Guillermo Gerona-Navarro
Associate Professor
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Location: 2146 Ingersoll Hall
Phone: 718.951.5000 x3619
Fax: 718.951.4607
Email:
Guillermo Gerona-Navarro joined the Department of Chemistry in September 2013. He is originally from Cuba, where he earned his B.S. in chemistry from Havana University, and he received his Ph.D. from Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and an instructor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Research in his laboratory encompasses a broad spectrum of bioorganic and synthetic chemistry in both solution and solid phase, together with a wide array of biochemical and cell assays. Development of small molecules and peptidomimetics targeting protein-protein interactions inside of the cell are being performed to investigate the role of these biologically important proteins in human biology and disease, with special focus on cancer and HIV.
Education:
PhD, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain - 2002 (Medicinal Chemistry)
BA, Havana University, Havana, Cuba - 1996 (Chemistry)
Areas of Expertise:
Cancer Epigenetics, Chemical Biology, Organic Chemistry
Books and Publications
Gerona-Navarro*, G.. G. Zhang, F. Barragan. Bisthioether Stapled Peptides as Inhibitors of PRC2 Function. US Provisional Patent Application, serial number: 62/736,005. Filed on 09/25/2018.
(Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2018
Zhang, G., F. Barragan, K. Wilson, N. Levy, A. Herskovits, Y. Rodríguez, M. Sapozhnikov, L. Kelmendi, H. Alkasimi, H. Korsmo, M. Chouwdhury, G. Gerona-Navarro. "A Solid Phase Approach to Accessing Bisthioether Stapled Peptides Resulting in a Potent Inhibitor of PRC2 Catalytic Activity" Angewandte Chemie International Edition English 2018, 57, 17073, doi: 10.1002/anie.201810007 (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2018
Zhang, G., J. Andersen, G. Gerona-Navarro. "Peptidomimetics Targeting Protein-Protein Interactions for Therapeutic Development" Protein & Peptide Letters . 2018, 25, 1076-1089. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2018
Martín-Martínez, M, F.L.Pérez-Gordillo, D. Álvarez de la Rosa, Y. Rodríguez, G. Gerona-Navarro, R. González-Muñiz, M.M. Zhou. "Modulating Mineralocorticoid Receptor with Non-steroidal Antagonists. New Opportunities for the Development of Potent and Selective Ligands without Off-Target Side Effects" Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2017, 60(7), 2629-2650. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2017
Zhang, G; F. Barragan, K. Wilson, A. Herskovits, G. Gerona-Navarro, Guillermo. "Solid Phase Synthesis of All-Hydrocarbon bisthioether Stapled Peptides: Application to Developing New Inhibitors of the Master Transcriptional Regulator EZH2". Abstracts of Papers, 254th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Washington, DC, USA, August 20-24, 2017, Pages BIOL-172, CODEN: 69VGJX.
*Senior/Correspondent Author
(Books and Publications: Abstract) 2017
Ming-Ming, Z., G. Gerona-Navarro, Y. Rodriguez, P. Cassaccia. "Small Molecules Transcription Modulators of Bromodomains" (R) US Patent, Number: 10065951. Filed on 05/29/2015. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2015
Di Micco R, B. Fontanals-Cirera, V. Low, P. Ntziachristos, S.K. Yuen, C.D. Lovell, I. Dolgalev, Y. Yonekubo, G. Zhang, E. Rusinova, G. Gerona-Navarro, M. Cañamero, M. Ohlmeyer, I. Aifantis, M.M. Zhou, A. Tsirigos, E. Hernando."Control of embryonic stem cell identity by BRD4-dependent transcriptional elongation of super-enhancer-associated pluripotency genes" Cell Reports. 2014, 9, 234-47. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2014
Gacias, M.,* Gerona-Navarro*, G. A.N. Plotnikov, G. Zhang, L. Zeng, J. Kaur, G. Moy, E. Rusinova, Y. Rodriguez, B. Matikainen, A. Vincek, J. Joshua, P. Casaccia and Ming-Ming Zhou. "Selective Chemical Modulation of Gene Transcription Favors Oligodendrocyte Lineage Progression." Chemistry & Biology 2014, 7, 851-54. *Co-first author.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2014
Baeza, J.L.; B. G. de la Torre, C. M. Santiveri, R. D.Almeida, M. T. García-López,G. Gerona-Navarro, S. R. Jaffrey, M. A. Jiménez, D. Andreu, R. González-Muñiz, R.; M. Martín-Martínez. "Cyclic amino acid linkers stabilizing key loops of brain derived neurotrophic factor" Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2012, 22(1), 444-448.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2012
