in Organic Chemistry / Medicinal Chemistry in 2006 at the University of Havana (Cuba) and they are also officially approved at Jaen University in Jaen, Spain, and in the United States by RIA International Education Consultants. PERSONAL STATEMENT -Forward-thinking medicinal/organic chemistry senior scientist with +25 years of experience in leading and implementing R&D projects in both the GMP-regulated pharma industry and academia, resulting in the design and synthesis of small molecules library directed towards the early-stage drug development. -A highly creative self-starter and problem-solver with advanced technical knowledge and skills in project design, data analysis & interpretation, troubleshooting and scientific communication as evidenced by +30 peer-reviewed publications and patents. -Valuable contributor with executive-level experience in strategic planning, decision-making, and team leadership achieving to manage a portfolio of R&D&P projects focused on the low-cost production of synthetic cannabinoids as pharmaceutical active ingredients for the global nutraceutical industry. I have served as the Lab Director of Colorado Chromatography Labs since February 2023. My role includes leading the R&D team through the entire cycle of cannabinoids and drug development. Also, I support the production department with the design and optimization of the total and partial synthesis of rare cannabinoids, feasibility assessment, risk analysis, and process validation for large-scale production at low cost. I am working on designing and optimizing novel hydrogenated cannabinoids to evaluate the antineoplastic effects on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and lung cancer starting with our leading compounds CCL4 and CCL6. In Precision Plant Molecules as Director at R&D, I developed high throughput technologies applying the regioselective catalysis as a cost-effective alternative for the commercial manufacture of cannabinoids such as CBD, THC, as well as the rare cannabinoids CBDV, THCV, CBDP, THCP, CBN, CBC, CBT and many more under mild conditions. These technologies enable stability of supply, low cost, and control over quality and scalability. I was able to successfully bring more than 20 synthetic cannabinoids to market for the nutraceutical industry. Inventing a new catalytic process to synthesize cannabinoids, resulting in a robust intellectual property portfolio. In my previous works, I designed efficient multistep synthetic procedures of complex organic molecules using chemical and biochemical approaches. These methods facilitate the synthesis of a diversity of compounds such as novel flavonoid glucuronides, silanediol derivatives, paclitaxel and docetaxel analogs, and some nitrogen heterocycles, chiral amino acids which have importance as structural motifs in a wide range of molecules with numerous and important applications. In this sense, some relevant antiviral, antiparasitic, anticancer, and Anti-Alzheimer compounds were synthesized as pre-clinical candidates. Also, I was responsible for managing the laboratory scale synthesis of some 13C labeling compounds and their characterization by NMR, LC/MS, HPLC, and GC/MS for lignin biochemical pathway studies. POSITIONS: -Colorado Chromatography Labs, Parker, CO Lab Director 02/2023-present -Precision Plant Molecules, Denver, CO Director of R&D 10/2020-01/2023 -BioDiscovery Institute, University of North Texas, Denton, TX Senior Scientist & Project Management 01/2017-10/2020 -Arbor Therapeutics Inc., Oxford, MS Senior Research Scientist III 07/2016-12/2016 -University of Havana, Havana, Cuba Principal Scientist / Associate University Professor 09/2009-12/2015 -Jaen University, Jaen, Spain Postdoctoral Senior Researcher 03/2011-05/2014 -Pharmaceutical Chemistry Center, Havana, Cuba Senior Biotechnologist & Head of the Synthesis Laboratory 09/1996-09/2009 HONORS -First-class honors and Gold Award at B.S. Chemistry-1996 -Summa Cum Laude PhD-2006 -Awarded prize of Cuban Academy of Science for most outstanding scientific results in sciences: «The use of non-conventional energy sources in cross-coupling reactions catalyzed by copper» 2015