Dr Exequiel Porta

Professional biography

I am a Lecturer in Natural Sciences (Biology & Chemistry) in the School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences at The Open University, where I lead The PORTA Lab – Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery.

I am a medicinal chemist and chemical biologist working at the interface of chemistry and biology to understand disease-relevant proteins and develop new approaches to drug discovery. My research brings together medicinal chemistry, chemical probe development, activity-based protein profiling (ABPP), chemoproteomics, proteomics and fragment-based drug discovery, with a particular interest in infectious and neglected diseases.

Before joining The Open University, I was an MRC Research Fellow in Chemistry at the UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London (UCL), where I worked on the discovery of next-generation antiviral agents targeting coronavirus proteins. I remain affiliated with the UCL School of Pharmacy as a Visiting Researcher. Previously, I was a Research Fellow in Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry at Durham University, where my research focused on chemical-probe-enabled target discovery and anti-infective drug discovery, particularly in Leishmania.

I obtained my PhD in Chemistry and my MSc in Biotechnology from the National University of Rosario, Argentina. My academic career has included research and teaching appointments in Argentina, Brazil and the United Kingdom.

Research interests

My research focuses on using chemistry to interrogate biological systems and translate new biological insights into opportunities for therapeutic discovery.

At The PORTA Lab, we develop and apply chemical tools to investigate protein function, identify and validate therapeutic targets, and support the discovery of new bioactive molecules. Our work combines chemical synthesis and molecular design with biochemical, proteomic, computational and cell-based approaches.

Our principal research interests include:

• Chemical biology and chemical probes, including the design and application of small-molecule probes to investigate protein function and target engagement.
• Activity-based protein profiling and chemoproteomics, particularly the development and application of activity-based probes to study enzyme function directly in complex biological systems.
• Medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, from hit identification and molecular design to synthesis, optimisation and biological evaluation.
• Proteomics and target identification, using mass-spectrometry-based approaches to identify drug targets, mechanisms of action and biologically relevant protein networks.
• Fragment-based and structure-based drug discovery, including the integration of experimental and computational approaches to identify and develop new ligands.
• AI-assisted molecular and chemical-probe design, particularly approaches that integrate chemical tractability, biological relevance and experimental validation.
• Disease-focused chemical biology and drug discovery, with applications in infectious and neglected diseases, emerging and re-emerging viral diseases, and cancer.

A major theme of my research is chemical-probe-enabled target discovery. Rather than considering small molecules solely as potential drugs, I use them as experimental tools to reveal biologically active proteins, interrogate disease mechanisms and identify new therapeutic vulnerabilities.

My work on neglected tropical diseases has included medicinal chemistry and chemoproteomic studies of Leishmania and other protozoan parasites, including activity-based approaches to investigate the parasite serinome and kinome. More recently, my antiviral research has explored fragment-based and medicinal chemistry strategies directed towards coronavirus proteins involved in viral RNA replication, proofreading and capping.

The PORTA Lab – Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery

The PORTA Lab is an interdisciplinary research group at The Open University bringing together medicinal chemistry, chemical biology and chemoproteomics.

Our overarching aim is to develop and use chemical probes to understand disease-relevant biology and uncover new opportunities for drug discovery. We are particularly interested in areas where conventional target-based approaches leave important biological questions unanswered, and where chemical tools can provide direct information about protein activity, target engagement and mechanism of action.

Current and developing applications span infectious and neglected diseases, emerging and re-emerging viral diseases, and cancer.

We welcome opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration across chemistry, biology, pharmacology, proteomics, computational science and drug discovery.

Teaching interests

At The Open University, I contribute to teaching and curriculum development across biology and chemistry, including S285 Investigative approaches in biology and chemistry, S132 and S134.

My teaching interests include medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, organic chemistry, drug discovery, molecular pharmacology, biotechnology and experimental science.

Before joining the OU, I taught Organic Chemistry at Durham University and General and Inorganic Chemistry at the National University of Rosario. I have also contributed to curriculum development, undergraduate and postgraduate research supervision, and the mentoring of Master's, PhD and postdoctoral researchers.

I am particularly interested in interdisciplinary teaching that helps students connect fundamental concepts in chemistry and biology with contemporary problems in biomedical research and drug discovery.

External engagement and academic service

I am Coordinator for Health and Biological Sciences for RAÍCES and the Network of Argentine Researchers in the United Kingdom (RCARU), supporting scientific links, collaboration and knowledge exchange between researchers and institutions in the UK and Argentina.

