Professor
Director of Graduate Studies (Post-Graduate)
Maitrise (University of Nancy, France, 1994)
Ph.D. (University of Nancy, France, 1998)
Postdoctoral fellow (University of Montreal, 1998-2000)
Charge de recherche (Research senior, CNRS, Nancy, 2001-2003)
Office: OM 216
Phone: (514) 398-8543
Email: Nicolas.Moitessier [at] McGill.CA
Lab: Otto Maass 200
Lab Phone: (514) 398-5501
Web Page: Moitessier Group Website
Research Themes
- Chemical Biology
- Synthesis/ Catalysis
Research Description
Whether it deals with life sciences, materials, or other areas of high impact, molecular discovery remains a long and tedious process. In practice, developing a new anticancer drug, a new catalysts for asymmetric transformation or a new methodology for green polysaccharides synthesis currently takes years. Our approach is to integrate advanced organic synthesis and computer science to significantly improve the molecular discovery rate. In this context, the Moitessier group is active in the following areas:
Organic Chemistry, medicinal chemistry and asymmetric synthesis:
- Development of organic synthesis methodologies for the preparation of constrained proline mimetics.
- Application to the preparation of asymmetric catalysts and anticancer drugs.
- Directing Protecting Groups: a novel concept for green and regioselective transformations of amines and alcohols.
Computer science:
- Development of predictive software such as a docking program FITTED (predicting drug binding mode and potency), IMPACTS (predicting the sites of metabolism of drugs by liver enzymes P450s), and the complete drug discivery platform FORECASTER.
- Development of ACE (a virtual screening techniques in the field of asymmetric catalyst design)
Integrated organic/computational chemistry
- Computer-aided design and synthesis of biologically relevant compounds.
- Computer-aided design and synthesis of novel asymmetric catalysts.
Currently Teaching
CHEM 222
Intro Organic Chemistry 2
4 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Chemistry: Modern spectroscopic techniques for structure determination. The chemistry of alcohols, ethers, carbonyl compounds, and amines, with special attention to mechanistic aspects. Special topics.
Offered by: Chemistry
- Fall, Winter
- Prerequisite: CHEM 212 or equivalent.
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken an equivalent Organic 2 at CEGEP (see McGill University Basic Math and Sciences Equivalence Table at www.mcgill.ca/mathscitable) or who have or are taking CHEM 234.
- Terms
- Instructors
- Danielle K Vlaho, Mitchell J Huot, Laura Pavelka, Nathan Luedtke
CHEM 234
Topics in Organic Chemistry
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Chemistry: Modern spectroscopic techniques for structure determination. The chemistry of alcohols, ethers, carbonyl compounds, and amines, with special attention to mechanistic aspects. Special topics.
Offered by: Chemistry
- Fall, Winter, Summer
- Prerequisite: CHEM 212 or equivalent
- Restriction: For Chemical Engineers only or permission of department.
CHEM 520
Methods in Chemical Biology
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Chemistry: An overview of advanced techniques at the leading edge of Chemical Biology, including some or all of: biological imaging, kinetics of enzyme inhibition, combinatorial synthesis, atomic force microscopy of biological molecules, self assembling biomimetic structures, oligonucleotide therapeutics, biomolecular X-ray crystallography, computational methods, and nuclear magnetic resonance applied to protein interactions.
Offered by: Chemistry
- Terms
- Instructors
- Anthony K Mittermaier, Alexander S Wahba, Gonzalo Cosa, Alexey Kostikov
CHEM 522
Stereochemistry
3 Credits
Offered in the:
- Fall
- Winter
- Summer
Chemistry: Stereoisomers, their nomenclature and configuration. Conformational analysis, separation of stereoisomers, and stereocontrol in organic synthesis.
Offered by: Chemistry
- Winter
- Prerequisite: CHEM 302
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken CHEM 623
- Terms
- This course is not scheduled for the 2023 academic year
- Instructors
- There are no professors associated with this course for the 2023 academic year
