Chemistry Disease Area Leader for Neuroscience, Global Discovery Chemistry, Cambridge, USAResponsibility for Neuroscience portfolio across multiple projects targeting neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation and psychiatry. Lead group of >30 chemists internally and externally.Member of GDC Cambridge Leadership Team; responsible for contribution to chemistry strategy and resourcing of projects across DA’s; reviewing project progress; culture; development; promotions; performance.Member of Neuroscience Disease Area Leadership Team with responsibilities including shaping of current portfolio and culture of Neuroscience Disease Area.Member of Neuroscience Decision Board reviewing proposals for clinical candidates and clinical studies.

Project leadership of respiratory drug discovery programmes across a number of respiratory diseases.Specific experience of cross functional project leadership of inhaled project through preclinical phases. Experience of strategies to enhance duration of action for design of inhaled drugs.Management of medicinal chemistry teams (internal and external) across a number of respiratory drug discovery projects.Member of chemistry leadership team responsible for development and execution of local medicinal chemistry strategy and reach out into global organisation.

Senior Scientific Investigator, Medicinal Chemistry Group Leader & Programme Leader within Neurosciences.Experience of delivering drug candidates across different target classes (transporters, 7-TM’s, nuclear receptors, enzymes & ion channels) across a number of disease areas.Leadership of medicinal chemistry programmes (internal and external resources of upto 16 chemists).Leadership of all cross functional disciplines within programme teams leading to identification of drug candidate.

Ph.D. with Professor Steve Ley, University of Cambridge sponsored by GSK

Identified new synthetic route to drug candidate on Na+ channel anticonvulsant programme.Experience in large scale laboratory producing drug substance on a 10L/100g scale.

1 year placement student as part of B.Sc. degree.Significant contribution to the drug discovery team that identified Gefitinib/Iressa - a now marketed EGFR inhibitor for non-small cell lung cancers.