Dr. Predrag Cudic received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Croatia, in 1991. He than pursued doctoral studies at the Rudjer Boskovic Institute, University of Zagreb, under the supervision of Prof. Mladen Zinic. Dr. Cudic's dissertation research at the Rudjer Boskovic Institute was directed towards design and synthesis of phenanthridinium cyclo-bis-intercaland receptor molecules. This research resulted in synthesis of artificial receptor molecules capable of binding and recognition of nucleosides and nucleotides in water. The stability constants for these specific types of receptors and substrates were the highest measured to that time.

In September 1996 Predrag obtained his Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry, and soon he joined group of Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn, 1987 Nobel Lauréate in Chemistry, at the Collège de France in Paris, France, as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. In Prof. Lehn's Laboratory Dr. Cudic was engaged in the synthesis of acridine macrocyclic receptor molecules, investigation of molecular recognition by these receptors and their application in the catalysis of thermal and photochemical processes of organic and bioorganic interest.

In 1998 Dr. Cudic moved to USA where he obtained further training in the field of drug discovery and development. He joined group of Prof. Dewey McCafferty at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. At the University of Pennsylvania Dr. Cudic's research was focused on the total solid-phase synthesis of a novel peptide antibiotic Ramoplanin, its mechanism of action and structure-activity relationship. Ramoplanin is currently under Phase III clinical development for eradication of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In addition to that research, Dr. Cudic was also engaged in the synthesis of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan analogues as potential substrates for the bacterial glycosyltransferase MurG.

Starting in the August 2003, Dr. Cudic began his research and teaching career as an Assistant Professor at Florida Atlantic University in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

MEMBERSHIPS
    American Chemical Society
    American Peptide Society