MIGUEL ANGEL PEREZ

University of Arizona

Migangper@arizona.edu

Miguel Angel Perez is a rising junior majoring in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a minor in Japanese Language and is a National Hispanic Scholar. Despite being born in Phoenix, Miguel was raised in Maricopa, Arizona.

By enrolling and studying at the University of Arizona, Miguel is a first-generation student. While his next step is going to medical school, Miguel’s career goals include serving underserved communities similar to that he grew up in. His personal interests include volunteering at shelters for unhoused individuals, pharmacology, toxicology, and creating connections through language such as English, Spanish, and Japanese. Outside of school, Miguel enjoys going to arcades, strength training, and watching movies.

⊲ PROJECT Synthesis of Intermediate Compounds for Novel SARS-CoV-2 PLpro Inhibitors

The catalytic activities of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and PLpro are essential for viral replication. PLpro also supports viral replication beyond the role of viral polyprotein processing by disrupting the host innate immune response. Thus, targeting PLpro is an attractive strategy to treat SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, unlike the rapid development of 3CLpro inhibitors (Paxlovid), drug discovery at PLpro has been challenging due to the restricted P1 and P2 sites with glycine recognition that limits the druggable interactions to design potent PLpro inhibitors. Research led to novel, noncovalent PLpro inhibitors being successfully developed by leveraging cooperativity of multiple shallowing binding sites on PLpro’s surface.

The immediate goal of this project is to synthesize the intermediate compounds necessary for optimization of PLpro inhibitors. Steps towards optimization during intermediate stages includes utilization of various molecular scaffolds and strategic addition and removal of functional groups. Current efforts are focused on creating PLpro inhibitors that will form a covalent bond with Glu167.