Zhang, G.;R. Liu, Y. Zhong, A. N. Plotnikov, W. Zhang, L. Zeng, L.; E. Rusinova, G. Gerona-Navarro, N. Moshkina, J. Joshua, P. Y. Chuang, M. Ohlmeyer, J. C. He, M. M. Zhou MM. "Down-regulation of NF-κB transcriptional activity in HIV-associated kidney disease by BRD4 inhibition" Journal Biological Chemistry. 2012, 287(34), 28840-51. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2012
Borah, J.C.; S. Mujtaba, I. Karakikes, L. Zeng, M. Muller, J. Patel, N. Moshkina, K. Morohashi, W. Zhang, G. Gerona-Navarro, R. J. Hajjar, M. M. Zhou "A Small Molecule Binding to the Coactivator CREB-Binding Protein Blocks Apoptosis in Cardiomyocytes" Cell Chemical Biology. 2011, 18(4), 531-541.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2011
Gerona-Navarro, G.; R. Gonzalez-Muniz, A. M. Fernandez, J. M. Gonzalez Ros, A. V. Ferrer-Montiel, C. Carreño, F. Albericio, M. Royo, "Solid-phase synthesis of a library of amphipatic hydantoins. Discovery of new hits for TRPV1 blockade" ACS Combinatorial Sciences 2011, 13(5), 458-465.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2011
Gerona-Navarro, G.; Y. Rodríguez-Fernández, S. Mutjaba, A. Frasca, A. N. Plotnikov, R. Osman, M. M. Zhou. "Rational Design of Cyclic Peptide Modulators of the Transcriptional co-activator CBP. A New Class of p53 Inhibitors" Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2011, 133 (7), 2040-2043.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2011
Almeida, R.*; Shin, S.B-Y*; Gerona-Navarro, G.*, S. R. Jaffrey, "Assembling ligands in situ using bio-orthogonal boronate ester synthesis" Cell Chem. Biol. 2010, 17(11), 1171-6.
*These authors contributed equally to this work
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2010
Baeza, J.L., g. Gerona-Navarro, K. Thompson, M. J. De Vega, L. Infantes, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, R. Gonzalez-Muniz, M. Martin-Martinez, "Further Evidence for 2-Alkyl-2-carboxyazetidines as γ-Turn Inducers" Journal of Organic Chemistry. 2009, 74 (21): 8203-8211.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2009
Baeza, J. L., G. Gerona-Navarro, M. J. Perez de Vega, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, R. Gonzalez-Muniz, M. Martin-Martinez "Azetidine-Derived Amino Acids versus Proline Derivatives. Alternative Trends in Reverse Turn Induction" Journal of Organic Chemistry. 2008, 73(5), 1704-1715.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2008
Zeng, L., Q. Zhang, G. Gerona-Navarro, N. Moshkina, M. M. Zhou,"Structural Basis of Site-Specific Histone Recognition by the Bromodomains of Human Coactivators PCAF and CBP/p300" Structure 2008, 16(4), 643-52. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2008
Baeza, J. L.; G. Gerona-Navarro, M. J. Perez de Vega, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, R. Gonzalez-Muniz, M. Martin-Martinez "2-Alkyl-2-carboxy-azetidines as scaffolds for the induction of gamma-turns" Tetrahedron Letters 2007, 48(21), 3689-3693.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2007
Gerona-Navarro, G., M.J. Perez de Vega, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, G. Andrei, R. Snoeck, E. De Clercq, J. Balzarini, R. Gonzalez-Muniz, "From 1-Acyl-b-lactam Human Cytomegalovirus Protease Inhibitors to 1-Benzyloxycarbonylazetidines with Improved Antiviral Activity. A Straightforward Approach To Convert Covalent to Noncovalent Inhibitors" Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2005, 48(7), 2612-2621.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2005
He, X., G. Gerona-Navarro, S. R. Jaffrey. "Ligand discovery using small molecule microarrays" Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 2005, 313(1), 1-7.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2005
Gerona-Navarro, G., M. A. Bonache, M. Alias, M. J. Perez de Vega, M. T.
Garcia-Lopez, P. Lopez, C. Cativiela, R. Gonzalez-Muniz "Simple
access to novel azetidine-containing conformationally restricted amino acids by chemoselective reduction of b-lactams" Tetrahedron Letters 2004, 45(10), 2193-2196. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2004
Gerona-Navarro, G., M. J. Perez de Vega, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, G. Andrei, R. Snoeck, J. Balzarini, E. De Clercq, R. Gonzalez-Muniz. "Synthesis and anti-HCMV activity of 1-acyl-b-lactams and 1-acylazetidines derived from phenylalanine" Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2004, 14(9), 2253-2256.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2004
Bonache, M. A., G. Gerona-Navarro, C. Garcia-Aparicio, M. Alias, M.
