Alex directs the synthesis and analytical core laboratories at Usona. These facilities provide support for the organic and medicinal chemistry needs of the organization’s research & development, nonclinical, preclinical, and clinical programs with specific focus on advancing both psilocybin and 5-MeO-DMT toward approved therapies.
Alex also oversees projects to provide custom synthesis of known and novel materials that are otherwise difficult to obtain or very expensive for researchers to buy in support of multidisciplinary collaborations that advance basic research on psychedelic compounds. His efforts have contributed to a multitude of research articles with specific focus on the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of psychoactive compounds.
Prior to joining Usona, Alex has held both research and teaching positions at several academic institutions. He obtained a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of New Orleans, with Postdoctoral Training in Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Kansas. Beyond the lab, Alex’s interests reach into intersections of art, music, mechanics, and electrons in motion.