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Hire Sebastián C.

United Kingdom

USD 75 /hr

PhD in Chemical Biology | Drug Discovery, Biocatalysis, Pharma R&D & Scientific Writing

Profile Summary

I am a multidisciplinary scientist with a PhD in Chemical Biology, 10+ years of academic research experience, and 5+ years in pharmaceutical R&D. I help researchers, biotech teams, pharmaceutical companies, and early-career scientists move projects forward, improve experimental plans, troubleshoot research workflows, strengthen scientific documents, and increase the quality and reliability of their scientific outputs. My work combines experimental and computational approaches across chemistry, biology, pharmaceutical sciences, and biotechnology. I support proposal and project preparation, protocol review, experimental design and troubleshooting, molecular modelling strategy, manuscript editing, thesis-to-paper development, responses to reviewers, biochemical assay and validation planning, and pharma R&D documentation. I have authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications, reviewed for international scientific journals, mentored MSc and PhD students, and contributed to collaborative research projects in academia and industry. My goal is to provide clear, rigorous, and practical scientific support that helps clients make better decisions, produce high-quality deliverables, and communicate their work with confidence.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ★ Analytical Chemistry
• ★ Computational Chemistry
• ★ Chemical Biology
• ☆ Biocatalysis
• ☆ Data Analysis
• ☆ Computer Simulation/Computational Modeling
• ☆ Protein/Enzyme Engineering
• ☆ Drug Discovery
• ☆ Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) Studies
• ☆ Pharmaceutical Technology
• ☆ Technical & Scientific Writing
• ☆ Manuscript & Journal Article Writing
• ☆ SOP & Protocol Writing

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Consulting
• Data & AI
• Product Development

Writing Technical Writing, General Proofreading & Editing

Research Feasibility Study

Consulting Scientific and Technical Consulting, Regulatory Consulting

Data & AI Predictive Modeling, Data Mining

Product Development Formulation, Stability/Shelf Life Testing, Quality Assurance & Control (QA/QC)

Work Experience

Research Associate in Biochemistry / Chemical Biology

University of Manchester

September 2025 - Present

Researcher

Universidad San Francisco

March 2017 - February 2026

Researcher

Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador

February 2014 - February 2022

R&D Analyst

Laboratorios LIFE

February 2017 - September 2021

Education

PhD Chemical Biology (Chemistry)

University of Manchester

September 2021 - March 2025

MSc in Durg Discovery and Translational Biology (Biological Sciences)

University of Edinburgh

September 2015 - August 2016

BSC in Chemical Sciences (Analytical Chemistry) (Escuela de Ciencias Químicas)

Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador

August 2009 - May 2014

Certifications

• Certification details not provided.

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

María C. García, Sebastián A. Cuesta, José R. Mora, Jose L. Paz, Yovani Marrero-Ponce, Frank Alexis, Edgar A. Márquez (2025). Using computer modeling to find new LRRK2 inhibitors for parkinson’s disease . Scientific Reports.

Daniele Torri, Luis Bering, Luke R. L. Yates, Stuart M. Angiolini, Guangcai Xu, Sebastian Cuesta‐Hoyos, Sarah A. Shepherd, Jason Micklefield (2025). Enzymatic Cascades for Stereoselective and Regioselective Amide Bond Assembly . Angewandte Chemie International Edition.

Sandra De La Torre, Sebastián A. Cuesta, Luis Calle, José R. Mora, Jose L. Paz, Patricio J. Espinoza-Montero, Máryury Flores-Sumoza, Edgar A. Márquez (2024). Computational approaches for lead compound discovery in dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition using machine learning and molecular dynamics techniques . Computational Biology and Chemistry.

Guangcai Xu, Daniele Torri, Sebastian Cuesta-Hoyos, Deepanjan Panda, Luke R. L. Yates, Rémi Zallot, Kehan Bian, Dongxu Jia, Andreea I. Iorgu, Colin Levy, et al. (2024). Cryptic enzymatic assembly of peptides armed with β-lactone warheads . Nature Chemical Biology.

Carolina Proa&#241;o-Bola&#241;os, Giovanna Mor&#225;n-Marcillo, Nina Espinosa de los Monteros-Silva, Sebasti&#225;n Berm&#250;dez-Puga, Mateo A. Salazar, Ail&#237;n Blasco-Z&#250;&#241;iga, Sebasti&#225;n Cuesta, Carolina Molina, Franklin Espinosa, Lorena Meneses, et al. (2024). Bioactivity of synthetic peptides from Ecuadorian frog skin secretions against <i>Leishmania mexicana</i> , <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> , and <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> . Microbiology Spectrum.

Mar&#237;a Jos&#233; Rengifo-Lema, Carolina Proa&#241;o-Bola&#241;os, Sebasti&#225;n Cuesta, Lorena Meneses (2024). Computational modelling of the antimicrobial peptides Cruzioseptin-4 extracted from the frog Cruziohyla calcarifer and Pictuseptin-1 extracted from the frog Boana picturata . Scientific Reports.

Mar&#237;a Jos&#233; Rengifo-Lema, Carolina Proa&#241;o-Bola&#241;os, Sebasti&#225;n Cuesta, Lorena Meneses (2024). Computational modelling of the antimicrobial peptides Cruzioseptin-4 extracted from the frog Cruziohyla calcarifer and Pictuseptin-1 extracted from the frog Boana picturata . Scientific Reports.

Sebasti&#225;n A. Cuesta, Mart&#237;n Moreno, Romina A. L&#243;pez, Jos&#233; R. Mora, Jos&#233; Luis Paz, Edgar A. M&#225;rquez (2023). ElectroPredictor: An Application to Predict Mayr’s Electrophilicity <i>E</i> through Implementation of an Ensemble Model Based on Machine Learning Algorithms . Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling.

