Ronak Tilvawala

About Ronak Tilvawala

I am a passionate enzymologist/biochemist/chemical biologist, with 10+ years of experience in pre-clinical drug discovery research and 3+ years of experience in CRO and team management. I have a deep understanding of in vitro Pharmacology and vast experience working across multiple disease areas with experience in designing, interpreting, and troubleshooting multiple assay formats. I’m an effective communicator, team leader, and bench scientist, who thrives in a positive and collaborative culture. I’m driven by my desire to improve the lives of patients by advancing novel therapies to address unmet needs.ExpertiseIn vitro Pharmacology: Biochemical/biophysical assays to support hit ID and lead optimization.• Biochemical assays: TR-FRET assays, HTRF, Fluorescence Polarization, AlphaScreen Assays, ADPGlo, and EMSA to characterize protein-protein, protein-ligand, and protein-DNA interactions, using continuous UV/Vis, fluorescence, luminescence detection, HPLC and LC-MS-based discontinuous assays and coupled-system assays.• Biophysical assays: TSA, CETSA, SPR and DSF• Catalysis and Mechanistic studies–steady-state enzyme kinetics and inhibition kinetics, including allosteric, competitive, and non-competitive inhibitors. Extensive experience working with covalent inhibitors.• High throughput systems: Automation (Echo, BRAVO), liquid handling (Combi, Tempest) • Plate reader and analytics software: SoftMax Pro, Biotek, Pherastar, EnVision, Prism, Scinamic, Dynafit• Molecular modeling of proteins and enzymes (PyMol and Chimera). • Enzyme classes: Proteases, Hydrolases, Lyases, Isomerases, Oxidoreductases, Kinases, and Ligases• Protein chemistry: Expression from bacterial and mammalian systems, purification (AKTA), analysis, and characterization. Structure and function. Chemical Biology and Proteomics: utilization of chemical biology principles involving biorthogonal reactions to evaluate in vitro and in vivo on-target and off-target occupancy.• Occupancy assays: Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP by in-gel fluorescence & SILAC/TMT-MS), Affinity pull-downs for target identification and validation, Photo crosslinking, binding site residue-ID using western blots, ELISA and MS. Reactive-site-centric chemoproteomics, and Broad-spectrum chemical biology probes including clickable and covalent fluorescence and affinity probes. Molecular biology: Cloning, PCR, Transformation, Site-directed mutagenesis, DNA sequencing analysis, Gene knockout, Gel electrophoresis, ELISA, Western Blot, Immunoprecipitation, and mammalian cell culture

Experience

1. Senior Scientist Ii

   Scorpion Therapeutics

   Jun 2022 — Present · Boston, MA, US

   Led Biochemistry efforts by collaborating across functional groups including Medicinal Chemistry, Cell Biology, Chemical Biology, Protein Science, and Structural Biology, to drive decision-making through rigorous SAR data analysis and SBDD interpretation for three targets and advanced one of the targets from target ID to validation, hit ID, and into Hit-To-Lead and Lead Optimization.• Develop robust functional in vitro assay cascade to identify and validate a broad range of reversible, allosteric, or covalent inhibitors; protein-protein and protein-DNA interaction disruptors; allosteric activators, molecular glues, and PROTACs.• Oversaw CRO efforts for the direct screening and validation of Lead ID efforts using HTS, ASMS, DEL, and biophysical methods for fragment-based drug discovery (SPR, DSF).• Performed MOA studies on promising hits to understand the mechanism of inhibition.• Performed a high-throughput screening of small and medium-scale libraries compounds).• Responsible for presenting data at project meetings and all company meetings.

Education

• Wesleyan University

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Chemistry

  2008 — 2014