GSK
University of Strathclyde

Chemotherapy is one of the most common cancer treatment avenues, despite frequent adverse effects for patients. As cancer rates increase, there is a growing need for improved treatments. In recent years there has been an increased interest in new classes of biopharmaceutical drugs that can meet this need. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have quickly become a favoured class as they combine the power of chemotherapeutic drugs with the specificity of antibodies, able to bind to distinct structures on the surface of cancer cells and carry the desired drugs into the cells.

Harry’s research aims to develop a novel high-throughput platform to rapidly design and synthesise safer, more effective antibody-drug conjugates. Fifteen ADCs have been approved for cancer treatment to date, nine of which in the last 5 years, demonstrating the great interest and promise of these therapies.

The discovery of ADCs will enable selective targeting of cancerous cells during treatment thus sparing healthy cells and greatly reducing the side effect and toxicity of current cancer treatments.

Biography:

After receiving the Roentgenium Award in the Cambridge L6 Chemistry Challenge in Sixth Form, Harry attended the University of Cambridge, earning a first-class BA and MSci in Natural Sciences. During this time, Harry received multiple prizes and foundation scholarships, including the Raphael prize and B.M.Roberts prize which he received for his final examinations. Harry’s research dissertation in the Prof. Robert Phipps group earned him the Gordon Wigan prize. Harry has since started his collaborative PhD programme with the University of Strathclyde and GSK to further his passion for chemistry.