In my role as a medicinal chemist and series lead, I played a pivotal part within our research and development team, steering the exploration and progression of new small molecule compounds towards combating neglected diseases, with a primary emphasis on malaria.Armed with a Ph.D. in Organometallic Chemistry, and a robust track record in synthesis and drug discovery, I bring extensive experience in the design, synthesis, purification, and data analysis of small molecules tailored to combat malaria at various stages in the drug discovery pipeline (Formal Hit Assessment, Hit-to-Lead, Lead Optimisation).In addition to leading the design and execution of synthetic strategies, I have the privilege of line managing two post-doctoral fellows, guiding, and mentoring them in their research pursuits.Actively engaging in data analysis, I derive meaningful insights specific to the challenges posed by neglected diseases. My daily responsibilities extend to quartile presentations to our Scientific Advisory Board, where I communicate progress, challenges, and strategic directions. Furthermore, I participate in monthly team meetings with collaborators, ensuring transparent communication and collaborative efforts across our scientific platforms, including parasitology, DMPK (Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetic), enzymology, and CADD (computer-aided drug discovery). This approach fosters an interdisciplinary environment crucial for addressing the complexities of drug discovery and development.Strong problem-solving skills, effective communication, and a profound understanding of neglected disease pathophysiology and structure-activity relationships remain paramount as we collectively strive to make a meaningful impact on global health, particularly in the context of neglected diseases.

Completed my PhD under the supervision of Assoc. Prof Gregory Smith at the University of Cape Town. Collaborated with Prof Paul Dyson (Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, EPFL, Switzerland), Prof Bruno Therrien (University of Neuchatel, Switzerland), Prof Patrick Bednarski (University of Greifswald, Germany) and Prof Allan Hutton (University of Cape Town, South Africa).Completed a 6 week international research visit at the University of Wurzburg, Germany, under the supervision of Prof Ulrich Schatzschneider.The title of my PhD thesis was "The Development of New Bioorganometallic Metallodendrimers as In Vitro Anticancer Agents"

Completed my MSc under the supervision of Assoc. Prof Gregory Smith at the University of Cape Town. Collaborated with Prof Paul Dyson (Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, EPFL, Switzerland).Completed a 8 week international research visit at the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland, under the supervision of Prof Bruno Therrien.The title of my MSc dissertation was "Synthesis, Characterization and Anticancer Studies of Multinuclear Ruthenium(II) Arene Complexes Based on a Dendritic Scaffold"