I also serve as Senior Science Advisor for Chemists Without Borders (CWB).

I serve on the Editorial Board of Frontiers in Pharmacology as an Associate Editor, and as an Editorial Board Member of Academia Drug Development and Pharmacotherapy and the Latin American Journal of Pharmacy. My wider academic service includes peer reviewing for scientific journals and grant assessment for research organisations, including UKRI, and learned societies, including the Royal Society of Chemistry. I have also contributed to international research networks, including the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, and collaborations spanning the UK, Europe, Latin America and beyond.

Recognition

My research and academic contributions have received more than 25 national and international awards and distinctions across chemical biology, drug discovery, infectious diseases, research impact, mentorship, teaching, and scientific leadership.

I was awarded the global TropicalMed 2024 Young Investigator Award for contributions to tropical medicine and infectious-disease research, particularly through medicinal chemistry, chemical biology and drug discovery focused on neglected tropical diseases.

In 2026, I was part of the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, which received the Royal Society of Chemistry Chemistry Biology Interface Horizon Prize (Rita and John Cornforth Award) for developing tools to identify and validate new drug targets for leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. The network also received the 2023 MRC Impact Prize for Outstanding Team Impact, recognising its scientific achievements and international collaboration.

Other selected distinctions include the Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) Award, the Excellence in Interdisciplinary Mentorship Award, the Argentine Society of Research in Organic Chemistry Prize for Best Doctoral Thesis, the Josefina Prats Foundation Award, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Global Health Award, recognition as an Outstanding Citizen of Venado Tuerto, and the DOCENTE Award for best teaching staff.

Research opportunities and collaboration

I welcome enquiries from prospective PhD applicants, researchers and potential collaborators interested in working with The PORTA Lab. I am particularly interested in interdisciplinary projects that bring together chemical synthesis, molecular and cellular biology, proteomics, and computational approaches to investigate disease-relevant biological questions.

Prospective PhD applicants can explore the School's current PhD opportunities. PhD opportunities are subject to funding availability and University admission requirements.

To discuss research interests, potential projects or collaboration opportunities, please contact me at exequiel.porta@open.ac.uk. 

Publications and research outputs

Edited Books

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Saffaei, Ali; Kalesh, Karunakaran and Van Bocxlaer, Katrien, eds. (2026). The Evolution in Pharmacology of Infectious Diseases: 2025. Frontiers journal series. Lausanne: Frontiers Media SA.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Saffaei, Ali and Kalesh, Karunakaran, eds. (2024). The Evolution in Pharmacology of Infectious Diseases: 2022. Frontiers journal series. Lausanne: Frontiers Media SA.

Book Chapters

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Koutsogiannis, Zisis; Kalesh, Karunakaran; Denny, Paul W. and Steel, Patrick G. (2027). INTERACT: Interactome Network Targeting via Enzyme Reactivity and Activity-based Chemoproteomic Tools. Methods in Molecular Biology. Springer Nature. (Accepted for publication).

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Kalesh, Karunakaran; Isern, Jaime A. and Steel, Patrick G. (2025). Microplate-Based Enzymatic Activity Assay Protocol Powered by Activity-Based Probes. In: Tao, Zhipeng, ed. Activity-Based Proteomics. Methods in Molecular Biology, 2921. New York, NY, USA: Humana, pp. 119–137.

Journal Articles

Simonetti, Sebastián O.; Moroni, Aldana B.; Zanardi, Maria M.; Kozielski, Frank; Wells, Geoffrey and Porta, Exequiel O. J. (2026). From chemical space to synthetic reality: A framework for makeable-by-design generative AI in drug discovery. Drug Discovery Today, 31(6), article no. 104794.

