RECEPTOR.AI | About Us

Our team

The Receptor.AI team is made up of more than 20 specialists with expertise in AI, computational chemistry, and biology, uniting a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines and extensive experience in drug discovery industry. Building on its Ukrainian roots, the company, headquartered in London, extends its reach and enhances its capabilities within the global pharmaceutical sector through its R&D facility in Germany. We are dedicated to developing proprietary innovative therapeutics, further solidifying our impact on healthcare worldwide.

Dr. Alan Nafiev

Chief Executive Officer,
Co-founder

Ph.D. holder in Data Science with expertise in leading AI-driven drug discovery projects. He specializes in designing cloud systems for life sciences, particularly focusing on AI-powered workflows. With a strong background in B2B start-ups, he brings valuable experience to the intersection of data science and the life sciences industry.

Dr. Sergii Starosyla

Chief Technical Officer,
Co-founder

PhD in Molecular Biology with over 15 years of experience in drug discovery and scientific software development. Medicinal chemist, expert in development of machine-learning models, algorithms for pharmacophore modelling and molecular docking. Author of number of patented anticancer and anti-microbic biologically active compounds.

Dr. Semen Yesylevskyy

Chief Scientific Officer, 
Co-founder

PhD, Dr.Sci. in biophysics. 20+ years of experience in molecular modelling, computational drug discovery and scientific software development. Author of unique techniques and algorithms in simulations of curved and asymmetric lipid membranes and assessment of drug-membrane interactions.

Dr. Volodymyr Bdzhola

Head of Medicinal Chemistry

PhD in Chemistry with 25 years of research experience, a pivotal member of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, currently serving as a Senior Research Scientist and Deputy Head of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry. Contributed to over 65 scientific publications, showcasing his extensive research in the field.

Dr. Nicolas Babault

Scientific Advisor, Drug Discovery

PhD in Biophysics & Biochemistry with 15+ years of R&D experience across Industry and Academia, spanning from experimental validation to leadership roles. Extensive expertise in developing and optimizing drug discovery platforms, with deep knowledge in hit discovery and lead optimization for small molecules, peptides, and oligonucleotides.

Dr. Elena Brin

Scientific Advisor, Pharmacology

PhD in Pharmacology with 20+ years of R&D experience in Biotech and Big Pharma. Specializes in oncology drug discovery, including targeted and immuno-oncology therapies. Proven leadership guiding teams from early discovery to IND submissions, contributing to approved drugs. Strong record in in vitro and in vivo study design and clinical-stage assay development.

Prof. Mikhail Bogdanov

Scientific Advisor, Membrane Molecular Biology

PhD, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at University of Texas Medical School with 30+ years of experience in experimental studies of lipid membranes and membrane proteins. An expert in design and assessment of membrane targeting compounds.

Prof. Kevin Burgess

Scientific Advisor, PPI Modulators

Renowned Rachal Professor of Chemistry at Texas A&M, who has made significant contributions to the fields of medicinal and combinatorial chemistry. He applies his expertise in peptido-mimetics, hybrid-peptides and PPI targeting.

Prof. Christophe Ramseyer

Scientific Advisor, Membrane Biophysics

PhD, Professor of Physics with 20+ years of experience in quantum chemistry and computational drug design. An expert in simulating interactions of theragnostic nanoparticles with the cell membrane.

Dr. Andrew Golub

Scientific Advisor, CADD

PhD in Molecular Biology with 20+ years in Industry and Academia, specializing in CADD, computational chemistry, and cheminformatics. Expert in protein structure analysis, drug mechanisms, and therapeutic design. Co-author of multiple scientific papers and patents.

Dr. Yaroslav Bilokin

Scientific Advisor, Chemistry

PhD in Chemistry with 30+ years in medicinal and synthetic organic chemistry. Executive Director at OTAVA Ltd. with numerous patents and peer-reviewed publications. Combines expertise and leadership to tackle complex chemistry problems and lead innovative projects.