Martin-Martinez, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, P. Lopez, C. Cativiela, R.
Gonzalez-Muniz "Memory of chirality in the stereoselective synthesis of b-lactams: importance of the starting amino acid derivative" Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 2003, 14(15), 2161-2169.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2003
Bonache, M. A., G. Gerona-Navarro, C. Garcia-Aparicio, M. Alias, M. Martin-Martinez, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, R. Gonzalez-Muniz "Easy access to orthogonally protected a-alkyl aspartic acid and a-alkyl asparagine derivatives by controlled opening of b-lactams" Tetrahedron Letters 2003, 44(32), 6145-6148.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2003
Bonache, M. A., G. Gerona-Navarro, M. Martin-Martinez, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, P. Lopez, C. Cativiela, R. Gonzalez-Muniz "Memory of chirality in the enantioselective synthesis of b-lactams derived from amino acids. Influence of the reaction conditions" Synlett 2003, (7), 1007-1011.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2003
Gerona-Navarro, G., M. Royo, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, F. Albericio, R.
Gonzalez-Muniz "Exploring solid-phase approaches for the preparation of new b-lactams from amino acids" Molecular Diversity 2003, 6(2), 75-84.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2003
Gerona-Navarro, G., M. A. Bonache, N. Reyero, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, R.
Gonzalez-Muniz "Amino acid-derived 4-alkyl-4-carboxy-2-azetidinones. New insights into b-lactam ring formation and N-deprotection" Heterocycles 2002, 57(3), 501-513.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2002
Gerona-Navarro, G., M. T. Garcia-Lopez, R. Gonzalez-Muniz "General
Approach for the Stereocontrolled Construction of the b-Lactam Ring in Amino Acid-Derived 4-Alkyl-4-carboxy-2-azetidinones" Journal of Organic Chemistry 2002, 67(11), 3953-3956.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2002
Gerona-Navarro, G., M. A. Bonache, R. Herranz, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, R.
Gonzalez-Muniz "Entry to New Conformationally Constrained Amino Acids. First Synthesis of 3-Unsubstituted 4-Alkyl-4-carboxy-2-azetidinone Derivatives via an Intramolecular Na-Ca-Cyclization Strategy". Journal of Organic Chemistry 2001, 66(10), 3538-3547. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2001
Gerona-Navarro, G., M.A. Bonache, R. Herranz, M. T. Garcia-Lopez, R. Gonzalez-Muniz "New conformationally constrained tryptophans by Na-Ca-cyclization to an azetidin-2-one core". Synlett 2000, (9), 1249-1252.
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2000
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
NIH, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Grant, 1SC1GM136635-01 "Allosteric Modulators of Polycomb Repressive 2 Gene Repression as Potential
Therapeutics for the Development of Novel Epigenetic Cancer Therapies" (Role: Principal Investigator, $1.570.000, 2020-2024). (Grants and Fellowships) 2020
Henry Wasser Award for Outstanding Assistant Professor.
The City University of New York (Awards and Honors) 2019
PSC-CUNY Research Award 2018 TRADB-49-379. "Targeting VEFS-SUZ12: An alternative Strategy to Develop Novel Epigenetic Cancer Therapies" (Role: Principal Investigator, $6000, 2018-2019)
(Grants and Fellowships) 2018
Leonard and Claire Tow Travel Award 2014 (Tow Foundation). (Awards and Honors) 2014
NIH, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Grant, 1SC2GM111231-01. "Chemical Probes Targeting Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Gene Repression" (Role: Principal Investigator, $471000, 2014-2017). (Grants and Fellowships) 2014
NIH, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), 1R03NS072578-01(R03). "Small Molecules Modulating Oligodendrocyte Lineage Progression" (Role: Principal Investigator, $168000, 2010-2012)
(Grants and Fellowships) 2010
NIH, National Cancer Institute (NCI),Diversity Supplement for Dr. Guillermo Gerona-Navarro, CA87658-09S1. "Structure and Mechanism of Protein Modules in Chromatin Biology". ($56000/year, 2007-2011)
(Grants and Fellowships) 2007
Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, Post-doctoral Fellowship. (2004-2006) (Grants and Fellowships) 2004
Spanish Ministry of Education and Science. Doctoral Fellowship (05/01/1998 - 04/31/2002).
