Sep 2019 – Aug 2021 · 1 yr 11 mos · London, United Kingdom

• In this role I led and directed the scientific activities of Society Programmes. I was responsible for the implementation and delivery of strategic plans which were set by the Board of Trustees, elected by the members. I lead a team of 15+ colleagues and had budgetarry responsibility.
• I worked closely with academic and industrial colleagues and directed activities of the Society across the following 8 theme panels and research areas:
• 1. Basic Biosciences theme panel
• 2. Genes: covers broad areas of DNA synthesis, repair, recombination and replication; RNA transcription, processing, translation; genomics; nucleic acid binding proteins; epigenetics;
• 3. Molecular structure and function: including molecular modelling of mechanisms, rational drug design and molecular interactions;
• 4. Energy and Metabolism: including focus on mitochondria, membrane transport, metabolic pathways and networks, electron transfer proteins, metabolism and metabolic diseases and metals in biology;
• 5. Cells: including trafficking, protein turnover, cell adhesion and migration, phagocytosis, apoptosis, glycobiology, glycosylation and membrane fusion;
• 6. Signalling: covers the broad areas of receptors, ion channels, second messengers, kinases, phosphatases, lipid mediators, post-translational modifications, transcription/translation, nuclear interactions, nuclear receptors, protein phosphorylation, G-proteins, scaffolds, molecular pharmacology, computer-aided drug design and redox signalling;
• 7. Biological Systems: including gene therapy, embryogenesis, organogenesis, innate immunity, immune responses, inflammation, disease processes, ageing, cancer, , molecular medicine, neurodegeneration;
• 8. The Clinical and Translational Research: covers the broad areas of aging, cancer, cardiovascular system & vascular biology, diabetes & metabolic disorders, diagnostics & biomarkers, endocrinology, gastrointestinal, renal & hepatic systems, immunology & inflammation.

Sep 2017 – Sep 2019 · 2 yrs · London, United Kingdom

• I managed and led pharmaceutical professional services and resources, accreditation and endorsements. I oversaw a team of 14 colleagues and had P&L responsibiliy.
• I was accountable for the professional support telephone and email enquiry line for pharmaceutical professionals based in any setting: academia, industry, startups, charity, primary and secondary care. I oversaw the delivery of the service, the team of pharmacists which had different specialisms and was the point of escalation for all complex enquiries.
• The enquiries ranged in nature from physico-chemical properties of compounds, to interactions, questions regarding law and ethics, payments and licensing. We worked closely with regional medicines information centres for complex drug interactions or toxicity inquiries. We also worked closely with the pharmaceutical regulator to support the profession with the new regulatory revalidation enquiries.
• One of the most memorable, quick turnaround enquiries was about stability of a number of medicines in space. This was a fast paced and highly rewarding role, where no two days were the same. I believe that I was highly effective in this role due to the ability to make quick decisions even in the absence of all the information, extensive scientific and clinical background which provided me with a sound pharmaceutical 'instinct' as well as curiosity and desire to keep learning.

Apr 2015 – Sep 2017 · 2 yrs 5 mos · London, United Kingdom

• I was accountable for the delivery of professional development programme for pharmacists, advanced practitioners.

Oct 2014 – May 2015 · 7 mos

• I characterised two novel antimicrobial peptides and biosurfactants by computational analysis and mathematical modelling of experimental data obtained at the ISIS neutron and muon source.

Oct 2012 – Oct 2014 · 2 yrs

• The aim of my research was to develop biosustainable, environmentally-friendly surfactants for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications by using the extensive protein biochemistry skills I have gained during my PhD.
• The hydrophobins – which are amphiphilic, disulphide-rich proteins secreted by filamentous fungi – have shown promise as environmentally-friendly biosurfactants for pharmaceutical applications but suffer from being relatively large molecules that can only be produced and harvested in low yield from fungal fermentation broths.
• My objective is to circumvent these deficiencies through the design, synthesis and characterisation of genetically engineered mutants of the plant defensin SPE10 – to provide peptides with the same high stability and surfactancy as hydrophobins, but which are smaller and more readily manufactured. These peptides – just like the hydrophobins – are stabilised by multiple disulphides (and so will not denature when adsorbed at air-water and solid-water interfaces) but they are significantly smaller than the hydrophobins (involving 30-40 rather than 130-140 residues).
• The sequences of the template peptides are then modified so as to create molecules with distinct hydrophobic and hydrophilic faces (by mutation of surface residues not critical to folding). Large-scale production and purification of the recombinant proteins is achieved by inclusion body solubiization and protein refolding and the targets verified by mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography.

Jul 2007 – Jul 2008 · 1 yr

• Successfully registered with The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) by completing the national registration exam and fulfilling a defined set of competencies.