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Margaux Billen

Margaux Billen obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at Hasselt University in 2018. She continued her studies at KU Leuven for a Master in Chemistry, from which she graduated in 2020. Embedded in her Master's studies, she performed her Master’s thesis' research in the De Borggraeve Lab, where she worked on the design and synthesis of allosteric protein kinase D inhibitors. Currently, she is pursuing a joint PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences at KU Leuven and a PhD in cardiovascular sciences at the University of Edinburgh.

Margaux’s research focusses on the design and synthesis of next-generation small-molecule C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) antagonists. CCR5 is a G-protein coupled receptor which can be linked to several pathologies, including acute graft-versus-host disease, cancer and HIV. Co-supervisor at KU Leuven: Prof. Dominique Schols. Supervisor at the University of Edinburgh: Prof. Scott Webster.

CV

  • 2020 - current - PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences - KU Leuven
  • 2018 - 2020 - Master in Chemistry - KU Leuven
  • 2015 - 2018 - Bachelor in Chemistry - Hasselt University

Research Interests

  • Medicinal Chemistry
  • Drug Design
  • Organic Synthesis
  • CCR5 Antagonists
Publications
1. Targeting chemokine receptors from the inside-out: discovery and development of small-molecule intracellular antagonists Margaux Billen, Dominique Schols, Peter Verwilst, Chemical Communications 2022. Read here

PREPRINT. Discovery and Exploration of Disubstituted [1,2,5]Oxadiazolo-[3,4-B]Pyrazines as Novel C-C Chemokine Receptor Type 5 Signaling Inhibitors Targeting the Intracellular Allosteric Binding Pocket
Margaux Billen, Sten Reynders, Sandra Claes, Silke Kleinboelting, Jef Rozenski, Radu-George Bulai, Edoardo Rocca, Natalie Z.M. Homer, Scott P. Webster, Tim P. Kaminski, Eveline Lescrinier, Dominique Schols, Peter Verwilst, SSRN 2024. Read here