Current drug discovery paradigm is ineffective with more than 90% of drugs failing to progress through all clinical stages of drug development. Principal reason for this high attrition rate is the excessive reliance on cellular models which are clinically less relevant. Nobel prize winning cellular reprogramming technology has the potential to transform the drug discovery landscape by employing patient derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) at the earliest stages, thus drastically reducing clinical trial failure. However, generating iPSCs is labour intensive and costly, which has been a major bottleneck in realising its full potential. We at Oxford StemTech have developed a novel method of producing high quality iPSC lines at scale and at a fraction of cost currently possible. iPSC technologies if combined with other technologies such as gene editing, organoids and artificial intelligence can truly revolutionize drug discovery, bringing precision medicine in the clinic earlier than previously imagined. Join the purpose!

Human-centric drug discovery to construct cell-based phenotypic assays using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells and establish a high throughput screening platform to identify a novel target for migraine.

Establishing iPSC-based cellular models for disease modelling and drug screening applications for neurological diseasesDesign and execute experiments for multiple projectsTraining multiple laboratory staffResponsible for project research budget and planning submissions for grant funding

Lead in setting up and establishing human iPSC technology. Molecular and physiological characterization of iPS cell-derived neurons and glial cells to establish cellular models of neurological diseases. iPS cell grafts into animal models of neurological diseases as experimental therapies.

Investigate interaction of neural stem cells with human blood-brain barrier in an in vitro model

SVZ-derived neural stem cell culture and transplantation

Link between medical, healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companyPromoting product awarenessTrack competitor activityReviewing sales performanceWriting reports and other literature

Training undergraduate pharmacy students using teaching methods of lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical demonstrationsTo participate in departmental seminars aimed at sharing research outcomes and building interdisciplinary collaboration within and outside the departmentDelivering conference presentations