Cristian Rocha-Roa, Eliceo Cortes, Sebasti&#225;n A. Cuesta, Jos&#233; R. Mora, Jos&#233; L. Paz, M&#225;ryury Flores-Sumoza, Edgar A. M&#225;rquez (2023). Study of potential inhibition of the estrogen receptor α by cannabinoids using an in silico approach: Agonist vs antagonist mechanism . Computers in Biology and Medicine.

Jhesua Valencia, Vivian Rubio, Gloria Puerto, Luisa Vasquez, Anthony Bernal, Jos&#233; R. Mora, Sebastian A. Cuesta, Jos&#233; Luis Paz, Braulio Insuasty, Rodrigo Abonia, et al. (2022). QSAR Studies, Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Quinolinone-Based Thiosemicarbazones against Mycobacterium tuberculosis . Antibiotics.

Nicol&#225;s Cabrera, Sebasti&#225;n A. Cuesta, Jos&#233; R. Mora, Jos&#233; Luis Paz, Edgar A. M&#225;rquez, Patricio J. Espinoza-Montero, Yovani Marrero-Ponce, Noel P&#233;rez, Ernesto Contreras-Torres (2022). Searching glycolate oxidase inhibitors based on QSAR, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulation approaches . Scientific Reports.

Nicol&#225;s Cabrera, Sebasti&#225;n A. Cuesta, Jos&#233; R. Mora, Jos&#233; Luis Paz, Edgar A. M&#225;rquez, Patricio J. Espinoza-Montero, Yovani Marrero-Ponce, Noel P&#233;rez, Ernesto Contreras-Torres (2022). Searching glycolate oxidase inhibitors based on QSAR, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulation approaches . Scientific Reports.

Searching glycolate oxidase inhibitors based on QSAR, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulation approaches <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Refresh" CONTENT="0;URL=/servlet/useragent"> </head> . Scientific Reports.

Sebasti&#225;n A. Cuesta, Jos&#233; R. Mora, Lorena M. Meneses, Edgar A. M&#225;rquez, Virginia Flores‐Morales, Luis Rinc&#243;n, Fernando J. Torres, Cesar H. Zambrano (2022). Unveiling the structure‐reactivity relationship involved in the reaction mechanism of the <scp>HCl</scp>‐catalyzed alkyl <i>t</i>‐butyl ethers thermal decomposition. A computational study . International Journal of Quantum Chemistry.

Sebastian Adolfo Cuesta, Jose Mora, Edgar M&#225;rquez (2022). GAS PHASE DECOMPOSITION OF T-BUTYL METHYL ETHER CATALYZED BY DIFFERENT HYDROGEN HALIDES: A DFT STUDY . infoANALÍTICA.

Nicol&#225;s Cabrera, Sebasti&#225;n A. Cuesta, Jos&#233; R. Mora, Luis Calle, Edgar A. M&#225;rquez, Roland Kaunas, Jos&#233; Luis Paz (2022). In Silico Searching for Alternative Lead Compounds to Treat Type 2 Diabetes through a QSAR and Molecular Dynamics Study . Pharmaceutics.

Damaris Reinoso D., Sebasti&#225;n Cuesta H., Carolina Proa&#241;o-Bola&#241;os, Lorena Meneses O. (2021). MODELAMIENTO COMPUTACIONAL DE LA CRUZIOSEPTINA CC-17 EXTRAÍDA DE LA RANA Cruziohyla calcarifer . infoANALÍTICA.

Felipe Morales, Sebasti&#225;n Cuesta H., Carolina Proa&#241;o-Bola&#241;os, Lorena Meneses O. (2021). MODELAMIENTO MOLECULAR DE LA CRUZIOSEPTINA CC-16 EXTRAÍDA DE LA RANA Cruziohyla calcarifer . infoANALÍTICA.

Cuesta, S.A., Mora, J.R., Zambrano, C.H., Torres, F.J., Rinc&#243;n, L.(2019). Comparative study of the nucleophilic attack step in the proteases catalytic activity: A theoretical study . Molecular Physics.

Cuesta, S., Gallegos, F., Arias, J., Pilaquinga, F., Blasco-Z&#250;&#241;iga, A., Proa&#241;o-Bola&#241;os, C., Rivera, M., Meneses, L.(2019). Molecular modeling of four Dermaseptin-related peptides of the gliding tree frog Agalychnis spurrelli . Journal of Molecular Modeling. 25. (9).

Andrea Fabara, Sebasti&#225;n Cuesta, Fernanda Pilaquinga, Lorena Meneses(2018). Computational Modeling of the Interaction of Silver Nanoparticles with the Lipid Layer of the Skin . Journal of Nanotechnology. 2018. Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Localization.LocalizedHtmlString 1--9. Hindawi Limited

Cuesta, S., Arias, J., Gallegos, F., Alzate-Morales, J., Meneses, L.(2018). On the reaction mechanism of the 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde formation from 1-(3',4'-Dimethoxyphenyl)Propene . Molecules. 23. (2).

Fabara, A., Cuesta, S., Pilaquinga, F., Meneses, L.(2018). Computational Modeling of the Interaction of Silver Nanoparticles with the Lipid Layer of the Skin . Journal of Nanotechnology. 2018.

Meneses, L., Morocho, S., Castellanos, A., Cuesta, S.(2017). Computational study of vicarious nucleophilic substitution reactions . Journal of Molecular Modeling. 23. (10).