Isern, Jaime A.; Mediavilla, María G.; Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Merli, Marcelo L.; Ballari, María S.; Cricco, Julia A.; Labadie, Guillermo R. and Steel, Patrick G. (2026). Functional mapping of the Trypanosoma cruzi serinome by fluorophosphonate activity-based protein profiling. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 143, article no. 118793.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; AlKharboush, Dana F.; Jackson, Lauren; Pang, Felix; Darin, Aylin; Louka, Joy; Quamruzzaman, Mohammed; Shi, Xinyue; Wells, Geoffrey and Kozielski, Frank (2026). Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Non-Structural Proteins: A Blueprint for Next-Generation Small-Molecule Coronavirus Antivirals. Pharmaceutics, 18(6), article no. 693.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Saffaei, Ali; Kalesh, Karunakaran and Van Bocxlaer, Katrien (2026). Editorial: The evolution in pharmacology of infectious diseases: 2025. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 17, article no. 1907819.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; AlKharboush, Dana F.; Jackson, Lauren; Pang, Felix; Darin, Aylin; Louka, Joy; Shi, Xinyue; Wells, Geoffrey and Kozielski, Frank (2026). Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Structural and Accessory Proteins: Emerging Opportunities for Small-Molecule Coronavirus Antivirals. Pharmaceutics, 18(6), article no. 706.

Carlucci, Renzo and Porta, Exequiel O. J. (2026). Artificial intelligence for small-molecule chemical probe design: why drug-centric models may not transfer cleanly. Frontiers in Drug Discovery, 6, article no. 1836983.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Kalesh, Karunakaran and Steel, Patrick G. (2026). Activity-based chemoproteomic profiling reveals the active kinome of Leishmania. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 16, article no. 1687590.

Isern, Jaime A.; Carlucci, Renzo; Labadie, Guillermo R. and Porta, Exequiel O. J. (2025). Progress and Prospects of Triazoles in Advanced Therapies for Parasitic Diseases. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 10(5), article no. 142.

Isern, Jaime A.; Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Kalesh, Karunakaran; Koutsogiannis, Zisis; Cazzola, Davide; Pohl, Ehmke; Denny, Paul W. and Steel, Patrick G. (2025). Profiling Serine Hydrolases in the Leishmania Host–Pathogen Interactome Using Cell-Permeable Activity-Based Fluorophosphonate Probes. ChemBioChem, 26(10), article no. e202500160.

AlKharboush, Dana F.; Kozielski, Frank; Wells, Geoffrey and Porta, Exequiel O. J. (2025). Fragment-based drug discovery: A graphical review. Current Research in Pharmacology and Drug Discovery, 9, article no. 100233.

Charlton, Rebecca L.; Escrivani, Douglas O.; Brown, Christopher; Thota, Niranjan; Agostino, Victor S.; Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Avkiran, Timur; Merritt, Andrew T.; Denny, Paul W.; Rossi-Bergmann, Bartira and Steel, Patrick G. (2025). Simple accessible clemastine fumarate analogues as effective antileishmanials. RSC Medicinal Chemistry, 16, pp. 1686–1694.

Milian, Julieta Litka; Duché, Geneviève; Porta, Exequiel; Harvey-Reid, Alexander; Clough, Sophie; Shearman, Billie and Bedwell, Elizabeth V. (2025). Amplifying Student Voices in Curriculum Decolonisation: A Collaborative Journey in Higher Education Chemistry. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 7(1), pp. 20–38.

Porta, Exequiel O. J. (2024). The crucial role of drug repositioning in tackling Chagas disease, sleeping sickness, and leishmaniasis. INNOSC Theranostics and Pharmacological Sciences, 7(4), article no. 3721.

Mina, John G.; Parthasarathy, Anutthaman; Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Denny, Paul W. and Kalesh, Karunakaran (2024). BONCAT-iTRAQ Labelling Reveals Molecular Markers of Adaptive Responses in Toxoplasma gondii to Pyrimethamine Treatment. Pathogens, 13(10), article no. 879.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Saffaei, Ali and Kalesh, Karunakaran (2024). Editorial: The evolution in pharmacology of infectious diseases: 2022. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15, article no. 1386077.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Gao, Liqian; Denny, Paul W.; Steel, Patrick G.; Kalesh, Karunakaran and Kafsack, Björn F. C. (2023). Inhibition of HSP90 distinctively modulates the global phosphoproteome of Leishmania mexicana developmental stages. Microbiology Spectrum, 11(6), article no. e02960-23.

Porta, Exequiel Oscar Jesus (2023). Mapping the Evolution of Activity-Based Protein Profiling: A Bibliometric Review. Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 13(4), pp. 639–645.

