Dr. George Kwesiga
- Faculty of Science
- Department of Chemistry
- gekwesiga@kab.ac.ug | georgekwesiga66@gmail.com
- +256 779 854152
- https://www.kab.ac.ug/
- PhD. Organic Chemistry (University of Potsdam), M.Sc. Chem. (UON), B. Sc. Ed (MAK)
- | Google Scholar | ResearchGate | ORCID
Dr. George Kwesiga is a natural products and synthetic organic chemist. He holds a B. Sc. Education degree (Chem, Math) of Makerere University, Uganda, an M. Sc. Chemistry degree (Phytochemistry) of the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and a PhD in Organic Chemistry “magna cum laude” of the University of Potsdam, Germany. Dr. Kwesiga investigated the phytochemistry of Erythrina sacleuxii for antimicrobial principles in his master thesis project under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Abiy Yenesew and in his PhD project under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Bernd Schmidt, he explored and optimized methodologies for the synthesis of isoflavonoids from African medicinal plants with activity against tropical infectious diseases with emphasis on prenylated isoflavones. After his PhD in July 2022, Dr. Kwesiga continued as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Potsdam in the group of Prof. Dr. Bernd Schmidt until October 2022 and he further explored methodologies for the synthesis of prenylated isoflavones and (iso)flavonoid-chalcone hybrids. Dr. Kwesiga is currently a lecturer of Organic Chemistry at Kabale University in Uganda and a visiting scientist at the University of Potsdam, Institute of Chemistry in the group of Prof. Dr. Bernd Schmidt. He is open to collaboration and ready to mentor young scientist in the field of natural products chemistry, synthetic organic chemistry, and drug discovery related research.
Qualifications
PhD in Organic Chemistry, University of Potsdam, Germany, 2022.
Master of Science in Chemistry (M. Sc. Chem.), University of Nairobi, Kenya, 2016.
Bachelor of Science with Education (B. Sc. Ed, Chemistry major) Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, 2009.
Research Interests
Natural Products Chemistry
Synthetic Organic Chemistry
Medicinal Chemistry
Drug Discovery
Publications
Projects
Supervision
Presentations
“Total Syntheses of Prenylated Isoflavones from Erythrina sacleuxii and their Antibacterial Activity: 5-Deoxy-3′-prenylbiochanin A and Erysubin F” George Kwesiga and Bernd Schmidt, International Workshop on Identification of New Lead Compounds and Diagnostic Tools for Leishmaniasis: Concepts, Approaches and Capacity Building; February 22-24, 2023, Nairobi, Kenya. (Oral presentation)
“Scope and Applications of 2,3-Oxidative Aryl Rearrangements for the Synthesis of Isoflavone Natural Products” George Kwesiga, Eric Sperlich and Bernd Schmidt, EuChemS2022 –Chemistry Congress 2022; 28th August – 1st September 2022, Lisbon, Portugal. (Oral presentation)
“Application of Suzuki-Miyaura Coupling/ Cross Metathesis Reactions for the Synthesis of Prenylated Isoflavone Natural Products” George Kwesiga and Bernd Schmidt, Frühjahrssymposium 2022; 23rd – 26th March 2022, Hannover, Germany. (Poster)
“Application of 2,3-Oxidative Aryl Rearrangements for the Synthesis of Isoflavone Natural Products” George Kwesiga and Bernd Schmidt, GDCh – Science Forum Chemistry 2021; 29th August – 1st September 2021, virtual. (Poster)
“Application of 2,3-Oxidative Aryl Rearrangements for the Synthesis of Isoflavone Natural Products” George Kwesiga and Bernd Schmidt, 32nd Chemistry Day (32. Tag der Chemie); 6th July 2021, virtual. (Poster)
“Isolation, Modification and Total Synthesis of Bioactive Isoflavonoids from Erythrina sacleuxii” George Kwesiga, Abiy Yenesew, Albert Ndakala, Matthias Heydenreich and Bernd Schmidt, Leibniz Symposium 2020; 14th February 2020, Hannover, Germany. (Poster)