Angelo Frei

Angelo Frei

Angelo Frei is Assistant Professor in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of York (former SNSF Ambizione Fellow at the University of Bern). His research interests lie in the discovery, development and understanding of transition metal-based antibiotic agents.

Early in his career, he showed that metal-based compounds are more likely to be active against critical bacteria compared to pure organic molecules. At the same time this work highlighted that metal-based compounds are not more likely to be toxic compared to their metal-free counterparts. This laid the foundation for his research where he now leverages cutting-edge approaches such as modular synthesis, automation and machine learning to discover novel metalloantibiotics.

His Video

flashMOOCs University of Bern, Thumbnail to the video "Antibiotic Resistance – Could Metals Be the Answer?"

Antibiotic Resistance – Could Metals Be the Answer?

For decades, antibiotics seemed to keep dangerous infections under control. But today, resistance is spreading—and even routine illnesses can turn deadly again. This film follows a search for answers: could metal complexes become the next line of defense?

Selected publications

  • S. Fulgencio, M. Scaccaglia, A. Frei ”Exploration of Rhenium Bisquinoline Tricarbonyl Complexes for their Antibacterial Properties” ChemBioChem 2024, DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400435

  • M. Scaccaglia, G. Pelosi, S. Pienilli, A. Frei ”Discovery of Antibacterial Manganese(I) Tricarbonyl Complexes through Combinatorial Chemistry” Chem. Sci. 2024, DOI: 10.1039/D3SC05326A

  • M. Orsi, B. S. Loh, C. Weng, W. H. Ang, A. Frei ”Using Machine Learning to Predict the Antibacterial Activity of Ruthenium Complexes” Angew. Chem. 2024, DOI: 10.1002/anie.202317901

  • A. Frei, A. D. Verderosa, A. G. Elliott, J. Zuegg, , M. A. T. Blaskovich ”Metals to combat antimicrobial resistance” Nat. Rev. Chem. 2023, DOI: 10.1038/s41570-023-00463-4

  • A. Frei, A. G. Elliott, A. Kan, H. Dinh, S. Bräse, A. E. Bruce, M. R. Bruce, F. Chen, D. Humaidy, N. Jung, A. P. King, P. G. Lye, H. K. Maliszewska, A. M. Mansour, D. Matiadis, M. P. Muñoz, T.-Y. Pai, S. Pokhrel, P. J. Sadler, M. Sagnou, M. Taylor, J. J. Wilson, D. Woods, J. Zuegg, W. Meyer, A. K. Cain, M. A. Cooper, M. A. T. Blaskovich ”Metal Complexes as Antifungals? – From a Crowd-Sourced Compound Library to First In Vivo Experiments” JACS Au, 2022, DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.2c00308

  • A. Frei, S. Ramu, G. J. Lowe, H. Dinh, L. Semenec, A. G. Elliott, J. Zuegg, A. Deckers, N. Jung, S. Bräse, A. K. Cain, M. A. T. Blaskovich "Platinum Cyclooctadiene Complexes with Activity against Gram-positive Bacteria", ChemMedChem 2021, 16, 2021-2029. DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100157

  • A. Frei, A. P. King, G. J. Lowe, A. K. Cain, F. L. Short, H. Dinh, A. G. Elliott, J. Zuegg, J. J. Wilson, M. A. T. Blaskovich "Nontoxic Cobalt(III) Schiff Base Complexes with Broad-Spectrum Antifungal Activity", Chemistry – A European Journal 2021, 27, 2021-2029. DOI: 10.1002/chem.202003545

  • A. Frei, J. Zuegg, A. G. Elliott, M. Baker, S. Braese, C. Brown, F. Chen, C. G. Dowson, G. Dujardin, N. Jung, A. P. King, A. M. Mansour, M. Massi, J. Moat, H. A. Mohamed, A. K. Renfrew, P. J. Rutledge, P. J. Sadler, M. H. Todd, C. E. Willans, J. J. Wilson, M. A. Cooper, M. A. T. Blaskovich "Metal complexes as a promising source for new antibiotics", Chemical Science 2020, 11, 2627-2639. DOI: 10.1039/C9SC06460E