2022 Participants

Nour Nakeshbandi

  • Master of Pharmacy with Honours
  • The development of allosteric HIV-1 RT inhibitors

There is presently no vaccination available to protect against HIV infection. Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs can prevent the immune system of an HIV-positive individual from deteriorating.

Consequently, the majority of HIV-infected people, particularly those in low and middle-income countries, lack regular access to antiretroviral medications and other health-care services.

Antiretroviral medication classes have been approved and are under development for HIV prevention, and drug resistance may restrict their effectiveness for both prevention and treatment. In the absence of a feasible HIV vaccine and treatment, new classes of HIV inhibitors active against treatment resistant strains must be added to the antiretroviral medicine pathway.

The aim of this research project is to synthesise one of the potential biologically active leading chemicals and characterise the new substance and analyse the physiochemical properties of one of the detected leads by the past virtual screening programme.

Funding source: Newcastle University

Project supervisor: Dr Mark Ashton