Postdoctoral scientist
Degree(s)
MChem (Hons) with Industrial Placement Year, Newcastle University (2015 – 2019)
PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, Newcastle University (2019 – 2023)
Staff email
Profile
Alex is originally from Sheffield (UK) and obtained his MChem degree from Newcastle University (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK) in 2019, during which he undertook his Master’s research project with Dr Michael Hall on the asymmetric synthesis of helically-chiral BODIPY compounds. During his undergraduate studies, Alex undertook an industrial placement year as a Medicinal Chemist at GSK (Stevenage, UK) during which he worked on the synthesis of novel bromodomain inhibitors. Alex was awarded the ‘Chemistry Excellence’ and ‘Katie Bates’ prizes for his performance during his MChem degree and graduated top of his cohort.
Inspired by his year at GSK, Alex decided to pursue a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry where he joined the Northern Institute for Cancer Research (NICR) based at Newcastle University (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK). Under the supervision of Dr Celine Cano, Prof. Mike Waring and Prof. Loranne Agius, Alex’s PhD project was multi-disciplinary and centred on the synthesis and evaluation of Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) to target the metabolic enzyme, Glucokinase. His research focused on the novel use of allosteric activators to leverage the targeted protein for degradation and led to development of potent and selective Glucokinase degraders. Alex was also in the inaugural cohort of the EPSRC-funded Molecular Sciences for Medicine (MoSMed) CDT programme between Newcastle University and Durham University.
During his PhD, Alex developed a passion for Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) and this interest was piqued when he attended the EFMC short-course on TPD in April 2023 (Leiden, NE). In his final year, Alex was fortunate enough to present his PhD research at ACS Fall 2023 (San Francisco, USA) and EFMC-ASMC 2023 (Zagreb, HR).
In October 2023, Alex moved to the University of Dundee (Dundee, UK) to take up a postdoctoral research position with Prof. Alessio Ciulli at the Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation.
Outside of work, Alex is a keen foodie, enjoys coastal walks, and is a (not so) secret Taylor Swift fan.