Fredrik Björkling

1980: M.Sc. (Chemical engineering)
1985: Ph.D. (Organic chemistry)

1980-1985: PhD student, Department of Organic Chemistry, Royal Institute of Technology (RIT),  Stockholm, Sweden.

1985-1986: Research associate, Organic chemistry, The Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.

1986-1987: Research chemist, Dept. of Enzymatic synthesis, NovoNordisk A/S.

1987-1990: Department head, Dept. for Natural Products NovoNordisk A/S.

1990-1993: Manager, Department for Drug Design, NovoNordisk A/S.

1991: Docent, Assoc. Professor (RIT)

1993-2001: Head of Chemical Research, Leo Pharmaceutical Products.

2001-2005: Director, Medicinal Chemistry Research, LEO Pharma.

2005-2008 : Director, Medicinal Chemistry, TopoTarget A/S

2008-: Director (consultant), Medicinal Chemistry, TopoTarget A/S

2008- : Department Head, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Copenhagen University.

1981: Visiting research associate, UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA.

My research interest is within design and synthesis of biologically active compounds with the aim to solve biological problems. I started to work within enzyme catalyzed chemistry with the objective to improve these biological systems for synthesis. We were able to develop several efficient enzyme catalyzed procedures and also gain better understanding of the structural properties and mechanisms of these processes.  During my further work in the pharmaceutical industry I have focused on medicinal chemistry and have had the opportunity to broadly cover many disease areas. I have been involved in the drug discovery process within diabetes type2 (insulin release), inflammation (LTD4, p38), skin diseases (psoriasis, vitamin D), cancer (HDAC, HSP90, NAMPRT), tropical diseases (Malaria, Trypanosoma) and antibiotics. Several of these projects have led to clinical candidates and some are still under development. My current research interest is within medicinal chemistry in cancer and tropical diseases.

1990- : Member of evaluation committees of professorships, assistant professorships and PhD defenses

2000- : Elected member of The Danish Academy of Technical Sciences, ATV.

2005- : Member of the The Danish Council for Independent Research | Technology and Production Sciences

Referee for international journals in organic and medicinal chemistry. e.g. J. Med Chem., Eurpean J. Medicinal Chem. and Tetrahedron Letters

• 69 peer-reviewed articles in international journals
• 21 patent applications
• 1 book chapter