Documents
Prohens Research Group
Overview
I obtained a Chemistry degree (1995) at the Universitat de les Illes Balears before completing a PhD in Organic Chemistry (2000) in the field of Molecular Recognition. In 2001 I joined the group of Prof. Chris Hunter at the University of Sheffield (UK) as a postdoctoral research associate and focused my research on the synthesis of molecular knots. In 2002, I moved to the Barcelona Science Park to work in Calorimetry and Thermal Risk Assessment and became in 2004 the Head of the Polymorphism and Calorimetry Unit of the University of Barcelona. In September 2023 I was appointed as a Lecturer at the Department of the Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry. I have also been a research visitor at the University of Sheffield and the University of Cambridge between 2009 and 2015. I founded the biotech start-up Circe Crystal Engineering in 2013 and became its Scientific Director. I have supervised four MSc and four PhD thesis and I am currently supervising one industrial PhD student in the area of pharmaceutical technology. I am author of over 100 research papers, articles and patents and I have organized three international meetings in the fields of Physical Organic Chemistry and Crystal Engineering (PhysChemForum 2010, Advances in Polymorphism and Cocrystallization 2009 and New Trends in Crystal Engineering NTCE08 2008). I have presented my work in 25 international and national conferences. I have supervised over 80 R&D projects about Polymorphism and Cocrystals for the pharmaceutical industry.
Research Interests
My present research goals focus on the field of Supramolecular Chemistry and Crystal Engineering, with a particular interest on the polymorphism of organic compounds and the pharmaceutical cocrystals. Based on cocrystal technology guided by non-covalent design strategies my projects aim to improve relevant properties of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compounds such as increased bioavailability, stability, and solubility.
Selected Recent Publications
Combined computational/experimental investigation of new cocrystals of the drug bosentan. R. Barbas, A. Portell, C.A. Hunter, R. Prohens,* A. Frontera.* CrystEngComm, 2022, 5105-5111.
A novel, extremely bioavailable cocrystal of pterostilbene. L. Bofill, R. Barbas, D. de Sande, M. Font-Bardia, C. Rafols, J. Albertí, R. Prohens.* Crystal Growth & Design, 2021, 2315-2323.
A new and highly stable cocrystal of vitamin D3 for use in enhanced food supplements. L. Bofill, D. de Sande, R. Barbas, R. Prohens.* Crystal Growth & Design 2021, 1418-1423.
New cocrystal of ubiquinol with high stability to oxidation. L. Bofill, D. de Sande, R. Barbas, R. Prohens*. Crystal Growth & Design 2020, 5583-5588.
H-Bonded anion–anion complexes in fentanyl citrate polymorphs and solvates. R. Barbas, R. Prohens,* A. Bauzá, A. Franconetti, A. Frontera.* Chemical Communications, 2019, 55, 115-118.
A full list of my publications and patents can be found at: