Igor Komarov

Ph.D., professor

Description of the field of scientific research:

Igor's research group focuses on biologically active peptides in close collaboration with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, namely: development and synthesis of 19F-substituted amino acids as 19F-NMR labels for incorporation into membrane-active peptides and their further structural research in biomembranes by solid-state 19F-NMR; creation of peptidomimetics, the biological activity of which can be controlled with the help of light. For example, the first photocontrolled cyclic peptide based on diarylethene initiated a new class of compounds whose biological activity and toxicity can be «turned on» and «turned off» by visible light in living organisms. Igor's previous research was related to using conformationally constrained molecules in organic and medicinal chemistry and structural biology. Conformationally constrained molecular tools, examples of which are given below, have made it possible to read, manipulate, and interfere with biological information processing.

List of duties:

Igor leads the Institute of High Technologies of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University and participates in forming the university's scientific policy. He is a member of the expert council of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, which examines scientific projects, a reviewer for RSC Advances, Royal Society of Chemistry (Great Britain), and a member of the scientific society AMPERE SOCIETY.

Professional experience:

From 1996 to 1997, Igor did a research fellowship at the University of Cambridge (UK), and from 2000 to 2001, he did a research fellowship at the Institute for Catalysis Research in Germany.

Keywords:

• Chemistry

• Biochemistry

• Natural sciences

• Science popularization

• Expert consulting

Basic scientific publications:

• Orientation and Location of the Cyclotide Kalata B1 in Lipid Bilayers Revealed by Solid-State NMR

  Read

  Stephan L. Grage, Marc-Antoine Sani, Olivier Cheneval, SóniaTroeiraHenriques, Constantin Schalck, Ralf Heinzmann, Joshua S. Mylne, Pavel K. Mykhailiuk, SergiiAfonin, Igor V. Komarov, Frances Separovic, David J. Craik, Anne S. Ulrich. Biophys. J., 112, 630–642, 2017.

  Role: Author

• Design, synthesis, and application of an optimized monofluorinated aliphatic label for peptide studies by solid-state 19FNMR spectroscopy

  Read

  S.O. Kokhan, A.V. Tymtsunik, S.L. Grage, S. Afonin, O. Babii, M. Berditsch, A.V. Strizhak, D. Bandak, M.O. Platonov, I.V. Komarov, A.S. Ulrich, P.K. Mykhailiuk, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 55,14788-14792, 2016.

  Role: Author

• Direct Photocontrol of Peptidomimetics: An Alternative to Oxygen-Dependent Photodynamic Cancer Therapy

  Read

  Oleg Babii, SergiiAfonin, Liudmyla V. Garmanchuk, Viktoria V. Nikulina, Tetiana V. Nikolaienko, Olha V. Storozhuk, Dmytro V. Shelest, Olga I. Dasyukevich, Liudmyla I. Ostapchenko, VolodymyrIurchenko, Sergey Zozulya, Anne S. Ulrich, Igor V. Komarov, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 55, 5493 – 5496, 2016.

  Role: Author