Research projects​ 

Development of a platform for sreening of novel natural purified molecules with potential use as anticarcinogenic agents.

KNOWTRANSFER, a technology-based startup specialising in early-stage drug discovery. Our aim is developing an innovative, integrated technological platform designed to identify, prioritise and functionally validate small-molecule inhibitors targeting Histone Acetyltransferase 1 (HAT1). HAT1 is an emerging epigenetic oncogene strongly associated with tumour progression, therapeutic resistance and poor clinical prognosis across multiple cancers. Despite its immense therapeutic relevance, the pharmacological exploitation of HAT1 remains largely unchartered due to a severe shortage of specific inhibitors and fragmented discovery methodologies.

We will addresses this critical technological gap by replacing conventional, disjointed pipelines with an integrated, multi-modular workflow. The platform seamlessly unites three core analytical tiers:

1. In Silico Molecular Modelling: Utilizing structural analysis and molecular docking to screen and rank bioactive polyphenolic families (such as chalcones, stilbenes and arylbenzofurans), drastically reducing experimental overheads.
2. In Vitro Functional Validation: Evaluating the antitumour and antiproliferative efficacy of prioritised compounds across complementary solid and haematological tumour models (PC3 prostate adenocarcinoma and K562 chronic myeloid leukaemia cell lines).
3. Epigenetic Mechanistic Verification: Confirming a direct, targeted mechanism of action by analyzing specific biomarkers, notably histone H4 acetylation and HAT1 expression levels. This critical tier successfully filters out compounds causing non-specific cytotoxicity.

By aligning computational prediction with robust experimental evidence, in this project we significantly de-risk early-stage drug discovery and increases the industrial value of the generated assets. 

Operating under a highly capital-efficient, asset-based business model, KNOWTRANSFER avoids the high-CAPEX demands of advanced clinical phases. Instead, the company captures value early within the biotechnology ecosystem by securing robust intellectual property and transferring highly validated, patentable assets—such as prioritised compounds, optimised derivatives and novel therapeutic uses—to pharmaceutical and biotech partners for advanced preclinical development. Ultimately, while initially optimised for HAT1, Our scalable architecture is fully transferable to other emerging epigenetic targets, establishing a continuous pipeline for future oncology research.

Key Highlights:

• Target Disease Area: Epigenetic Oncology (specifically targeting the emerging HAT1 enzyme).
• Core Innovation: A unified platform connecting in silico molecular docking, in vitro oncology assays and precise epigenetic mechanistic validation to eliminate non-specific cytotoxicity screening errors.
• Chemical Focus: Rationale screening of bio-produced, high-purity polyphenols, chalcones and stilbenes.
• Business Strategy: Asset-based, capital-efficient model focused on early-stage intellectual property (IP) generation, technology transfer and commercial licensing.