Michal Lebl, Ph.D., D.Sc.


4532 Mercurio Street
San Diego, CA 92130
(619)742-3651
m@5z.com
www.5z.com/mlebl

 

EXPERIENCE

 

SPYDER INSTITUTE, San Diego, CA and Praha, Czech Republic                       2010 - present

Spyder Institute is dedicated to research in the areas of peptide synthesis and proteomics assays focused on cancer diagnostics.

President

Formed the company to comercialize technologies abandoned during his involvement in companies with different focus in the last 20 years and apply them in development of new tools potentially useful in human medicine.

ILLUMINA, San Diego, CA                                                                                     1999 - 2011

Illumina develops tools for the large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function, the results of which will pave the way for personalized medicine, a key goal of genomics and proteomics. Their technology platform also extends to other applications such as high-throughput screening of pharmaceutical compounds and chemical detection.

Senior Director of Automation

As the head of Department of High Throughput Synthesis developed automated DNA synthesizers capable of the world highest throughput and most economical synthesis of DNA. These instruments enabled Illumina’s technology of self-assembled arrays. In parallel managed the programs of cross-reactive optical sensors, proteomics and peptide arrays. As the principal investigator of three grant applications brought to Illumina $2.8 million.

 

SPYDER INSTRUMENTS, San Diego, CA                                                            1993 - 2002 

Spyder Instruments was the small company dedicated to providing affordable instrumentation to laboratories interested in high throughput organic synthesis. Spyder's flagship technology for solid phase synthesis was the centrifugation based solvent removal from solid support. Spyder's technology was acquired by Illumina, Inc.

President

Formed the company for commercialization of automatic synthesizer COMPAS 242 based on centrifugal solvent removal and inclusion volume coupling. Technology was invented by Michal Lebl and licensed from Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechoslovakia. Cross-licensed technologies owned by Spyder and Trega for centrifugal synthetic techniques. Sold the company to Illumina, Inc.

 

TREGA BIOSCIENCES, INC., San Diego, CA                                                      1996 - 1999

Trega Biosciences was a drug discovery company, utilizing combinatorial chemistry and other technologies to pursue the discovery of novel, small-molecule drug therapies. The company was acquired by Lion Biosciences, AG.

Senior Director of Robotics and Synthesis Automation 

Built and served as the head of the Department of Robotic Synthesis. Developed automatic stations allowing for semi-automated synthesis of large arrays of small organic molecules with capacity of 5000 compounds/day. Invented and validated synthetic technology using centrifugation of tilted plates. This technology was later licensed to Spyder Instruments.

 

SELECTIDE CORPORATION, Tucson, AZ                                                          1991 – 1996

The first combinatorial chemistry company in the world developed the one-bead-one-compound technology (invented by Kit Lam) that allows the simultaneous synthesis and screening of millions of organic compounds for their potential biological activity leading to the development of new drugs. Selectide was purchased by Marion-Merrel-Dow in 1995 and later by Hoechst. Now it is part of Aventis.

Director of Chemistry

As the head of Chemistry Department validated the technology of one-bead-one-compound libraries on model and real targets. Developed technique for screening libraries in solution, designed and built the first automatic library synthesizer APLS-1 and automatic continuous synthesizer MARS-1 utilizing synthesis in disposable syringes. Michal Lebl was one of the key individuals responsible for the sale of Selectide to Marrion-Merrel-Dow (MMD). Participated in the merge of MMD into Hoechst, becoming thus a part of the largest chemical company in the world.

 

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, Tucson, AZ                                                 1983, 1986, 1989

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Visiting Professor, Consultant

Developed solid phase synthesis of cyclic peptides utilizing cyclization of tethered linear peptides. Designed and synthesized analogs of MSH, MCH, neurohypophysial hormones, in the projects leading to several clinical candidates.

 

INSTITUTE OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY (IOCB)                1974 - 1991

OF THE CZECHOSLOVAK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, Prague, Czechoslovakia

Peptide Chemist, Group Leader, Department Head

Studied structure-activity relationships of peptide hormones and developed several drug candidates, one of which is used as a veterinary drug in Europe. Developed the technique of continuous solid phase synthesis utilizing continuous solid support, designed and built an automated multiple peptide synthesizer based on the centrifugation synthesis method COMPAS 242.

As a department head was in charge of four scientific groups (35 scientists), dealing with synthesis, structure-activity and physico-chemical studies of peptides. In parallel served as an Editor-in-Chief of the largest international chemical journal in former Eastern Europe – Collection of Czechoslovak Chemical Communications. Modernized the journal production and transferred the operation from state into the IOCB, where it became one of the major revenue creating centers.

 

EDUCATION


MS, Organic Chemistry, 1973, University of Chemical Technology (VSCHT), Prague, Czech Republic
Military service, Officer, 1973-1974, Czechoslovak Army
Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, 1978, Institute of Organic Chemistry & Biochemistry of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
D.Sc., Organic Chemistry, 1992, Institute of Organic Chemistry & Biochemistry of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
Post doctoral studies, University of Arizona, Tucson, Prof. Hruby

 

AWARDS


State Prize of Czech Republic, 1988

In recognition of development and commercialization of peptide based veterinary drug.

Leonidas Zervas Award, European Peptide Society, 1990

In recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of peptide chemistry for the European Peptide Society.

Jouan Award, Association for Laboratory Automation, 2003

For contributions to laboratory automation and laboratory process improvement.

 

MEMBERSHIP


American Peptide Society
European Peptide Society
Czech Peptide Society
American Chemical Society
Czechoslovak Chemical Society
Faculty 1000, USA/United Kingdom
Scientific Committee of the Association of Laboratory Automation
Track Chair LabAutomation05
Scientific Advisory Board of The Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Prague
Scientific Advisory Board of Polypeptide Laboratories, USA
Scientific Advisory Board of Combio, Denmark
Board of Directors of HT-Labs, USA
Founder and owner of CSPS, USA (1991-2003)
Advisory Board of Collection of Czechoslovak Chemical Communications (Editor-in-Chief 1987-1991)
Editorial Board of Molecular Diversity (Co-founder and Co-Editor-in-Chief 1996-2003)
Editorial Board of Journal of Combinatorial Chemistry (1999-2003)
Editorial Advisory Board of Current Drug Delivery
Editor Diversity Information Pages
Co-Chairman of International/American Peptide Symposium 2001
Organizing committee of International/European Peptide Symposium 2004

 

INTERESTS

 


Go (member of American Go Association)
Orienteering (member San Diego Orienteering Club)
Geocaching
Photography (member of San Diego Art Institute and Spanish Village Art Community)