We were delighted to hear from Hywelian Olivia Hayward, who left in 2008. She is currently in her final year of a PhD in Bioscience/Pharmacy at Cardiff University, researching breast cancer. Her particular project aimed to design a drug, OH14 (Olivia’s initials), to target a specific protein in breast cancer which resists in several cancer types a drug which would otherwise have a lot of therapeutic potential. The project has been very successful as, through the use of computerised modelling and in vitro testing, she has successfully identified a small molecule which is capable of sensitising these previously resistant cells to the drug. Recently, the drug she has designed has been licensed to a small company, which has invested in another of her lab's drug design projects. Olivia has recently been successful in obtaining a one-year grant to fund her work after she has finished her PhD. This will involve further testing of OH14 in order to improve its potential as a therapeutic. This is a great achievement; congratulations, Olivia!
You can read more about Olivia’s success by following the links below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-32617824
http://www.itv.com/news/wales/update/2015-05-07/cardiff-scientists-discover-cancer-fighting-compound/
http://www.investegate.co.uk/article.aspx?id=201505070700214236M
http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/100032-new-anti-cancer-stem-cell-compound-in-development