Ballari, María S.; Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Zalazar, Evelyn A.; Borini Etichetti, Carla M.; Padrón, José M.; Girardini, Javier E. and Labadie, Guillermo R. (2023). Lipophilic modification of salirasib modulates the antiproliferative and antimigratory activity. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 92, article no. 117417.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Kalesh, Karunakaran and Steel, Patrick G. (2023). Navigating drug repurposing for Chagas disease: advances, challenges, and opportunities. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 14, article no. 1233253.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Ballari, María Sol; Carlucci, Renzo; Wilkinson, Shane; Ma, Guoyi; Tekwani, Babu L. and Labadie, Guillermo R. (2023). Systematic study of 1,2,3-triazolyl sterols for the development of new drugs against parasitic Neglected Tropical Diseases. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 254, article no. 115378.

Porta, Exequiel O. J. and Steel, Patrick G. (2023). Activity-based protein profiling: A graphical review. Current Research in Pharmacology and Drug Discovery, 5, article no. 100164.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Isern, Jaime A.; Kalesh, Karunakaran and Steel, Patrick G. (2022). Discovery of Leishmania Druggable Serine Proteases by Activity-Based Protein Profiling. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13, article no. 929493.

Díaz-Storani, Luz; Clary, Anaelle A.; Moreno, Diego M.; Ballari, María Sol; Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Bracca, Andrea B. J.; Johnston, Jonathan B. and Labadie, Guillermo R. (2021). Synthesis and interaction of terminal unsaturated chemical probes with Mycobacterium tuberculosis CYP124A1. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 44, article no. 116304.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Bofill Verdaguer, Ignasi; Perez, Consuelo; Banchio, Claudia; Ferreira de Azevedo, Mauro; Katzin, Alejandro M. and Labadie, Guillermo R. (2019). Repositioning Salirasib as a new antimalarial agent. MedChemComm, 10(9), pp. 1599–1605.

Jäger, Sebastián N.; Porta, Exequiel O. J. and Labadie, Guillermo R. (2018). Convenient synthesis of the immunogenic glycolipid BbGL1. Steroids, 141, pp. 41–45.

Panozzo-Zénere, Esteban A.; Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Arrizabalaga, Gustavo; Fargnoli, Lucía; Khan, Shabana I.; Tekwani, Babu L. and Labadie, Guillermo R. (2018). A minimalistic approach to develop new anti-apicomplexa polyamines analogs. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 143, pp. 866–880.

Galles, Celina; Prez, Gastón M.; Penkov, Sider; Boland, Sebastian; Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Altabe, Silvia G.; Labadie, Guillermo R.; Schmidt, Ulrike; Knölker, Hans-Joachim; Kurzchalia, Teymuras V. and de Mendoza, Diego (2018). Endocannabinoids in Caenorhabditis elegans are essential for the mobilization of cholesterol from internal reserves. Scientific Reports, 8, article no. 6398.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Jäger, Sebastián N.; Nocito, Isabel; Lepesheva, Galina I.; Serra, Esteban C.; Tekwani, Babu L. and Labadie, Guillermo R. (2017). Antitrypanosomal and antileishmanial activity of prenyl-1,2,3-triazoles. MedChemComm, 8(5), pp. 1015–1021.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Vallejos, Margarita M.; Bracca, Andrea B. J. and Labadie, Guillermo R. (2017). Experimental and theoretical studies of the [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of prenyl azides. RSC Advances, 7(75), pp. 47527–47538.

Sussmann, Rodrigo A. C.; de Moraes, Marcilio M.; Cebrián-Torrejón, Gerardo; Porta, Exequiel O.; Doménech-Carbó, Antonio; Yamaguchi, Lydia F.; Katzin, Alejandro M. and Kato, Massuo J. (2016). Stabilization and detection of hydrophylloquinone as di-O-methyl derivative. Journal of Chromatography B, 1033–1034, pp. 368–371.

Jäger, Sebastián N.; Porta, Exequiel O. J. and Labadie, Guillermo R. (2016). Tuning the Lewis acid phenol ortho-prenylation as a molecular diversity tool. Molecular Diversity, 20(2), pp. 407–419.

Labadie, Guillermo R.; Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Jager, Sebastian and Fargnoli, Lucia (2014). New synthetic anti-infective agents by scaffold prenylation. In: Chemicke Listy, 108(11), pp. 1092–1094.

Porta, Exequiel O. J.; Carvalho, Paulo B.; Avery, Mitchell A.; Tekwani, Babu L. and Labadie, Guillermo R. (2013). Click chemistry decoration of amino sterols as promising strategy to developed new leishmanicidal drugs. Steroids, 79, pp. 28–36.

For further information and access to available full texts, please visit my Open Research Online (ORO) publication record.