Welcome to the website of the 7502 Synthesis and Isolation of Bioactive Molecules (SIMBA). Our research team is located on two sites of the Grandmont campus in Tours: building J (Faculty of Sciences) and building Y (Faculty of Pharmacy).
Our research unit focuses its activity on the discovery and synthesis of small molecules with a therapeutic perspective, obtained by synthetic chemistry or isolated from plants or microalgae, with anti-cancer and anti-infectious drugs as the main target. All the research fields of the team are concerned with two major axes. The first axis is based on the synthesis or isolation of bioactive compounds from natural resources. This axis represents a formidable tool for the development of new synthesis routes and processes in extractive chemistry. In particular, a federative axis, centered on the design of eco-processes for synthesis and extraction, is developed based on the use of natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES). The second axis consisted in the evaluation of the biological properties of natural or synthetic molecules, judiciously chosen in axis 1. Thus, various molecules and extracts are currently tested in various fields, thanks to collaborations with teams specialized in infectiology, oncology or cosmetology. The bio-inspired synthetic molecules or those resulting from screening are then subject to pharmacomodulation work in order to improve their biological properties.