(Grants and Fellowships) 1998
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
"Bisthioether Stapled Peptides Targeting Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Gene Repression". Spanish Council for Scientific Research. Madrid, Spain. April 2nd. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2019
"Peptidomimetic Regulators of Biologically Relevant Protein-Protein Interactions", Queens College of CUNY. NY, Dec 15th. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2018
"Peptidomimetic Regulators of Biologically Relevant Protein-Protein Interactions", St Johns University, N.Y., Dec 6th. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2017
Professional Leadership
Admission PhD Students Committee (Biochemistry Program) (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
Chemistry Biochemistry Panel, PSC CUNY Cycle 50 Grants (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
Coordinator for Organic Chemistry laboratories (CHEM 3512 and CHEM 3522). Spring 2017-Present (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2019
Department of Chemistry: Equipment Committee. Fall 2014 - Present (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
Department of Chemistry: Responsible for the Mass Spectrometer. Fall 2013 - Present (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
Department of Chemistry: Safety Committee. Spring 2016 - Present (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
Doctoral Thesis Committees:
- Jiye Son (Chemistry Program, 2016-2019)
- Tanya Napolitano (Chemistry Program, 2018-Present) (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
Faculty Council Committee on Student Advisement. Fall 2017 - Present (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
MARC Faculty Member. Fall 2015 - Present (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
Doctoral Thesis Committee.
- Benelita Elie (Biology Program, 2015-2018) (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Interdisciplinary Panel PSC-CUNY Cycles 48 and 49 Grants (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Judge for 2nd Biology Undergraduate Symposium at John Jay College. CUNY. 2018. Invited by Prof Lissette Delgado Cruzata, Department of Sciences.
(Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2018
Doctoral Thesis Committees:
- Michael D'Erasmo (Chemistry Program, 2014-2017)
- Denise Kilburg (Chemistry Program, 2015-2017) (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2017
EHS Department New Hire Search Committee (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2017
Department of Chemistry: Curriculum Committee. Spring 2015 - Spring 2016 (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2016
Department of Chemistry: Space Committee. Fall 2014 - Spring 2015 (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2015
Mentored a female high school student, Ms. Julia Leigh Schwartz, during the summer of 2014 as part of the Girls' Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Summer Program (GSTEM) organized by the NYU Courant Institute. Invited by Rebecca Stern (Program Coordinator). (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2014
Pedagogical Achievements
As the coordinator of Organic Chemistry laboratories, improved the safety practices in organic chemistry laboratories by introducing a "lab coat program" that provides students of all sections a clean an ironed lab coat at the beginning of the semester at no cost. 2018
As the coordinator of Organic Chemistry laboratories, modified the curriculum of Organic Chemistry 1 Laboratory (CHEM 3512) by creating 4 new laboratory experiments in order to make it more supportive of the lecture component of this class. Students have now, for the first time, the opportunity to experience and practice in the laboratory a series of key concepts and reactions discussed in Chem 3511 (Organic 1 lecture) including stereochemistry, polarimetry, resolution of chiral mixtures, nucleophilic substitution reactions, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry and infra-red spectroscopy.
2018
In collaboration with Prof Maria Contel designed a new course "Principles of Chemical Reactivity", recently introduced in the curriculum as a pre-requisite for Organic Chemistry 1. This class is designed to serve as a bridge between general and organic chemistry, giving greater depth to topics already introduced in general chemistry as well as providing insights on some other topics related to structure and bonding that are currently not covered in this class. The rationale for the Chem 2110 course is to prepare students better to enter organic chemistry, by providing them with the groundwork for spatial reasoning, basic bonding theories and reactivity principles, aiming at facilitating their understanding of these concepts when they are further discussed in depth in Organic Chemistry 1.
2018
As the coordinator of Organic Chemistry laboratories, modified the curriculum of Organic Chemistry 2 Laboratory (CHEM 3522) by creating 2 new laboratory experiments in order to make it more supportive of the lecture component of this class. Students have now, for the first time, the opportunity to experience and practice in the laboratory a series of key concepts and reactions discussed in Chem 3521 (Organic 2 lecture) including polymer chemistry, pericyclic reactions and fluorescence.
2017
Led a proposal for the modification of the curriculum of organic chemistry courses. 3 chapters were moved from Organic 1 (Chem 3511) to Organic 2 (Chem 3521), in order to lower the volume of material covered in Chemistry 3511 to facilitate students learning and improve their performance. Two Chapters from Organic 2 (Chem 3521) are now taught in Biochemistry (Chem 4570). 2014
Community Activities
Presenter at the "2017 Career Fair" at West New York Middle School, New Jersey. Invited by Prof. Yoleisy Yañez. Special Education Teacher. Career Fair Coordinator. 2017