Grégory Upert, PhD
Team Leader, Chemistry (Peptides)
Professional Status
Unemployed
Available
About Me
Medicinal chemist and strategic leader with over 15 years of experience in peptide, protein, and small‑molecule drug discovery, spanning early design and synthesis through process development, GMP manufacturing, and regulatory support. Proven expertise in structure‑based and data‑driven design, cross‑functional team leadership, and innovative platform implementation. Passionate about integrating AI‑enabled discovery and synthetic chemistry to accelerate development of peptide therapeutics.
Senior Director, Peptide & Protein Chemistry
Bright Peak Therapeutics
November 2021
to July 2025
Full-time
Allschwil
Switzerland
- Directed medicinal chemistry efforts, designing and synthesizing protein, peptide and small-molecule derivatives to advance cardio-metabolic, oncology and immunology programs
- Developed platforms to increase efficiency and throughput of compound delivery through parallel automation
- Provided CMC technical support: process development and manufacturing batch record (MBR) review
- Oversaw CROs/CMOs, ensuring quality and timelines
- Led a team of up to 11 FTEs, mentoring scientists and technicians
- Contributed to 4 patents, promoted from Director to Senior Director in Jan 2025
Group Leader / Head of Chemistry
Polyphor
January 2015
to October 2021
Full-time
Allschwil
Switzerland
- Led medicinal chemistry programs across oncology, respiratory diseases, and antibiotic projects
- Designed novel scaffolds and derivatives using macrocyclic peptides , contributing to hit-to-lead discovery, lead optimization campaigns and clinical candidates
- Developed tools for chemical biology applications, including fluorescent/radioactive precursors and photoaffinity probes for target identification
- Worked in multidisciplinary teams including computational chemistry, biology, ADME and PK/PD experts
- Acted as CMC reference chemist for process development at CMOs
- Developed parenteral and inhaled formulations (patented, advanced to Phase 1)
- Contributed to 5 patents and 5 publications, including Nature paper. Promoted from Group leader to Head of Chemistry in July 2020
Research-Engineer in Dr. Denis Servent's Lab
French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission
February 2012
to December 2014
Full-time
Saclay
France
- Developed new methods for the synthesis and folding of new toxins from animal venoms (10 to 80 aa)
- Collaborated cross functionally with different labs within the EU project VENOMICS
- Contributed to 13 publications, including Chem Comm and J Med Chem papers
Research Assistant in Dr. Marc Creus's Lab
University of Basel
February 2011
to December 2012
Full-time
Basel
Switzerland
- Design, synthesis and evaluation of small molecules as substrates and inhibitors of DapE for antibiotic development
- Mentoring PhD and master students, contributed to 1 publication
Research Assistant in Prof. Dr. Helma Wennemers's Lab
University of Basel
January 2008
to January 2011
Full-time
Basel
Switzerland
- Developed new screening methods of split-and-mix libraries of small peptides (3 to 5 aa): on-bead inhibitor screening and miniaturization (one bead per well or per drop, collaboration with microfluidic device expert)
- Designed and synthesized new building blocks and peptide scaffolds for several projects in organocatalysis, collagen and nanoparticle syntheses
- Mentoring master and PhD students, contributed to 4 publications including 2 ACIE
- Medicinal Chemistry: computer-aided and structure based design (MOE, PyMol), SAR analysis, application of data-driven approaches in drug design, scaffold hopping, peptide/protein/small-molecule hybrids, ADME and PK/PD knowledge
- Synthetic Chemistry: Multi-step synthesis and purification of peptides (linear, cyclic, modified), bRo5 space, expert in paralell synthesis (up to 576 compounds per set) on diverse automation devices (Multisyntec, Gyros Protein Technology), platform builder
- Analytical Chemistry: RP-HPLC/UV and LC/MS method development, MS: ESI and MALDI-TOF, Impurity identification and route cause, NMR, Circular Dichroism
- Formulation: Parenteral (liquid/lyophilized) & inhalation dosage forms, stability, salt form, osmolarity tuning & excipient studies
- CMC & Regulatory: Protocol transfer, MBR review, support for IND submissions
- Leadership: Team management (up to 11 FTEs), mentoring, cross-functional collaboration, CRO/CMO oversight.
- Publications & Patents: >20 publications and multiple patents.
- French (mother tongue)
- English (fluent)
- Italian (fluent)
- German (beginner)
Synthesis and Evaluation of Peptide Nucleic Acid targeting the HIV-1 RNA TAR fragment (4 publications)
Molecular Chemistry